Yoga Flow for Energy
I love this little series for an energy boost at any time. It'll only take you a few minutes to get you feeling alive and strong.
Once you're familiar with the poses, play some music and let your breath flow as you move.
You can also add this on to the Good Morning series to make your yoga practice a little longer. In fact, this flow incorporates several of the poses found in the Good Morning Series, which means if you are already familiar with that, you'll have a foundation for this (with some new poses too, of course!)
To me, there's nothing better when it comes to working out than moving on my yoga mat...
**NOTE: The instructions in table below are written to help you flow with breath and movement. But, if you're a beginner, you may want to simply try each pose individually and add flow when you're ready.
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forward bend
Half Forward Bend
Chair Pose
Chair Pose with Extended Arms (option)
straight arm plank
cobra
downward facing dog
Single Leg Downward Facing Dog
Warrior 1
Warrior 2
Warrior 3
high lunge
Child's Pose
Namaste
Warm-Up
Just begin....breathe deep. Inhale on the expansion parts of each more and exhale on the exertion. Simply let your breathe flow, your mind focus and your body feel the bliss of each pose. Hold each one as long as you like or flow through them a bit more quickly. You may even want to do this series slow first and then speed it up a bit.
I suggest doing this a few times to learn the poses before attempting to flow.
Hold each pose for 2 to 5 breaths, depending on if you want a slow flow or something a little faster.
Workout Set
| Exercise | Description |
|---|---|
| Forward Bend | Hang forward with your arms dangling to the floor or with folded arms, hanging on to opposite elbows |
| Side bend (not shown) | Clasp your right wrist with your left hand. Use your left hand to pull your body to the right into a side bend, keeping your rib cage rolling open. Repeat on other side. |
| Swan Dive into Half Forward Bend | Standing tall, raise arms above your head and lengthen your body forward ad your arms reach out to the sides and you dive into forward bend. Grab the backs of your calves or ankles and lift your body into half forward bend, sternum forward, looking up. Then, pull the length of your body back into your legs for forward bend. |
| Chair Pose | Drop your hips into a squat position with tailbone lengthening down, weight in your heels and hands in prayer position. Hold for a few breaths. Option: extend arms up to parallel with your ears and palms facing one another. |
| Straight Arm Plank | From chair pose, dive into forward band and place hands on the mat. Step back with both legs into plank position. |
| Push up into Cobra | From plank, lower your body to the mat by bending elbows back (modify by setting knees down). Once all the way down, breathe in and lift chest into cobra pose. |
| Downward Facing Dog | From cobra, turn your toes under and press into your hands to lift your body up and back into downward facing dog. Lifting hips up and back, keep elbows soft, let heels drop and chest stretch. |
| Single leg Down Dog into Warrior 1 | Lift your right leg up and back and bring it underneath your body, tucking your knee up and reaching your foot between your hands (it may take a couple of steps if you are new). Drop your left heel down and in, lift your body up with arms coming over-head. This is Warrior 1. |
| Repeat the flow...into Warrior 1 on the other side | Lower your arms, step back into plank position, flow into your push up and cobra then back into downward facing dog. Repeat the Warrior 1 with the left leg lifting behind you and coming between your hands, dropping right heel down and lifting your upper body up. |
| Adding Warrior 2 | Lower your upper body again and flow through the sequence (plank, push up, cobra, down dog, and again bringing right leg between your hands). Lift up into Warrior 1 again but this time, turning your body open to the left to come into Warrior 2. Opening your right knee and keeping left leg straight as you open your arms to a 'T' position. (see photo) |
| Repeat the flow...into Warrior 2 on the other side | Repeat the entire sequence on the other side, with left leg forward. |
| Adding Warrior 3 | Repeat the entire sequence...from Warrior 1 to Warrior 2 with your right leg forward. This time, shifting back into Warrior 1 again. Shift your focus forward and begin putting all of your weight into your right foot and dragging your left foot forward and up until your holding your body parallel to the floor with left leg lifted behind you in Warrior 3. Use core strength and focus. Modification: steady yourself by putting your left big toe on the mat, but keep weight in the right. |
| High Lunge | From Warrior 3, bend your right/front leg and reach your left foot back to the mat until you are in High lunge with arms up. Come out of High Lunge by bringing hands down to frame your front foot and step back into plank position and flow through pushup, cobra and downward facing dog again. |
| Repeat the flow...into Warrior 3 and High Lunge on the other side | Repeat the entire sequence with left leg forward (Warrior 1, Warrior 2, Warrior 3 and finally High Lunge) |
| Child's Pose | Lower your body all the way to the mat on your stomach this time and before you do cobra, push your body back into Child's Pose (see photo). Relax and breathe deep, 5 breaths. |
| Namaste' | Come to a seated, cross legged position with hands at heart. |
Cool Down
Once you are in Namaste' position at the end of this flow series, simply breath and appreciate what your body just did for you! Stay calm in the mind but invigorated in the body as you tackle the rest of the day.
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