A Morning Mobility Yoga Sequence

A few of my clients have been recently asking for a morning mobility yoga sequence that they can do on a regular basis.

Personally, I try to make some time in the early morning to do some sort of mobility/yoga practice. Sometimes this will mean 10-15 minutes, sometimes a little longer. Either way my days seem to go a little more gracefully and fluidly when I have spent some time connecting to, and taking care of my body, before the demands of the day set in.

I have created a sequence that includes some of my favourite ways to move my body in the morning. Many of these are simple, functional type movements that take care of major places where tension gets stored, namely the shoulders, spine, hips, legs and feet.

This whole morning mobility yoga sequence will take about 20-30 minutes depending on how many repetitions you make of each movement and how long you dwell within each pose. If you have less time feel free to skip some of the movements out, instead choosing the poses that feel most useful or relevant for your body on that particular day.

Here are a few guidelines for getting the most out of your practice:

  • Be kind and respectful of your body

As we get more tuned into our unique body experience, we start to see how the body is constantly evolving and changing. Your mobility, energy-levels, balance, co-ordination and strength will vary day-to-day based on a whole number of factors, including what kind of acitvities you did the day before, how well hydrated your tissues are, the quality of your sleep and even what kind of mood you’re in. Be kind and respectful of where you’re starting your practice from.

It’s also worth noting that your body is probably at it stiffest and most inflexible in the morning – therefore be patient, manage your expectations and recognise that this is the not the time to create new personal bests in terms of flexibility!

  • Bring a spirit of playfulness and curiosity to the practice

I prefer a more fluid and dynamic practice in the morning – I will rarely hold stretches statically but instead use this time to explore the full range of motion in my joints, moving gently in and out of stretches.

The spirit of this practice is exploratory and I invite you to bring a sense of playfulness and curiosity to the movements. Don’t be fixed or rigid but allow yourself to take the visual template of each movement or pose and then feel free to explore in and around that position, finding angles and ranges of motion that feel useful, interesting and opening for your body.

It’s fine to explore non-traditional alignments – the body is capable of moving in a variety of unique and interesting ways, so don’t limit yourself and enjoy yourself!

  • Work with an awareness of your breathing

In yoga, we typically emphasise moving in co-ordination with the breath and this can be a powerful way to quieten the mind, calm the nervous system and reduce the tendency to hold the breath, particularly during difficult or awkward-feeling movements.

However, I am aware that syncing movement to breath can be confusing for beginning students, so my main advise is to just stay tuned in to your breathing and aim for a fluid, regular, gentle, three-dimensional breath. Watch for any restrictions, tension or holding around your breathing. This is why I recommend starting with a minute of deep diaphragmatic breathing. Place your hands on your lower ribs and work to gently expand and soften the bottom of the ribcage front-to-back and side-to-side as you breathe.

You might find it useful to use the inhale breath during parts of the movement that accentuate lifting or lengthening of the spine. The exhalation is useful for movements where we are folding forwards, twisting or using some amount of muscular effort.

Happy practising! 🙂

Credit: Thanks to Tummee.com for their amazing yoga sequence builder

Yoga Relief at Your Desk

As a yoga therapist a big part of my job is trying to encourage clients to incorporate more movement into their day. As a business owner, however, I know first-hand the reality of what it’s like to spend too many hours sitting at a desk staring at a computer screen, and the toll this takes on the body and mind.

Many of my clients struggle with chronic pain, tension and stiffness in their necks, upper back and shoulders bought about our sedentary, screen-based jobs. Over time this can lead to postural imbalances and more chronic health issues such as tension headaches, diminished circulation, poor digestion, difficulty concentrating and even low mood.

In an ideal world we would have the opportunity to roll out our yoga mats to practise daily, but I understand that it’s not always easy to carve out the time. This is why I’m a big believer in mini-movement breaks.

The following short sequence is designed to give your body and mind a quick 10 minute reset. You can do this practice at your desk – no equipment is required other than the chair you are currently sitting in. Throughout the poses ensure that you maintain a relaxed, even style of breathing, if possible breathing in and out through the nose. It might also be nice to practise some of the poses with the eyes closed to help soften and relax the muscles around the eyes which often become tired and tense with too much screen-time.

This yoga practice will:

  • Ease tension and stiffness in the neck which may help ease headaches
  • Promote circulation and mobility to the upper back and shoulders
  • Improve breathing function which in turn will boost energy
  • Maintain a healthy spine through all 5 ranges of motion: forward-bending, side-bending, twisting, back-bending and extension or gentle traction
  • Gently stretch and strengthen the major muscles of the legs and hips, including hamstrings, quadriceps and glutes.
  • Enhance focus and concentration which will improve productivity and efficiency