October 15, 2015
6 Moves To Do In The Morning For Extra Energy
Taking some time in the morning for meditation and a few yoga poses can really kick start your day. In just 15 minutes, you can clear your mind and get your body set for eight hours of sitting.
Start by focusing on your breathing. Then, move into a few poses that will stretch your hamstrings, hips and back. It will center you in the moment and prevent you from getting anxious about what may or may not lie ahead over the course of the day.
Use these 6 moves to feel calm and revitalized.
The workout: Do each of the moves below, in order, for the recommended amount of time, without resting between exercises.
Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-distance apart. Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Breathe fluidly into your belly and chest, and focus on your breath. Feel your stomach and chest as it rises and falls. Stay here for two minutes.
Place one block under your shoulder blades near your rib cage and another under your head. Lay with your arms out to the sides, and cross your legs. Or if your hips are very uncomfortable, place your feet on the floor with bent knees. Let gravity open your chest muscles, making it easier to breathe. Hold for two minutes.
Sit on the floor with your legs crossed; you can place a cushion or a block under your glutes if this is uncomfortable. If you feel drained or tired, place your hands palms up on your knees to receive energy; place palms down if you're feeling anxiety or stress to ground yourself. Close your eyes and feel your breath move in and out. Hold for at least five minutes.
While sitting with your legs crossed, fold over at your hips, and place your hands under your forehead, or put your forehead on a block if you're less flexible. Breathe into the back of your body, allowing your ribs and belly to expand and contract. Feel free to stay up on the block or cushion if you used one for meditation. Hold for one minute, then repeat with the top shin on the bottom.
With your feet hip-distance apart and your toes pointed forward, fold at the hips and place your hands shoulder-distance apart on the floor with your palms slightly turned out. If this causes your lower back to round, bend your knees a bit. Hold this posture for 10 breaths, concentrating on every inhale and exhale.
Stand with your toes pointed and your feet hip-distance apart. Bend your knees so that your torso comes to rest on your thighs, then grab your elbows, and let your upper body hang. Focus on your breath and slowly straighten your knees to stretch the backs of your legs. Hold for 10 breaths.
How do you clear your mind in the mornings?
Source: Women's Health
Exercise One: CONSTRUCTIVE REST AND BREATH AWARENESS
Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet hip-distance apart. Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly. Breathe fluidly into your belly and chest, and focus on your breath. Feel your stomach and chest as it rises and falls. Stay here for two minutes.
Exercise Two: CHEST OPENER ON BLOCKS
Place one block under your shoulder blades near your rib cage and another under your head. Lay with your arms out to the sides, and cross your legs. Or if your hips are very uncomfortable, place your feet on the floor with bent knees. Let gravity open your chest muscles, making it easier to breathe. Hold for two minutes.
Exercise Three: SEATED MEDITATION
Sit on the floor with your legs crossed; you can place a cushion or a block under your glutes if this is uncomfortable. If you feel drained or tired, place your hands palms up on your knees to receive energy; place palms down if you're feeling anxiety or stress to ground yourself. Close your eyes and feel your breath move in and out. Hold for at least five minutes.
Exercise Four: CROSS LEG FOLD
While sitting with your legs crossed, fold over at your hips, and place your hands under your forehead, or put your forehead on a block if you're less flexible. Breathe into the back of your body, allowing your ribs and belly to expand and contract. Feel free to stay up on the block or cushion if you used one for meditation. Hold for one minute, then repeat with the top shin on the bottom.
Exercise Five: DOWNWARD FACING DOG
With your feet hip-distance apart and your toes pointed forward, fold at the hips and place your hands shoulder-distance apart on the floor with your palms slightly turned out. If this causes your lower back to round, bend your knees a bit. Hold this posture for 10 breaths, concentrating on every inhale and exhale.
Exercise Six: HANGING FORWARD FOLD
Stand with your toes pointed and your feet hip-distance apart. Bend your knees so that your torso comes to rest on your thighs, then grab your elbows, and let your upper body hang. Focus on your breath and slowly straighten your knees to stretch the backs of your legs. Hold for 10 breaths.
How do you clear your mind in the mornings?
Source: Women's Health