Hello! Thank you so much for checking out my Yoga Stretch series! If you watched the video I hope you found it helpful and if you haven’t watched it yet I encourage you to check it out. Down below you’ll find a list of all the poses, detailed breakdown and information, as well as reference images.
- Easy Pose
- Seated Twist
- Bound Angle/ Butterfly
- Eagle Arms
- Bicep Stretch
- Cat-Cow
- Low Lunge (w/ twist)
- Half Monkey/ Half Splits
- Child’s Pose
- Down Dog
- Forward Fold
- Mountain
- Wide Leg Forward Fold (w/ twist)
- Toe Stretch
- Revolved Head-to-Knee
- Happy Baby
- Reclined Cobbler’s
- Savasana
*All suggested hold times for pose are suggestions. If a stretch does not feel good for your body, come out of it gently. On the other hand, if you come across a stretch that hits the spot perfect, I encourage you to sit in the posture as long as you’d like.
Pose Breakdown
- Easy Pose (sukhasana)
- Sit cross legged trying to sit with a straight spine. Sitting on a pillow, block, or bolster brings more space in the hips and will help to sit taller if you are tight. Draw your shoulders away from ears, down your back. Hands rest on your thighs or knees, palms can be up or down. This is a good place to add any meditation or breathwork.
- Benefits: opens hips, lengthens spine, and encourages core strength
- Avoid if you have a bad knee injury
- Modifications: sit on a blanket, block, pillow, or bolster
2. Seated Twist
- Place one hand on the opposite knee. The other hand is behind you either with palm down or on your finger tips. Gently twist and maybe look over your back shoulder. Think of sitting taller and lengthening through the spine on the inhale and twisting a little deeper on the exhale.
- Benefits: Spinal mobility and rinse; stretches the neck, chest, shoulders, obliques, and back; opens hips; eases low back pain
- Hold 3-5 breaths per side*
3. Bound Angle/ Butterfly ( Baddha Konasana)
- Sit on the ground with the soles of the feet together and knees out wide. Try to sit with a tall spine. You can hold on to your shins, ankles, or feet. Start to bend forward, trying to maintain a flat back as long as you can.
- Benefits: stretches inner thigh, opens hips, and can ease low back pain
- Hold at least 5-10 breaths
4. Eagle Arms (Garudasana)
- Hold your arms out so they are shoulder height. Start by crossing your right arm over the left. Bend your elbows so your hands come up. If you are able, wrap your hands together so palms begin to touch. If this is not available to you, keep the arms up so backs of the hands are together or place opposite hand on opposite shoulder. Repeat with opposite arm on top.
- Benefits: upper back and shoulder stretch, improves posture
- Can do this sitting or standing
- Hold 3-5 breaths per side
5. Bicep Stretch
- Bend one arm behind your back with the elbow pointing up. Gently tug that arm back with your other hand.
- Benefits: opens chest and stretches bicep
- Hold 3-5 breaths per side
6. Cat-Cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)
- Start on hands and knees. Hands should be spread wide and placed so they are underneath elbows and shoulders. The hips should be inline with the knees. On an inhale drop your belly and look forwards. Exhale round the spine, pressing away from the ground, like a Halloween cat. Take this rotation following your breath.
- Benefits: stretches front of torso and neck, gentle spinal massage, low back and shoulder stretch
- This is a good place to explore and find movement. You can take hip circles, look past your shoulder, core work, etc.
- Take as many rotations of cat-cow that feel good!
7. Low Lunge w/ twist (Anjaneyasana)
- Start on your knees and step one foot forward. Front knee should not be extended over the front foot- keep it stacked over each other to protect the joints. Leave the back knee on the ground. Gently press down into this stretch without dumping all of your weight into your hips. You can place your hands on the floor, blocks (or another prop like books), or your thigh. For the twist, place the opposite hand of the front foot on the ground inside of the foot. Raise the other arm to the sky. You can lift the back leg during the twist if you would like.
- Benefits: stretches the quads, glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors; strengthens hip flexors, core, ankles, glutes, and quads; spinal massage; shoulder and upper back stretch
- If you have any knee pain, you can fold up your mat or place a blanket or pillow under your knee for padding.
- Hold 5-10 breaths for the lunge and an additional 3-5 for the twist
8. Half Monkey or Half Splits (Ardha Hanumanasana)
- Starting from the low lunge position, straighten the front leg while leaning back. You can leave the front leg straight or bend it.
- Benefits: stretches hamstring, quads, and hip flexors
- A generous bend in the front knee and rounding the spine can feel good on the low back.
- Hold 3-5 breaths
9. Child’s Pose or Wide Leg Child’s Pose (Balasana)
- Sit with your legs together or with your toes together and knees wide. Lay your chest forward on your legs or the ground. Hands can be above your head or down by your side.
- Benefits: stretches ankle, thighs, and back; helps lower heart rate
- Hold as long as you’d like!
- Avoid if pregnant or have a knee injury
10. Down Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
- Start standing and bend your knees as you bend forward. Place your hands on the ground and walk them out. Lift hips up and back. Press into palms and fingers firmly. Your feet touching the ground is not the main point of this stretch, elongating the spine and stretching the legs is!
- Benefits: stretches calf, hamstring, spine, and shoulders; core strength
- You can “walk your dog” which is peddling your feet to get a deeper stretch in our calves.
11. Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
- Start standing and bend forward. You can keep your legs straight or bend them generously. Clasping opposite elbows and dangling can feel great. Feet can be hip width apart or flush together.
- Benefits: stretches hamstrings, calves, low back; improves balance
- Hold 5-10 breaths
- Roll up slowly to avoid a headrush
12. Mountain (Tadasana)
- Stand with feet together or hip width apart. Drop shoulders away from ears and roll them down your back. Slightly tuck your chin to elongate the spine.
- Benefits: improve posture, improve balance, strengthen core, thighs, and ankles
- This is a good place to return to your breath and/or explore standing stretches further.
- Stay for 5-10 breaths
13. Wide Leg Forward Fold (Prarsarita Padottanasana)
- Stand with legs spread far apart- approximately under your wrists if you hold your arms out. Slightly bend your knees as you bend forward. Depending on your flexibility your hands may either be on your waist/hips, finger tips on the ground, palms on the ground, or hold onto a prop (bolster, books, chair, etc.)
- Benefits: strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles, lengthens the spine, low back release, and improves posture
- You can add a twist, movement, work to walk the hands in line with the arches of the feet
- Stay at least 3-5 breaths
14. Toe Stretch (Vajrasana Variation)
- Sit with your toes tucked under you. This can be an intense toe stretch and if it is too much come up off your feet but leave the toes tucked.
- Benefits: arch of the foot and toe stretch, strengthens ankles
15. Revolved Head to Knee (Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana)
- Sit on the ground with legs extended. Bring the sole of one foot to the inside of the opposite thigh. Raise your arms above your head and side bend towards the extended leg. The bottom arm can rest on the extended leg or the floor.
- Benefits: improves posture; stretches hamstring, calf, quad, obliques, and low back; strengthens core
- Hold 5-10 breaths
16. Happy Baby (Ananda Balasana)
- Lay on your back and hug your knees to your chest. Reach your hands between your knees to grab the outside of your feet. Draw your knees towards your shoulders.
- Benefits: Stretches inner groin, hamstring, and spine; hip opener
- Tip: tuck your tailbone to lengthen your spine and protect your back
- If this is too intense, you can do one leg at a time.
- Avoid if pregnant.
- Hold 5-10 breaths
17. Reclined Cobbler’s Pose (Supta Baddha Kanasana)
- Lay on your back with your feet together and knees wide.
- Benefits: stretches inner thigh, groin, and knees
- For additional support, you can tuck a blanket or pillow under your knees or thighs.
- Hold 5-10 breaths
18. Savasana (Corpse Pose)
- Lay on your back. Snuggle your shoulder blades together and under you. Hands can be on your chest, stomach, or next to you.
- Benefits: restorative pose to calm heart rate, allows the benefits of your stretches to sink in, spinal health
- You can fold a blanket or place a pillow under your knees for additional knee support.
- Stay as long as you like!
Check back next Monday, March 8th for Yoga Stretch #2: Upper Body!
Lost and Found Outdoors 