Things You'll Need:
- Yoga mat
- Loose, comfortable clothing
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Step 1
Position yourself at one end of the mat with your palms together and your hands resting on your sternum. Your stance should be no more than shoulder’s width apart. Inhale and close your eyes.
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Step 2
On your next inhale, lift your hands above your head, keeping your palms together, until your arms are fully extended, stretching from the shoulders to the tips of your fingers. Make sure not to bend you back, only maintain its straightness.
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Step 3
As you exhale, bend your knees, bringing your thighs just up from parallel, and draw your hands back to your sternum. While you bend your knees into this semi-squat position, lean your upper body forward just slightly, initiating this movement from your hips.
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Step 4
As you inhale, separate your palms and bring them down to the floor, pressing them firmly in your mat just inside your feet. Once your hands are in position, step your right leg back into a lunge. To increase the stretch, gently press your heel towards the ground, but do not make contact.
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Step 5
Exhale and drop your right knee to the ground as you draw your left leg back, positioning your left knee to be parallel and in line with your right knee. Make sure your knees are directly below your hips and your wrists are below, yet slightly in front of your shoulders.
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Step 6
As you inhale, arch your spine ever so gently and tilt your head back, keeping the throat soft. Do not over arch your back. It should be a slight arch since you want to avoid adding further pull to your lower back.
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Step 7
As you exhale, drop your head and roll your back up toward the sky. This movement will counter the prior step and relax the lower back
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Step 8
As you inhale, straighten your spine and bring your head back to a neutral position, typically, looking down and just slightly out.
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Step 9
As you exhale, lift your hips toward the sky, straightening your legs and pressing your palms in the mat. If you need to open your legs wider to make room for your stomach, just bend your knees and widen your stance.
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Step 10
As you inhale, gently drop your knees back to the ground, positioning them to be parallel and in line with each other. Again, make sure your knees are directly below your hips and your wrists are below, yet slightly in front of your shoulders.
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Step 11
On your next inhale, step your right foot forward until it is positioned next to your right hand on the floor. As you step forward with your right, let your left leg straighten and extend out behind you to form the lunge. To increase the stretch, gently press your heel towards the ground, but do not make contact.
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Step 12
As you exhale, draw you left foot forward and place it to the outside of your left hand. Let your hips rise until your thighs are just up from parallel and lift your hands off the floor, drawing your palms together and placing your hands at your sternum.
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Step 13
On your next exhale, place your hands on your thighs and press your palms into your legs as bring your body back to a standing position.
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Step 14
As you inhale, raise your hands above your head until your arms are fully extended, stretching from the shoulders to the tips of your fingers. Again, make sure not to bend you back, only maintain its straightness.
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Step 15
As you exhale, lower your arms, drawing your palms together and resting your hands on your sternum. Close your eyes and breathe naturally.
