Yoga For Energy & Focus
Yoga is designed to stretch and strengthen muscles and ligaments and promote blood flow to the extremities. In any pose, meet yourself at the comfort level you are at today. If a pose ever causes pain, please back out. Do what you can and breathe deep breaths in and out to ease into the pose. Go at your own pace and only do what you feel comfortable for your body.
This Yoga flow is designed to open your heart and allow energy to flow throughout your body to give you better focus and vitality.
Try this 15 minute consecutive series to increase energy and focus. Flow from one pose to the other starting with #1. You will need a mat or space on the floor that you can move enjoyably, and comfortable clothes you can move in.
Stay in each pose for about a minute (or 2 minutes when the guide states) or 3-4 breaths.
1. Mountain Pose
Stand tall with your feet together and your arms by your side. Take a deep breath in and a long breath out. Ground your feet into your mat, engage your glutes, draw your belly in tight, and relax shoulders.
2. Extended Mountain Pose
From mountain pose, extend your arms towards the sky, reaching through your fingers and take your gaze up. Take a deep breath in and on your exhale bring hands to your heart center, palms touching, and forward fold down toward the ground. With knees slightly bent, set your hands on your mat, shoulder width apart, and step back to plank pose.
3. Plank Pose
In plank pose, make sure your wrist are aligned under your shoulders, belly is pulled in and your feet are hip width apart. Lower your knees to the mat and then lower your entire body to your mat.
4. Low Cobra Pose
Once you lower all the way to your belly, slide your hands under your shoulders, legs are hip width apart. Take a breath in and lift your chin and chest, draw your elbows in towards your rib cage and press the tops of your feet into your mat. Take 3 deep breaths in and out and lower all the way back down to your mat.
5. Locus Pose
After lowering back to your belly, place your arms by your side with your palms facing down. Take a breath in and lift your chin and chest, lift your arms and lift your legs, take 3 deep breaths in and out and lower back down.
6. Upward Facing Dog
From your belly, slide hands along side your rib cage and lift up, straightening your arms (wrist should be aligned under your shoulders) and lift your thighs off the mat.
7. Downward Facing Dog
From upward facing dog, curl your toes under and lift your hips to the sky as you continue to press into your palms. Draw your belly in to support your low back, draw shoulders onto your back as you press away with your palms, heels press down towards the earth. Take your gaze between your toes, allowing your head to be heavy. Feel the extension in your spine, stretch in your shoulders, calves, and hamstrings. Alternate your knees left to right a few times then find stillness and draw a deep breath in and open your mouth and exhale out. Hold for 4 more breaths in and out through your nose.
8. Low Lunge with Back Bend
From downward facing dog, lower to your knees and slide your right foot forward to your right hand. Inhale your arms up and push your hips forward. Take your gaze up and slowly lift your heart and bend back, take 3 breaths in and out and then return hands to your mat and slide your right foot back to all fours. Repeat on the left side.
9. Camel Pose
From all fours, sit up on your knees take your hands to your low back for support. Your toes are untucked and you are grounding through your legs towards your mat. Keeping hands at your low back, press your hips forward, lift your heart up and allow your head to fall back. Take 4 deep breaths in and out through your nose. Slowly return up right, head comes up last, release your hands, and sit onto your heels. Shift your weight to your left hip and swing your legs in front of you to a seat.
10. Fish Pose
From a seat, slides your hands under your hips & glutes and lean back onto your elbows, legs are long, point your toes, lift your chest/heart way up, and allow your head to fall back, take 4 deep breaths in and out, filling up your lungs on the inhale and opening your mouth on the exhale.
11. Waterfall Pose
From fish pose, lower yourself onto your back and take your legs up towards the ceiling, rest your arms by your side. If you need a little more support with your legs, you can interlace your fingers around your thighs for support. Stay still in this pose for 2 minutes, breathing in and out.
12. Savasana
From fish pose, lay down and let your legs be long, arms by your side, and close your eyes. Take 10 breaths letting your body take in all the energy you just created through your movement and breath. Open your eyes, wiggle toes, wiggle fingers, turn your head side to side, and roll onto to your side and make your way to a seat. Bring hands to heart center and thank yourself for taking the time for you! Namaste!
Brought to you by Tracy Strash
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