Yogais the perfect way to energize your mornings and revitalize yourtired, groggy body. It’s not as intense as a full-on cardioworkout, and can actually help with digestion and revving up yourmetabolism. Here are the best beginner friendly yoga moves to try inthe AM.
1.Standing forward fold
thiscan be your first move. stand with your feed hip distance apartslightly bending your knees and gently folding forward with a relaxedneck, and weigh centered in the middle of each foot.
2.Child’s pose
Thisis a very simple pose that’s adaptable for all levels. Kneel andbring your chest down onto your thighs so your forehead touches thefloor, lengthening arms to either side or stacking them under theforehead. Breath in slowly and let the ribs widen. As you exhale sinkthe buttocks back towards the heels, stretching your back.
3.Happy baby
Starton your back, resting you head either on a pillow or on the ground.Gently draw your knees into your chest, grabbing the outer edges ofyour feet and sticking elbows inside knees. Pull on your feet lightlyas knees drop to each side of your torso.
4.Cat to cow
Startingon all fours with hands under shoulders and knees under hips, dropyour belly and arch your spine, lifting your chest and lifting yourtailbone as you inhale. When you exhale, curve your spine into theopposite position pressing the floor away, like an angry cat.
5.Downward dog
Placeyour palms on the mat or ground a bit wider than shoulder width,tucking the toes as your lift hips high into the air. The chestshould move backwards the thighs while the arms remain straight andhead strays relaxed. Roll your shoulder away from the knees, and keephips high to keep your soles on the ground and get the full stretch.
6.Locust Pose
Thisis a backbend variation which strengthens your lower back and legswhile lengthening the spine and opening your chest. Lie on yourstomach with arms by your sides, palms up. Lite your arms, legs,upper body, and head actively, holding for 45 seconds before yourelease.
7.Twisted chair
Thispose increases circulation and the twisting motion wakes up yourinternal organs, helping you digest. Stand with feet and legstogether, bending knees and sinking hips into a squat position withpalms in front of chest. Rotate the spine and bring right elbow toleft knee with chest lifted.
8.Camel pose
Thispose opens up your chest and increases lung capacity, helping youtake those mindful deep breaths that let you keep your cool. Startkneeling high with hips over knees, with weight pressed into shinsand the tops of feet. Tuck your toes and place your hands on yoursacrum, lifting the chest as your release hands to your heels andarch the spine.
9.Seated twist
Thisis a foundational intro the spinal twist, and is done cross leggedrather than lying down. It can even be done on your bed. In a seatedposition, take a deep breath and exhale, turning so your right handis brought to your left knee, looking behind you. Inhale and switch,exhaling on the other side.
10.Crescent lunge
Thisis a fantastic hip opener that also happens to get your heart rateup. Starting in downward dog, step your right foot between yourhands. Lower your hips into a lunge-like position, shifting weight onto the ball of the back foot with hips squared and arms reachingtowards the ceiling.
11.Plow pose
Thisinversion might take some time to work up to, but it maximizes yourcirculation and promotes endorphins to flow out through your body,which helps on groggy mornings. Lie on your back with legs up in theair towards the ceiling. Anchoring arms with palm down, press intoyour hands and lift your legs over the head. Bring hands to your backif support is needed.
12.Spinal twist
Lieon your back with both knees in towards the chest. Holding one kneeinto the chest, let the other leg straighten out in the floor. Bringthe bent knee across the body but keep your shoulder blades on thefloor. Turn head to look over should for a total twist. Complete onthe other side.
13.Triangle pose
Standing,widen your leg stand to the length of a leg. Take your right foot outto the side, aligning the heel with the center arch of the otherfoot. Take arms parallel to the ground and reach out to the rightside keeping legs straight and engaged. Torso lengthens and the chestopen up.
14.Wide leg forward fold
Thisforward fold might feel better to some than the non-wide leggedvariation. It lengthens your spine while gloriously stretching yourhamstrings and allowing for some inversion action to shine through.
15.Eagle pose
Start standing with bent knees. Lift your right leg up and around the standing leg, hooking the ankle and foot behind the calf of the other leg. Sink your hips down and back into a squat like position, crossing the arms at elbows, and keeping wrists in front of the chest. Shake out legs after you release.
