These poses are safe enough to do at home. To get started grab your yoga mat, a towel and some water. If you don’t have a mat then use a padded surface like a rug. Ideally these poses are done post-workout so you are warmed up. If not, don’t push yourself.
Try this sequence every other day to see fast results.
Seated Forward Bend
WHY: Lets gravity do the work of opening the back of your legs, hamstrings, calf muscles and lower back.
HOW:
1. Bring your legs together with feet touching; sit up tall take a deep breath.
2. On your exhale hinge forward from your hips and try to grab your toes. If you can’t reach your toes, use a rolled-up towel around the arches of your feet to reach forward. Keep your back flat.
HINT: Keep your feet in a neutral position (not rolling in or out), to help with tight IT bands.
Seated Tree
WHY: Sitting on the ground means you can relax your leg muscles and extend the spine so that your hips can open outward countering the inward leg rotation required by most sports.
HOW:
1. Sit up straight like you did in forward bend and bring the bottom of your right foot to the inside of your left thigh. Let your right knee fall open towards the floor.
2. Take a deep breath in and on your exhale hinge forward from your waist and try to grab your left foot. If you can’t reach your foot than use your towel.
3. As your hip opens up, your knee will start to fall to the mat. Repeat on other side. Yoga is all about body awareness, so notice if there is a difference between one side and the other.
HINT: If your bent knee is up in the air, move the foot from the inside of your left thigh down to your knee or calf.
Cobbler
WHY: Cuts down on inner thigh strain and opens outer and inner hips all with one pose.
HOW:
1. Bring the soles of feet together with knees wide apart. Sit up tall, take a deep breath in and on your exhale hinge forward from your waist. Try to bring your “nose towards your toes.” Don’t worry if your nose can’t touch your toes at this point.
2. If this is an easy pose for you, walk your hands out in front of you for a deeper stretch. If your knees are way up in the air, move your feet a little further from your body. Or use your elbows to push your knees down, gently! This pose is especially good for runners and cyclists.
HINT: Don’t strain your neck and head. Instead, allow your head to hang forward. The release helps you sink deeper into the pose.
Reclining Pigeon
WHY: Opens up the hip muscles and joints.
HOW:
1. From Cobblers pose, bring your knees together then roll down onto your mat. Hug your knees into your chest and then bring your right foot on top of your left thigh. Your left foot is lifted off the ground.
2. Lace you hands around the front of your left shin and bring your left knee towards your chest. Try to hold this pose for at least 1 minute. Repeat on the other side. Make sure to take a moment and notice if there was a difference between your right and left hip.
HINT: If you cannot reach around your shin, just grab the back of your thigh. Be sure to keep your neck relaxed.
Bridge
WHY: Strengthens the lower back and opens up your chest and shoulders.
HOW:
1. Lying on your back, hug your knees into your chest and rock side to side. Let your feet fall to the floor with your knees bent.
2. Bring your feet hip distance apart and reach down with your finger tips to see if you can reach your heels. If you can’t, walk your feet a little closer to your body.
3. Take a deep breath in and on your exhale push into your feet to lift your hips to the ceiling. Once you are up, if you can, bring your arms underneath you, clasp your hands together, then try to roll your shoulder blades toward each other.
4. Hold for 30 seconds and then release. Do this 2 more times. Once you are finished hug your knees into your chest and rock side to side to release your lower back.
HINT: Keep your thighs parallel. Focusing on bringing chest to your chin and your hips to the ceiling.
Corpse
WHY: To let the benefits of your yoga poses settle into your body before you run off.
HOW:
1. Lie flat on your back, arms out by your sides with palms up. Take one deep breath in through your nose and let it out through your mouth.
2. On your next exhale, let every muscle go. Just relax into your mat. Stay here a minute or two if you can.
3. From here, roll onto your side and come up to a seated position. Take a moment to see how you feel.
HINT: This can be the hardest pose of all because you have to relax. If you want, you can use this time to visualize: crossing the finish line with your PR, hitting the best long drive off the first tee or hitting a winner in tennis.
