Quick Morning Yoga Routine for Busy Moms
The way you start your day can really make or break how the rest of your day unfolds - especially as a busy mom with lots of people and responsibilities constantly grabbing your attention. The best way to start your morning is by taking a little time for yourself, focusing on your breath, creating some movement and being intentional with your time.
What better way to do that, but with a 10 minute morning yoga routine. In just ten minutes you can feel revitalized and ready to take on your day!
We start in a comfortable seated position and breath-work to connect inwards. Closing your eyes or drawing your gaze down, inhale to a count of 4, holding at the top, then exhale to a count of 4, holding at the bottom. Get present and set an intention for your day.
Move into table top (onto all fours) and begin to warm up the spine with Cat/Cow. Drop the belly and lift the gaze on the inhale for Cow pose; then round through the spine and take the gaze between your thighs on the exhale for Cat pose. Take 5 breaths moving through this posture.
Next, come down onto your belly, taking the legs out behind you. Press the shoelace side of your feet firmly into the mat, hands in line with first rib, push into the palms, lift up and pull your chest through your biceps. Hover the hands off the mat if you want more of a challenge. Hold for 3 breaths.
Come back through table top up to a stand at the top of your mat. With feet hip-width apart, step your left foot back 2 feet (or so - play with the stance here, but the main goal will be to keep your hips parallel) at a 45 degree angle. Take a 90 degree bend into the right leg and inhale hands up towards the sky, coming into Warrior I. Breathe here for 5 breaths and then switch legs.
Opening up into Warrior II, take the stance wide by stepping the right leg further back on your mat and lining the right foot up parallel to the back of your mat. Keeping a 90 degree bend in the left leg, raise the arms in line with the shoulders. Reach for either side of the room on the inhale, and on your exhale pull shoulder blades in towards your spine. Take 5 breaths here in Warrior II on the left side then switch sides.
Playing with your balance next, come to stand at the top of your mat once again to find Tree pose. Grounding down through the right foot, take your left foot into kickstand resting against the inside of your right foot and ankle. If you want more of a challenge take the left foot to the inside of the right calf OR right thigh (avoiding the knee). When you feel stable and steady, start to extend your hands over head. Hold for 3-5 breaths and then switch legs.
Flush out the balance posture by coming into Chair pose next. With feet hip width apart at the top of the mat, sink your hips down towards the floor taking the weight into the heels of your feet (as if you were about to sit on an imaginary chair beneath you). Keep hands on hips or raise them out in front of you for more of a challenge. Hold here for 5 breaths, sinking lower into the hips with each exhale
Coming back up to stand, take your hands overhead, reaching them up towards the sky and then slightly back. Coming into a gentle backbend. Inhale grow longer and on the exhale concentrate on opening your heart up towards to the sky. Avoid bending into the lower back, rather keep the focus on bending through the mid-back to open the heart.
When your backbend feels complete, come to a seated position on your mat. Extend right leg out, bringing the soul of your left foot to the inside of your right thigh. Inhale grow tall through the spine, and on the exhale take a side bend over the right leg. Hold here for 3-5 breaths and then switch sides.
Coming back onto all fours for just a moment, take your knees as wide as your mat, bring your big toes to touch at the back of your mat and sink your hips down towards your heels. Reaching hands towards the front of your mat, bring your forehead down to the floor to rest. Take 5 long, deep inhales and exhales to complete your morning practice.
