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A morning yoga routine is just what your body needs to prepare itself for the stressful day ahead. Are you feeling tired even after drinking the daily cup of morning coffee? Can’t bring yourself to get ready for work? Coffee is great, but our bodies need something better. Physical activity works wonders. Ask any active person what is the thing that makes them feel more alive, and they will tell you that nothing beats exercising. Skip the coffee and get buckets of energy by doing a 30 minute morning yoga routine each day. Yoga delivers the health elixir for both your mind and body.
And let’s not forget about other benefits of yoga. You can use a morning yoga routine for weight loss as well. No need to hit the gym every day when you can take advantage of the slimming effects of yoga.
There are countless yoga poses that you can mix together to create your own personalized morning yoga routine. We have gathered 12 poses that vary in difficulty. Choose the ones most beneficial for you and get that body moving and energy flowing.
Here Are the Best 12 Poses for Your Morning Yoga Routine
1. Cat Tilt Pose
Get on your hands and knees, keeping the wrists under the shoulders. Your knees should be under the hips. Lengthen the spine and inhale, then exhale as you round your back up to the ceiling just like a cat. When ready for another inhale, arch the back by dropping the belly toward the floor this time. your sitting bones and your collarbones should be lifted, as you gaze up to the ceiling. Repeat the movements three times.
2. Cat-Cow Pose
Get on your hands and knees. Make sure your shoulders come in line with your wrists, and your hips are just in line with the knees. After getting into the right position, move the spine in a rhythmic motion. Inhale as you arch the back and lift the sitting bones and chest. This is the Cow pose. Exhale as you round the back and tuck the chin and pelvis. Now you’re in the Cat pose. It’s quite an easy pose, a great morning yoga routine for beginners.
3. Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Get on your hands and knees and set the knees below the hips while your hands stretch in front of the shoulders. Spread the palms. Exhale as you lift the knees from the floor. Lift your sitting bones and draw the inner legs up. Exhale as you push the thighs back. Then, straighten the knees and narrow the pelvis. Now, let’s move to the arms. Firm your arms and press the index fingers into the floor. Lift the arms all the to the tops of your shoulders. The head should be kept between the upper arms. Repeat the pose for five to ten breaths.
4. Knee-to-Nose Pose
Now that you master the Downward-Facing Dog, you can use it as a base for the Knee-to-Nose pose. From the Downward-Facing Dog pose, lift the right leg behind you. Round the spine while drawing the knee to your chest. The pelvis should be kept low while rounding the upper spine toward the ceiling. Bring the right thigh to the chest and the knee to the nose. Return to the Downward-Facing Dog pose when you’re done. Repeat this pose with the left leg as well.
5. Table Top pose
Get on your hands and knees and lift the belly towards the spine. Then, just extend the right leg and the left arm. Bend the right leg and hold it with the left hand. Now twist and open the chest into a backbend. Keep your head up, and your eyes looking up. Repeat the pose with your left leg and the right arm this time.
6. Plank Pose
From the Downward-Facing Dog, you can also get into the Plank pose. You just need to lower the hips until you get the torso parallel to the floor. Your shoulders should be in line with the wrists. Then, just press the hands and feet into the floor and reach forward with your head. You can do up to five rounds of the Plank pose, holding each for about 15 seconds.
7. Child’s Pose
Kneel and bring the chest down to the thighs. Put your forehead on the floor. Then, take a deep breath through the nose. When exhaling, try sinking the buttocks toward your heels, gently curving the spine over your thighs. You can do up to ten breaths. It is very easy and comfortable pose, among the favorites for a quick morning yoga routine.
8. Standing Forward Bend Pose
Stand up and let the upper body hang. Keep the neck and head relaxed, and you can also keep the knees bent in the beginning. Start straightening the legs, and then inhale and exhale as your head pushes slightly towards your feet.
9. Triangle Pose
Also from a standing position, try getting into the Triangle pose. You need to widen the leg stance to about one meter. Then, turn the right foot out to the side. Make sure that the right heel is in line with the center arch of the left one. Bring your arms parallel to the ground, and then reach out to the right. Repeat the action on the other side as well, reaching out to the left. You can do about five breaths for each side.
10. Seal Pose
Lay on the floor facing down. From the belly, lift yourself using your arms. Keep the elbows a bit forward of the shoulders. The chest should be open. Relax and stay in this pose for about ten breaths. Proceed to move deeper, but don’t push yourself too hard. Come out of the pose by bending and drawing the elbows out. Then, put your forehead down to the hands and stay for a few breaths.
11. Shoulder stretch
This time, lay on your back facing up. Just as before, the movement comes from the belly. Extend the arms to about 90 degrees and roll yourself toward the right hip. Bend the knees doing so. Now, relax and breath before proceeding. When you are ready to go deeper, put the left foot behind and point the left knee up. Make sure you don’t strain yourself, you should breathe easily and stay relaxed at all times. You can repeat on the left side after about ten breaths.
1. Spinal Stretch Pose
Let’s add another comfortable pose to your morning yoga routine. Sit cross-legged and press the sitting bones into the floor. Then, put your left hand on the right knee and lengthen the spine as you inhale. Exhale and twist to the other side.
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