This post, I’m taking a break from my Men and Yoga series to give you a preview of Lifelong Yoga! One of my favorite parts of the book is Part III, where we offer short and long sequences to be used in preparation for specific life events, whether that event is daily exercise, gardening, a weekend with grandchildren, or an emotional weekend, like a wedding. Yoga is a toolkit for whatever you encounter in daily life, and this section helps you choose the right tools for the occasion. This simple standing warm-up sequence is one of my favorites: it requires NO props (not even a yoga mat!), you can do it in regular clothes, you can do it in shoes, and you can do it ANYWHERE! The whole thing could take as little as 5 minutes, but it will make you feel so, so much better. I use it nearly every day, and I start many of the classes I teach with this sequence.
Joan (age: 62) and Jeanne (age: 88) demoed this beautifully after class last week. Jeanne correctly calls herself my oldest student, and she moves with ease and grace– a life of doing yoga!
Start here, in mountain pose. Take a few breaths to connect to your body and arrive.Move to tall mountain, inhaling your arms skyward and lifting your heels. You may do this a few times in a row, moving with your breath: inhale to lift arms and heels, exhale to lower. This pose is also a balance challenge!Next, move to cat and cow. In cat pose, exhale. Let your shoulders round and draw your chin toward your chest. You can bend your knees even more than Joan did here.In cow pose, inhale. Draw your shoulders away from your ears, and let your chest extend forward. Move between cat and cow at least 5-10 times.Twisting is an important part of a full warm-up for your spine. For this chair twist pose, bend your knees a little. Bring your right hand toward your left knee; extend your left arm up and out. You can hold here for 5 breaths and then twist to the opposite side. Remember to keep a sense of core engagement here: hug your belly in as you twist!Standing side bend is one of my favorites. It feels so good! That’s probably why Jeanne is smiling here. From mountain, bring your arms overhead. You can clasp hands together, or as Jeanne is doing here, you can hold onto your wrist with your hand. First, side bend to the left. If you’re choosing to hold onto your wrist, clasp your right wrist with your left hand. Stay here for 5-10 breaths. If you’re low back feels like it’s getting crunched, bend your knees a little, engage your core, and even tuck in your tailbone a bit. Switch to the other side.
For more sequences, search for “sequences” in the search box on the left of the screen or pre-order our book! It’s officially out as of August 1.
In our Sequence posts, you’ll find a sequence for a specific purpose. This week, we’re looking at snowga! When we get snow in North Carolina (where Sage and I live), things really slow down. Businesses close, sidewalks stay icy, roads aren’t safe for driving for several days. Snow days are nature’s way of reminding us to slow down and do less. But doing less doesn’t mean doing nothing. That’s where this simple, short practice comes in. It’s easy to do anywhere: you don’t need anything except your body and a wall. Bookmark this post, and the next time the weather brings your active life to a halt, take 5 minutes to move. Your core, hips, legs, and shoulders will thank you. (We practice a lot of downward-facing dog at the wall in this video. For a tutorial on that, check out Sage’s Hack Your Down Dog.)
