You have a great job, you have great friends, you have a lovely family, life is (almost) perfect for you. A very tiny flaw: you realise that there are times when you’re having trouble getting motivated in the mornings. Fret not! Rebecca Nance, our experienced yoga instructor has a quick cure for you. Try these three simple movements. You can do it either right when you wake up, or after enjoying a light breakfast. Good news is once you’ve got it down, the whole sequence should take you less than 10 minutes.
Standing Breaths
How to do it:
Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Plant both feet down into the ground like roots, then stack your hips on top of your feet. Stack your shoulders on top of your hips and think of the spine growing up and out of your roots.
Inhale, reaching your arms overhead, letting your shoulders rise up towards your ears. Take your fullest, deepest breath, expanding the entire ribcage. Pause for one moment, then exhale to release the arms to your sides, softening the shoulders. Repeat 6 times, allowing each inhale to grow bigger and using each exhale to soften further.
Benefits:
- Improves posture by stacking the joints.
- Increases capacity for breath.
- Mobilizes shoulders and upper body.
Cow & Cat Pose w/ Core
How to do it:
Begin on hands and knees with the toes curled under. Spread your fingertips wide, stack your shoulders on top of your wrists. Hips stack on top of knees. Keep a slight bend in the elbows, and move your shoulders toward your waist to lengthen the neck.
Inhale, arching your back and dropping your belly to the ground. Tilt the tailbone and sternum towards the sky. Squeeze your shoulder blades closer together, but keep the neck long.
Exhale to round the spine, sending the tailbone and crown of the head towards the ground. Widen the space between your shoulder blades and squeeze the lower belly.
With spine rounded, press firmly into the hands and balls of the feet to lift the knees 5cm off the ground. Hold here. Inhale with the knees lifted, expanding the back ribcage. Exhale to gently lower the knees. Repeat 6 times.
Tip:
Place a folded blanket or towel under the knees if kneeling feels uncomfortable.
Benefits:
- Mobilizes the spine.
- Strengthens the core.
Hip Hovers
How to do it:
Lie on the back with your knees bent & feet hip-width apart. Heels should be close to the hips. Find a small squeeze in your shoulder blades.
Inhale, pressing evenly into both feet to lift the hips. Scoop the lower belly, squeeze your bum, and connect the knees, hips and shoulders in a straight line.
Exhale, lowering the hips 5cm. Inhale to lift back up. Keep the hips level and the knees in line with the hips. Avoid arching the back.
Repeat 6 times. If keeping both feet on the ground is easy, lift one foot off the ground and doing the same movement with only one leg for support.
Important: Always keep space between your neck and the floor so that no pressure is on the neck.
Benefits:
Strengthens the back body, glutes & hamstrings
Take time to find proper alignment in each position, even if it means going slower at first. If you can, practice in front of a mirror so you can watch yourself while you move. These exercises can be practiced daily. Increase the number of repetitions as you become stronger and more familiar with them.
Don’t have time to move? Take time to breathe. If you find yourself becoming overwhelmed or stuck at any time during the day: Pause. Take a full, deep breath in through your nose. Exhale out of the mouth. Repeat at least three times, or as many times as you think you need in that moment.
Now, it’s time to get ready for the day!
Need more tips on wellness and fitness? Just attend one of her classes on skillagogo.com. To find out more about classes by Rebecca Nance, click here.