Energize Your Day With A Short Yoga Sequence!

This yoga for energy sequence is part of the Prime Women 30-Day Fitness Challenge. If you haven’t yet, get all the details and learn how you can participate! All you need is 5 minutes a day for 30 days to commit to a healthier you!

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Energize Your Day Without Hitting The Coffee Bar

Want to add zest, energy and pep to your day? Or are you looking for a healthier alternative to daily caffeine? This short yoga pose will do just that. The circadian cycle is a rhythm that sets our energy according to the time of day. This cycle varies from person to person. If you’re a morning person you may hit a slump mid-afternoon. If you’re an evening person you may just feel sluggish in the morning. Whenever you start to feel that low-energy valley during your day and you need to clear the cobwebs this yoga sequence will do it!

Yoga for Energy

1. Stand at the top of the mat, feet hip-width apart. Inhale, stretching arms up.
2. On the exhale fold, bending the knees to touch the floor. Step the feet back and come into a push-up position.
3. Then left the hips high into a downward facing dog and pedal the feet. Be loose with the position and bend the knees, and pedaling feet.
4. Lift the right leg up and hold for a count. Then lower, swing the knees. Repeat with the left leg.
5. Wag your tail feathers, moving your hips from side to side.
6. Walk your feet to the front of the mat, and stand up on the inhale bringing hands to prayer.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 five more times. Silliness and looseness encouraged.
8. At the top of the mat once more, inhale and stretch arms up and lean back.
9. Exhale and fold forward, hands on the mat and step feet back.
10. Lift the right leg up and over, toward the ground on your left side. As your leg reaches for the ground, release the right hand and flip over so your chest is toward the ceiling and your right hand reaching up.
11. Reverse the right leg and arm so you return to downward dog position. Swing the hips slightly then repeat on the left side. End in downward facing dog again.
12. Walk hands back to your feet. Bend your knees a lot, as if you are sitting in a chair and stretch both hands forward and up. Feet should be wider than hips in this pose.
13. Swing the hips. Then hold the right wrist with your left hand. Stretch right hand all the way over to the left, stretching across the body.
14. Bring the right hand to the left ankle, left hand reaching toward the sky. Twist and then come back through to chair pose, hands stretched forward.
15. Repeat steps 13 and 14 for the left wrist and right side.
16. Inhale arms up and stand tall. Exhale put arms in cactus position, so there is a 90-degree bend in the elbow. Hold for a few breaths then bring hands to prayer.
17. Step the feet out to the sides, a little bit wider than hips. Swing hips left and right a few times.
18. Swing hips to the right, touch the hands down with the left leg straight. Then bring hands over hands on the floor, swinging hip to the left, right leg straight. Repeat 3-5 times.
19. Bring the left hand to the floor, right hand toward the ceiling and twist. Find the left hip with the right hand. Bring the left hand to the right foot. Twist in the forward fold with a wide leg stance.
20. Inhale and bring arms up and then out wide into starfish pose. Hold for several breaths, standing tall and stretching into a full-body yawn. Say a mantra like “oh my gosh, how lovely,” here.
21. Exhale and fold. Repeat steps 19-20 for the opposite side.
22. Bend the right knee, left leg straight lowering onto your right hip. If you have knee issues or experience pain you do not have to go down very low. Repeat on the opposite side.
23. Extend both legs and bring hands to the floor between your legs.
24. Heel-toe the feet in. Then bend the knees, place hands on thighs and hold for a moment before bringing hands to prayer in goddess pose. If you feel this pose in your knees and not your quads you may need to skip this pose. Hold this pose for 10 breaths.
25. Heel-toe the feet back to center, standing and bringing hands to prayer.

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