Yoga is a great practice at any time of day. There are so many different poses available that there is one that is appropriate for every occasion. Whether you’re looking to have a good stretch after waking up, aid digestion, re-energize or simply relax, breathe and take a moment of contemplation, there will be a pose for you.
If you’re new to yoga knowing where to start can be quite daunting and even if you’re not narrowing it down to which poses to focus on each day can be tough.
In this post we look at 7 yoga poses that you can try over the next 7 days. Each of them will only take a couple of minutes to complete, so even if you’re short of time you’ll be able to fit in one pose a day. If you’ve got a bit longer then why not do a few of them together in a sequence?
Focus on just these 7 yoga poses over the next 7 days and give your body a boost of energy, stretch it out and take time for yourself to just relax and breathe. The best part is that all of these poses can be done anywhere from your office to your bedroom without any fancy equipment, so what are you waiting for?!
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- Sukhasana or Easy Pose
This is the easiest pose that you can possibly start with that will ease you gently into incorporating yoga into your life. Quite simply it involves you sitting cross legged on the floor and taking some time to breathe.
On your mat sit with your legs out in front of you on your floor then cross your shins and widen at the knees with each of your feet sitting beneath. Pull your knees in towards your torso and make sure your feet are relaxed and your pelvis neutral. Once comfortable put your hands in your lap or on your knees, and sit up straight, being careful not to overarch your back. Then take some deep breaths. This is a great pose for allowing you to focus on your breathing and have a moment of calm.
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- Mountain Pose
Mountain Pose is great for increasing strength, awareness and will help you center yourself for the day ahead. This is another great pose for beginners as it allows you to work on posture and master the basics.
Stand up straight with your feet together and ensure your hips are tucked underneath you, then just let your arms simply hang by your sides. Spread your weight evenly through your feet by spreading out your toes and feeling the floor with all areas of your feet. Once you’re standing in a good position reach your arms up over your head, then stretch one arm up higher toward the ceiling, before doing the same with the opposite arm. Do this for both arms a minimum of 3 times.
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- Downward Dog
Downward Dog is a yoga pose that you have probably heard of before and it’s a great one to learn. It encourages blood flow which can help increase energy, as well as being an ideal pose to stretch out your body, in particular the shoulders.
To do this pose start on all fours, hands shoulder distance apart with your palms flat on ground. Bend your knees and pull yourself up into an inverted V shape, ensuring that you keep your core engaged and your feet shoulder distance apart. Your heels should be pushed into the floor and your weight spread across your fingertips with your bum pointing towards the ceiling. Feel the stretch, relax and then repeat again.
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- Seated Forward Bend
This pose is great for stretching out your spine and can help with back pain, aid digestion and even relax your central nervous system. Don’t forget to take some deep breaths as you do it!
Start from sitting upright with your legs out in front of you and then run your palms down your legs and towards your toes. Don’t worry if you can’t get that far, just reach as far as you can and rest your palms on your shins if you need to. Take a few deep breaths in this position before moving your hands back up until you’re in an upright seated position.
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- Cat-Cow
Cat-Cow is a great way to help you wake up in the morning! It stretches your whole body, particularly your spine, leaving you refreshed and ready for the day ahead.
Start this pose on your hands and knees in a neutral position with your weight evenly spread. Once you’re in position, arch your spine up as you take a deep breath in and look down to your thighs. Then exhale and bring your spine back into a neutral position and from here look up and drop your belly. Repeat this process at least 3 times.
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- Warrior 2
Warrior 2 is a strong energizing pose that will help you get through your day!
From Mountain Pose step your feet wide apart (about 3 feet). Raise your arms until they are parallel to the floor and stretch them out to the sides with your palms facing the floor. From here turn your right foot a little to the right and your left foot out at 90 degrees, being sure to keep both heels aligned. Turn your left thigh out and ensure the centre of the knee cap is aligned with the centre of the ankle before bending your left knee over the left ankle (like a low lunge). Stretch your arms out strongly and breathe, staying in the position for around a minute, then change feet and repeat on the other side.
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- Child’s Pose
Child’s Pose is yoga favourite and is a resting position, so it gives you time to relax, breathe and take a moment to be thankful. It’s also a great stretch and is often one of the final poses that is done in a yoga routine.
For this pose kneel on the floor, knees together and sitting back on your heels. Bend your body forward so that your body moves on top of your upper thighs and towards the floor then let your forehead rest on the floor in front. Your arms can either be to the sides of your body, or if it’s more comfortable then stretched out above your head. Take as many breaths are you like in this position and relax.
So that’s our 7 yoga poses for you to try over the next 7 days. These can all work together in a routine, or can be done separately to focus on stretching out certain areas of the body. There are so many different yoga poses that you can do that you will definitely find ones that work well for your body and once you’ve tried these out be sure to check back for other poses and routines you can try. The most important thing to learn when you’re starting out is simply to take it slow and do what you can; the poses will get easier with practice. Enjoy trying these out!