Build Your Own Practice 1 - Wake Up, Shake Up

Due to popular demand, here is the first in a series of pages you can use to help you practice yoga at home. Most of us can remember a few warm up moves and the cat, but then it starts to get a bit tricky, so I hope these BYOP sheets will help you when you find yourself with a little bit of time and the desire for some stretching, re-balancing or just pure relaxation.

Build Your Own Practice – Sheet 1

Wake Up, Shake Up!   (at ANY time of the day)

 

Observe

Stand in Tadasana and see how your body, breath, emotions & thoughts are today

Wake Up Your Arms

Shake or circle your wrists, elbow & shoulders – one way & then the other

Wake Up Your Legs

Shake or circle your ankles, knees & legs – one way & then the other

Hip Circles

Hands on hips and circle your hips - one way & then the other

Ear Hugs

Breathe IN and lift shoulders up towards your ears

Breathe OUT and let your shoulders drop down

Repeat a few times

Shoulder Circles

Take your shoulders back in little circles, getting larger as your shoulders soften. Change directions.

Spinal Wave

Breathe IN, reach your hands overhead and stretch up

Breathe OUT, soften knees and come into a gentle forward bend

Breath gently here, letting the arms hang down and relaxing the back & neck

Breathe IN, bend the knees & uncurl the spine up to standing, hands on the lower back

Breathe OUT, lengthen the spine upwards and look up or lean back

Breathe IN, stand tall

Breathe OUT, come into a forward bend again

Breathe IN, bend the knees & uncurl the spine, lifting the hands overhead. Stretch.

Repeat the whole sequence a few times & let the arms relax

Twist

Take the feet a little wider, soften the knees and stand tall. Start to turn left and right, letting the arms swing out from the body. Try to twist from the waist first, then up through the ribs, the shoulders and last of all, the neck. Slowly lift the arms higher each time you twist and then slowly let them come back down.

Observe

Stand in Tadasana and see how your body, breath, emotions & thoughts are now