Stay centred with these 7 simple yoga poses
Yoga doesn't have to be a stretch! Learn to control your breath and your balance with these 7 easy poses.
If life feels a bit all over the place at the moment, you're not alone! However, it can make it difficult to feel like you've got a handle on anything.
Establishing a routine and staying on track with your healthy habits can help you feel more in control - and that includes making time for some movement each day.
It might be useful to consider adding yoga to your daily routine. From your breath, to your balance, to your emotions, control lies at the very heart of this popular practice.
The benefits of yoga
From better flexibility and mobility to improved mood and anxiety, the benefits of yoga are extensive. Think less stress, more smiles! It can also strengthen your bones and core muscles.
What’s more, meditation-based practices may help improve quality of life for those with chronic health issues like lower back pain or diabetes, says a review study in the journal PLOS ONE.
WW asked Andrea Borrero, the managing teacher at Pure Yoga West in New York City, to create a sequence of poses perfect for a beginner or an experienced yogi who’s ready to push harder. You’ll cover all the core yoga poses and work a wide range of muscles - all you need to do is take a deep breath and stretch yourself to meet your goals.
Ready to get going? You've got this!
Your 7-step yoga workout
To begin, try this three-part breath exercise to get into a calm head space. With your spine straight (sitting or lying down), inhale, as if inflating your belly. Exhale, keeping your breathing relaxed. Repeat for five breaths. Next, breathe more deeply, into your ribcage. Exhale and repeat for five breaths. On your next inhale, fill your upper chest. Exhale. Repeat for five breaths, and feel your anxiety melt away as you prepare to begin your practice.
Then, start working your way through the poses below.
1. Mountain pose
Stand tall. Stack all of your joints - knees over ankles, hips over knees, shoulders over hips - and be sure your ears are over your shoulders. Keep your arms at your sides, palms facing forward.
2. Tree pose
Balancing on your right leg, bring the bottom of your left foot in to touch your right ankle (your left knee should face outwards). Press your hands in prayer position at your chest. If you’re more advanced, your left foot can come up to your calf or your thigh (avoid the inner knee).
Beginner tip: Instead of joining your hands, hold onto a chair or the wall for stability.
3. Low lunge with a twist
From tree pose, step your left foot back into a low lunge. Place both hands on your right thigh. Put your left hand down underneath your left shoulder by the inside of your right foot, and lift your right arm toward the ceiling for a gentle twist.
Beginner tip: Rest your left knee on the floor during the lunge.
4. Downward-facing dog
While still in a low lunge, place your right hand down onto the mat and step your right foot back to meet your left. You should be in a push-up position. Push your bottom up to create an inverted “V” with your body, and feel your spine lengthening and stretching with this pose.
Beginner tip: Bend your knees a bit or step your feet closer to your hands.
5. Plank
From downward dog, move forward into a plank position, making your body a straight line from your neck to your ankles. Remember to keep your shoulders in line with your hands and your hips in line with your shoulders, making sure that your arms and legs stay straight. Squeeze your core.
Beginner tip: Keep both knees down on the mat.
6. Baby cobra
From plank position, bend elbows and gently lower your body down onto your belly, uncurl your toes, squeeze your elbows in, and lift up your chest.
Beginner tip: Keep your toes curled under. Return to start by pushing back up into downward dog. Step forward with one foot, then the other and go back into mountain pose. Repeat poses 1 to 6 on the left leg. Complete the entire sequence 5 to 10 times, depending on your fitness level.
7. Savasana
Lie flat on your back, arms at your sides, with your eyes closed. Hold for as long as you wish - the idea is to end your practice in a peaceful state.
Before starting any new exercise routine, make sure to check in with your doctor.