As we head into the holiday season, try one (or all) of the following short yoga flows.
Yoga Flow to Warm Up (from the cold) and Increase Circulation: Simple Sun Salutation
Begin in Mountain Pose.
- Inhale – Arms up, exhale – fold forward.
- Inhale – Half lift into flat back, exhale – fold forward into Downward Dog.
- Inhale – Lift the right leg up toward the sky, exhale – swing the right foot forward in between the hands.
- Inhale – High lunge, exhale – bring the hands back down to the floor at either sides of the right foot.
- Inhale and exhale back into Downward Dog.
- Inhale – Lift the left leg up toward the sky, exhale – swing the left foot forward in between the hands.
- Inhale – high lunge, exhale – bring the hands back down to the floor at either sides of the left foot.
- Inhale and exhale back into Downward Dog.
- Inhale – Plank, exhale –
- Inhale – Upward Dog (knees are off the floor), exhale and inhale – Downward Dog.
- Exhale – Walk the feet toward the hands with knees bent and feet hip width apart.
- Inhale – Chair, exhale – stay in Chair. Inhale – Straighten the legs back into Mountain
REPEAT 5 TIMES.
Yoga Flow to Improve Digestion: Seated Twist Flow
Begin Seated in cross-legged position.
- Inhale – Arms up, exhale – Twist to the right (left arm is in front and right arm is behind the body). REPEAT 3 TIMES. After repeating 3 times, stay in the twist pose for 5 breaths.
- Inhale – Arms up, exhale – Twist to the left (right arm is in front and left arm is behind the body). REPEAT 3 TIMES. After repeating 3 times, stay in the twist pose for 5 breaths.
- Inhale – Arms up, exhale – Bring the hands to heart in a prayer position.
- Straighten the left leg while placing the right foot on the floor by the left inner thigh with the right knee pointing up. Place the right hand behind the body, almost like a kickstand.
- Inhale – Left arm up, exhale – Place left elbow on the outside of the right knee while twisting to the right. Stay in the twist pose for 5 breaths.
- Straighten the right leg while placing the left foot on the floor by the right inner thigh with the left knee pointing up. Place the left hand behind the body, almost like a kickstand.
- Inhale – Right arm up, exhale – Place right elbow on the outside of the left knee while twisting to the left. Stay in the twist pose for 5 breaths.
Yoga Flow to De-Stress/Wind Down: Simple Bridge and Legs-Up-The-Wall
Begin lying down with legs bent and feet flat on the floor.
Recommended Prop: Block or Bolster.
- Inhale into a Simple Bridge Pose, exhale – Lower the hips down to the floor.
REPEAT 3 TIMES. - Inhale – Lift the hips into an Assisted Bridge
(Place the prop underneath where your lower back and sacrum meet)
- Exhale – Lift the legs straight up in the air into Legs-Up-The-Wall
Stay in this pose for 5 minutes.
- Exhale and inhale – Lower the legs back into the Assisted Bridge Pose and remove the prop.
- Exhale and inhale – Lower the hips down to the floor.
- Exhale – Hug the knees in. Stay for 3-5 breaths.
Jheni Solis, #FableticsMaster
Pictured: Sarah Ezrin
