The 10 minute yoga routine that will change your life
If you’re not a natural morning person, getting yourself up and moving can be a hard slog. However, Priceline Pharmacy fitness expert Steph Prem (inset) believes simple yoga poses are the key to awakening both your body and mind. ‘Dedicating 10 to 15 minutes to a morning stretch will create enormous shifts in your personal energy levels and performance,’ Steph recommends. ‘It’s a natural mood booster – it sets your mental tone and outlook for the day, improving mobility and posture first thing in the morning so you don’t feel as stiff throughout the day.’
Here are a few of Steph’s go-to postures for jump-starting your busy mornings...
1. Spine Curl
We often wake up full of tension and feeling stiff, because muscles and connective tissues tighten
in our sleep. This leads to a still lower back, hips and hamstrings, which often worsen during the day due to sedentary behaviour and posture. By doing a simple forward fold spine curl first thing in the morning, you can release the tension from the back of the body and get your blood flowing. It’ll also realign your body for the day ahead.
2. Sun Salutation
A traditional yoga sun salutation sequence is great for combining breathing with movement and getting your blood pumping to the heart. The sun salutation stretch is also known as ‘moving meditation’, so you’re essentially calming your mind while waking up your body – it’s essential if you’re in for a stressful day.
3. The Cat-Cow
The cat-cow provides a gentle flow between two poses – the rounded back cat pose and the protruding belly cow pose. It invigorates and refreshes the body, as well as the mind, by stretching out your muscles after sleep and getting the blood flowing to your heart.
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