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Working from home and in need of a good stretch mixed with a side of pick-me-up? We've got you covered with these 5 energizing yoga poses! These key, tried-and-true yoga moves are a perfect way to start your morning (who needs coffee?), or as an afternoon boost. Bookend these poses with some sun salutations — as well as some positive, centering thoughts — and we think you will feel like a new woman! Namaste!
With your feet together or apart, bend the knees and sink your hips back as if you were sitting in an imaginary chair. Take the weight back towards the heels of your feet, shins pressing back towards your calves. Reach your arms up to the sky, triceps wrapping forward and palms facing each other. Draw the navel in as you release the tailbone down. Hold and continue to breathe!
Mountain Pose is the foundation or blueprint of all standing yoga poses. Stand with your feet together or at hip-width distance apart. Play with swaying left and right, front and back, until you feel yourself rooting evenly through all four corners of your feet. Find stability and strength through the legs as you start to contract and lift your kneecaps and firm your quadriceps. Draw your navel in and elongate your spine. Your arms can be down by your sides with your palms facing forward, or you can take your hands to your heart center. As you find strength in this pose, see if you can soften the face, and release the shoulders away from your ears. Take a few deep breaths.
Come down to hands and knees. Set up your foundation, so your hands are shoulder-width distance and knees are hip-width distance apart. Make sure your shoulders are stacked over your wrists, and your hips are over your knees. On the inhale breath, reach your sternum through the gates of the shoulders and lift your sit bones up. Lift your chin away from your chest and shift your gaze upwards. Feel the length through the whole front line of the body. On the exhale breath, press strongly through your hands as you round the upper back like an angry cat, and draw the navel up towards the spine. Hollow your belly and gaze towards your thighs. Cycle through 5 rounds of Cat-Cow, moving to the rhythm of your breath.
Stand with your feet wide apart. From the hip socket, turn your right leg out and bend the leg to 90 degrees so your right toes point to the top of your mat. Turn your back foot in slightly, to allow your left hip to draw forward. Bend into your right knee so the knee is tracking over the ankle, but not in front of it. Raise your arms out in opposite directions at shoulder height, parallel to the floor, palms facing down. Keep both sides of your torso long and shoulders stacking over your hips. Find a gentle lift of the frontal hip bones as the tailbone releases down. Gaze over your front middle finger. Hold for 5 rounds of breath. Switch sides and repeat.
In Reverse Warrior, keep your legs the same as you reach your right arm up to the sky and place your left hand lightly on your left thigh. Feel the stretch along your right waist. Relax your right shoulder away from your ear. Keep your front ribs rotating to the left so this becomes more of a side stretch than a backbend. Notice if you backed out of the bend in your front knee. Rebend and hold for 5 rounds of breath. Switch sides and repeat.
These invigorating yoga poses were contributed exclusively to Ellie by LA-based yoga instructor, Diana Welham. Instagram: @dianawelhamyoga Website: www.dianawelhamyoga.com
All outfits featured are part of the Ellie Activewear September collection.