Morning Yoga Poses - Yoga Poses - Morning Yoga

 Beginner Routine

For those who are new to yoga or seeking a gentle practice, consider the following routine.

Maintain each of the five poses for a duration of 60 seconds before transitioning to the subsequent pose. This will result in a total practice time of just 5 minutes.

Child Pose

A remarkable way to initiate a yoga practice, particularly in the morning, is through Child’s Pose. This pose facilitates a reconnection with your breath while offering a gentle stretch for the lower back and hips.

Muscles engaged:

- Lats

- Lower back

- Hips

To perform this pose:

1. Begin on all fours on your mat.

2. Widen your knees and bring your big toes together.

3. Allow your abdomen to sink between your thighs and let your forehead rest on the floor.

4. Extend your arms forward, placing your palms flat on the ground.

5. Focus on taking deep breaths in and out during this position. 

Cat-Cow

 

Begin by warming your body for movement with the Cat-Cow exercise, which effectively stretches the spine, activates the core, and expands the chest. Muscles engaged: - Erector spinae - Serratus anterior - Abdominals To perform this exercise: 1. Position yourself on all fours on your mat, ensuring your hands are aligned beneath your shoulders and your knees are directly under your hips. 2. Engage your abdominal muscles, exhale, and arch your spine upward toward the ceiling. 3. Allow your head to drop toward your chest and maintain this position for 10 seconds. 4. Inhale deeply and let your spine curve downward, allowing your abdomen to lower toward the floor while lifting your head upward and back. Hold this position for 10 seconds.

Cobra

Cobra Pose not only provides a stretch for the shoulders, chest, and abdominal muscles, but it also enhances the strength of the arms and glutes. Muscles engaged: - Lats - Triceps - Abdominals - Glutes - Hamstrings To perform this pose: 1. Begin by lying face down on your mat, ensuring your legs are shoulder-width apart and the tops of your feet rest on the mat. 2. Position your hands beneath your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body. 3. Inhale deeply and start to extend your arms, pressing through the tops of your feet. 4. Raise your chest off the ground while retracting your shoulders. 5. Cease the extension of your arms once your pelvis is no longer in contact with the floor; maintain your breath for up to 30 seconds.

Chair

Enhance the strength of your legs, back, and shoulders through the practice of Chair Pose. This exercise will also test your balance.

Muscles engaged:

abdominals

erector spinae

quadriceps

hamstrings

gluteus medius

deltoids

triceps

To perform this exercise:

1. Begin by standing with your feet together and inhale, raising your arms straight above your head.

2. Exhale as you shift your weight back into your hips and bend your knees, halting when your thighs are parallel to the floor.

3. Draw your shoulders down and back while pressing your tailbone toward the ground. Maintain your breath in this position.

Warrior Pose 

Enhance the strength of your legs while promoting flexibility in your hips and chest through the Warrior I pose. Muscles engaged: abdominals hamstrings quadriceps To perform this pose: 1. Begin by standing with your feet together and your arms relaxed at your sides. 2. Step forward with your left foot into a lunge, ensuring your right leg remains straight and your right foot is turned at a 45-degree angle. 3. Raise your arms overhead. 4. Draw your shoulder blades together and downward, and tilt your head back to gaze at your fingertips.

Bridge 

Enhance the strength of your posterior chain, which refers to the rear portion of your body, by performing a Bridge exercise. Muscles engaged: hamstrings glutes quadriceps To execute this exercise: 1. Position yourself on your back with your knees flexed and feet resting flat on the floor. 2. Rest your arms alongside your body, ensuring your palms are in contact with the ground. 3. Inhale deeply. Then, exhale and drive through your feet, elevating your hips towards the ceiling.