Hi friends! I invite you to stretch with me in this energizing mini yoga challenge. Pull up a chair, grab a towel or pillow and you can begin right where you are!

This mini challenge will energize, yet relax you with the heart and lung stretching and strengthening. Breathing deeply through out each exercise supplies your cells with fresh oxygen which transforms into energy. Of course, any yoga position that involves our backs is wise to take it slow and gently. You will find that this yoga challenge starts slow and progresses with you!

Below are simpler yoga exercises to begin with, which then progresses into more challenging positions. Start and see where they each one takes you!

 

1.) Sitting on Legs

• Sit on your legs then close your eyes.
• Take a moment to inhale and exhale as deeply as you can up to 10 counts.
• Flood your body and every cell with deep energizing life giving breaths.
• It’s the perfect opportunity to release your cares, worries, fears and doubts to the One that is willing and can handle them.
• Stay in this position as long as you like.

2.) Cat Stretch 

• Lean forward, arms out in front of you onto both your wrists and knees.
• Ensure your shoulders are directly above your palms.
• Ensure your hips are directly above your knees.
• With a deep breath drop your chin, round your shoulders and pull your navel in as much as you are able.
• Onto your Cow Stretch below.

3.) Cow Stretch

• From your Cat Stretch, lower your stomach and arch your back by lifting your chin.
• Continue stretching your chin up.
• Repeat the Cat Stretch with a big inhale then repeat the Cow Stretch with a big exhale.
• Continue for 10-20 Cat into Cow Stretches.

4.) Knee to Child Pose Stretch 

• Come up onto your knees.
• Place your hands on your hips or behind your back.
• If possible, interlock your fingers behind your back, lift your chin and lift your hands up behind you with a big inhale.
• With a big exhale round your shoulders forward and slowly lean forward onto your mat.
• Use your hands to help lower your body or place a pillow there for support.
• If possible, continue stretching your hands up as high as they will go while your head rests on your pillow or your mat.
• Continue this exercise with the deep breaths for 5-10 counts going up and down on your knees.

5.) Half Camel Stretch 

• Come to your knees.
• Ensure your knees are hip width.
• Place a chair before you for more support to hold onto.
• Curl your toes under for more support.
• Place both hands on your chair for support.
• If you are able, lift both arms up, leaning back slightly.
• Stay which ever position that is comfortable and breath deeply up to 10 counts.
• If possible lower a hand back behind you. Place it on your heel if you can.
• Now breathe deeply up to 10 counts if you can.
• Be gentle with yourself and move slowly while coming out of this stretch.

6.) Full Camel Stretch

• Approach this Stretch once you have completed the Half Camel Stretch with no problems or discomfort.
• Use the chair in front of you for support to feel if you are ready to lean back onto your heels.
• If you feel ready, slowly place one hand and then the other.
• If possible, breathe deeply for 3-5 breaths and up to 10 deep breaths if your feeling good stretching back.

7.) Child’s Pose Stretch

• Once you come up from your Camel Stretch round forward onto the mat or your pillow.
• Rest your hands stretched out in front of you.
• Breathe deeply for 10 long counts.

8.) Seated Forward Bending Stretch

• Bending forward compliments the Camel arching so it is wise to end this mini challenge this way!
• Sit with your legs stretched out in front of you.
• Lean forward where you feel a good stretch with no discomfort.
• Breathe deeply for 10 counts.

Lay back on your mat absorbing all that healthy yoga goodness you infused into your body!

keep calm and yoga on!