5 yoga poses to do in the morning

Yoga is a practice that brings into unity our physical, mental and spiritual self. If you are new to yoga or are already an experienced yogi, it’s always nice to bring some variety to your daily yoga routine. Here at Aegialis we are passionate about the practice of yoga and we are excited to provide our guests from all over the world the experience of yoga in our beautiful shalas, all with breathtaking views of the island. It’s important to understand that although hatha yoga is a physical practice, the experience itself is about connecting with yourself, finding your inner balance and working with your physical body to bring equilibrium and strength. Each yoga pose comes with many benefits and we’ve put together 5 yoga poses that are great to practice every morning as you wake up in the comfort of your own living room, to energise the body and bring mental clarity for your day ahead.

 

Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)

The Warrior II pose brings a combination of physical and mental benefits to the body and it’s a great pose to start your day with as it is a confidence booster. This pose helps strengthen the core and stretches the legs, ankles and arms and opens the chest, benefiting the respiratory system.

Start with your feet wide apart on the mat, externally rotating your right foot to a 90 degree angle and turn your left foot inward to a 45 degree angle. Keep your back straight and pelvis neutral and vertical to the body. Open the chest area by bringing your shoulder blades together and arms to either side of the body, palms facing down and in vertical alignment with your whole body. Engage your abdomen and slowly bend your right knee, so that it is in line with your right foot, making sure you can still see your right toes. Looking at your middle right finger without straining the neck, find your balance on both feet and gently drop your pelvis down toward the floor. Stay there for a few breaths and sink in deeper with each exhale. When you are ready, turn your right foot inward and externally rotate your left foot, doing the same sequence for your left side of the body.

 

Extended side angle pose (Utthita Parsvakonasana)

The extended side angle pose is a great continuation of the Warior II pose. Continuing from Warrior II position, with your right knee bent, bring your right forearm onto the right knee, or your right hand onto a block or the mat outside of your right foot. At the same time, extend your left arm all the way up and across towards your left ear and above the head. Sink in deeper with each breath and allow yourself to experience the tension release this pose provides. It’s a great stretch to the legs, the sides of the body and for the arms. It also helps you find your balance on both of your feet, something you can take with you throughout your day to stay grounded. Extended side angle pose stretches the entire spine, which is the perfect wake up espresso early in the morning to energise your entire self.

 

Extended puppy pose (Uttana Shishosana)

The extended puppy pose helps you stretch your arms and shoulders, releasing all tension in these areas. It’s also great for improving flexibility and stretching your spine. Start on your hands and knees, resting the top of your lower legs and feet onto the mat, pushing your booty up. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale walk your hands forward until your arms are fully stretched out on the floor. For a more restorative option, you can use a bolster or pillow under your arms, to provide some cushioning support and to make the stretch less intense. Stay there for at least 3 deep breaths and then very slowly walk your hands up towards your body and release your legs forward.

Mountain pose (Tadasana)

Come to the small edge of your mat, bringing your feet together and legs parallel. Tuck your booty in slightly and keep your pelvis in neutral position. Inhale and open your chest by bringing your shoulder blades together and then exhale. Take a moment to find your balance on both feet, and when you feel ready take a deep breath in, extending both arms up above the head. Bring your fingers together and turn your palms facing the ceiling. Find a focus point and come up on your tip toes, keeping balanced by using your breathing. Then gently release the soles of the feet onto the mat, take a deep inhale and as you exhale bring your torso and extended arms to the right side of the body. Here you can hold like this for a few deep breaths and gently release by coming back to the centre. As you breath in here, continue to do the same for the left side. Mountain pose provides a deep stretch to the sides of our torso and arms, and provides flexibility to the spine.

 

Tree pose (Vrksasana)

 

Another great pose for connecting with our balanced self, bring your feet together and legs parallel on the mat. Shift your body weight into the right leg and bring the sole of your left foot onto your right ankle, the knee or the inner thigh, wherever it is you feel comfortable. Once you found your balance on your right foot, bring your hands into Namaste, in the centre of your chest and with a deep inhale, raise your arms all the way up, towards the ceiling. Here you can open the arms or keep the palms together, focusing on your balance and elongating the spine. Stay in this pose for a few deep breaths and then gently releasing the arms down and the left foot to the mat. Continue the same movement, balancing on your left foot.

 

Rabbit pose (Sasangasana)

This pose is a great energiser by bringing a fresh supply of blood and oxygen to our head, activating the nervous system and relaxing the body muscles. Come onto your knees and rest the lower part of your legs and the top part of your feet on the mat. Place a folded blanket in front of your knees and gently rest your palms on either side of your body, slowly bringing the crown of your head onto the blanket. If you want to go deeper into this pose, you can bring your arms behind your body, to your lower back, clasping the hands together and extend the arms up, as far as you can. Make sure you don’t place any pressure on your back and shoulders by forcing your arms higher, simply observe where they go and let your body be. Combined with the arm stretch, this pose increases flexibility to the spine and shoulder blades. Stay in this pose for a few breaths and then gently release your arms, bringing the palms onto either side of your body. Slowly lift your head up half way first and then when you feel ready, all the way up. As this is an inversion pose, it is not advised to get up straight away, but instead be patient with yourself and when you feel ready you can extend your legs and then get up.

A quick yet effective morning routine to help you feel refreshed and ready for the day ahead! At Aegialis you can take part in the daily yoga group sessions or you can book your very own private yoga practice.

**Ensure that you don’t push yourself too much in the poses to cause an injury and check the contraindications of these poses, especially if you have any injuries, illnesses, are pregnant or have any conditions which may restrict your body movement.

 

Leave a Comment

Contact Us

Send us an e-mail ! We will respond as soon as possible.

Start typing and press Enter to search