Yoga Poses for Winter Warmth and a Holiday Detox

It is finally snowing in the Pacific Northwest and that inspires me to do many things like playing in the snow with our husky, baking delicious cookies, and warming up with a twisty yoga flow, tea, and a good show. Join me in some of my top yoga poses to warm up this winter and help detox and wring out toxins from our body from the holidays through some gentle twists.

Five Yoga Postures to Detox from the Holidays

All of these poses are featured in my Post-Holiday Care flow to help take time for yourself. It's one of my favorite practices to challenge my body and mind by moving slowly though postures from our toes to our head. Don't forget to check out the flow and see for yourself.

Tadasana, Mountain Pose with a Twist - This is a fantastic warm-up posture in yoga. As you enter this pose, focus on grounding your feet into your mat like roots of a tree and twisting from the shoulders, keeping the hips and toes square to the front of your mat. Your heart chakra is also stimulated and allows the body to release negative emotions, leaving a cool, calm and collected spirit.

This photo captures Tadasana, Mountain Pose Twist with Arms Extended from the Post-Holiday Yoga Flow. Even in the snow, I kept warm from all the twisting and prana (energy) movement in the body.

Benefits:

1. Opens the Front of the Body - chest, lungs, shoulders, neck and arms.

2. Strengthens the Arms. This posture helps warm the body and get ready for backbends and forward folds in the rest of your practice.

3. Focuses on your Breath - Pranayama Practice. The diaphragm is engaged, which allows for more air flowing on the inhales and exhales.

4. Engages the Spine and Enhances Mobility.

5. Reduces Stress. This posture is gentle and as you connect with your breath, you are releasing stress and tension in the body.

6. Detoxes the Body. The organs are massaged during this twist with helps enhance their function and the twist in the neck activates the thyroid and improves metabolism.

Parivrtta Uttanasana, Forward Fold with an Open Twist - Whenever your head is below your heart, you release stress, tension and anxiety. This is a beautiful posture to recenter yourself, and let go. Really feel the length and strength extend from your arms - opening your chest and heart, and bringing awareness to your breath.

This photo captures Uttanasa Forward Fold with a Twist from the Post-Holiday Yoga Flow. This pose is held for moments to allow the body to bring in positive energy and release negative emotions as the heart opens.

Benefits:

1. Opens the Shoulders and Arms.

2. Stretches the Hamstrings, Calves, Hips and Lower Back.

3. An Asymmetrical Pose. This posture lengthens one side and contracts the other.

4. Improves Spinal Mobility. The twist enhances spine flexibility, opens the shoulder blades, and reduces neck tension.

5. Fills the Lungs Fully with Air. The chest and rib cage is opened fully in this pose, which allows the lungs to take in more air.

6. Balances Emotions. There are three chakras in the body that is stimulated in this pose - Anahata (Heart), Manipura (Stomach), Vishuddha (Throat). As we activate these areas in the body, we are balancing our emotions and enhancing our communication and thought processes.

Parivrtta Ashtachandrasana, Crescent with a Twist - This pose is a true challenge as it combines strength and flexibility with balance. This pose really captures the essence of yoga poses for a holiday detox because it reduces tiredness and heaviness in the legs and toes. Really focus on staying on the back toes and stacking the heel over the toes while you sink into the front thigh. Oh, all while you lift and twist from the chest.

This is a snapshot from the Post-Holiday flow of Parivrtta Ashtachandrasana, Crescent Lunge with a Twist that focuses on strength, flexibility, and balance.

Benefits:

1. Opens the Front of the Body - chest, lungs, shoulders, and neck.

2. Releases Tightness in the Lower Body - hamstrings, quadriceps, and psoas.

3. Removes Blockages in the Body. While you focus on the strength and length in this pose and stabilize through the lower body, you will begin to sink into the mindfulness of this posture and allow any blockages to be released, which allows prana to move more freely.

4. Lengthens the Hip Flexors.

5. Enhances Balance, and Improves Ankle Stability.

6. Strengthens Your Knees.

7. Tones Abs and Arms.

8. Detoxing. Twists help stimulate the internal organs. As you hold the twist, you will compress the stomach, and then, once released the stagnant blood will be released and encourage a flow of fresh blood.

Parivrtta Adho Mukha Savasana or Revolved Downward-Facing Dog - Down dog is a full body strength and stretch posture from your hands down to your toes and one pose that is widely recognized in yoga. The variation of Downward-Facing Dog pictured challenges the strength in your arms and legs and also aids in digestion, which is perfect for a holiday detox!

There is something so invigorating about this pose! I swear I wasn't even the least bit cold while sinking into this twist. Parivrtta Adho Mukha Savasana or Revolved Downward-Facing Dog is a great inversion and arm balance!

Benefits:

1. Improves Flexibility in the Hamstrings and Range of Motion of the Hips. The twist at the arms improves thoracic spine mobility.

2. Releases Tension in the Head and Neck. As I have mentioned, any time that your head is below your heart you are releasing tension in the body.

3. Improves Blood Flow in the Body.

4. Relaxes the Mind.

5. Stimulates the Manipura Chakra - help increase feelings of self-confidence, strength, and power.

Prasarita Padottanasana or Wide-Legged Forward Fold - This pose is a fantastic beginning inversion posture to strengthen and stretch the legs and spine symmetrically. One of the things that I love to mention while teaching is really focusing on the fact that whenever your head is below your heart, you are releasing stress and tension. So, as you hold this posture, really tune into the power of your breath and set the intention to release any blockages in the body and allow the oxygenation to flow fully through. Also, begin to tune into the different sides of your body and notice the variation that may exist between strength and flexibility and work to bring those into balance on either side.

In this pose, Prasarita Padottanasana or Wide-Legged Forward Fold, take a moment to look at the toes - they are turned to face one another. This subtle change in this posture can open up the outer shins .

Benefits:

1. Stretches the Lower Body.

2. Releases Tension in the Head and Neck. As I have mentioned, any time that your head is below your heart you are releasing tension in the body. This release of tension allows for a stronger flow of prana in the body, which reduces fatigue in the body.

3. Improves Blood Flow in the Body. The fold puts pressure of the abdomen, which tones and tightens the the muscles. This pose is beneficial for the circulatory, lymphatic and digestive systems.

4. Opens the Sinuses.

Now, I hope that you found these postures interesting, and I hope that you feel the length, regain your natural posture and posterior strength, and feel detoxified from the winter holidays. Enjoy the length and strength from each one of these postures! I hope that you find these yoga poses to help you detox!

All my light. All my love.

Namaste,

Jordan

My Gear:

Cotopaxi Fuego Hooded Down Jacket  

FreePeople Crochet Beanie  

Burton Base Layer Pants

Manduka Pro Yoga Mat