20-Minute Daily Yoga Practice

Welcome to your 20-minute all-levels yoga practice. Whether you’re a seasoned yoga student, brand new to yoga, or somewhere in between, this class is a great way to connect with your body and breath with ease. It can be practiced multiple times a week by beginners or people returning after taking a break from yoga to help increase stamina, strength, and fluidity for longer practices.
Music by Chris Collins, indiemusicbox, “One With The Universe - Long Version”

Transcript

Hi there, Kendra Tolbert here. Welcome to your 20-minute yoga practice. Just like the 5, 10, And 15-minute practices that I've already shared, This is a great one to do maybe when you're a little bit shorter on time and don't have time for a longer practice. Or if you are newer to yoga or returning to yoga after a break and you are looking to build up stamina and strength for those longer practices, You can do this one multiple times a week. Or maybe even daily to help you build up what you need to build up in order to do those longer practices with a bit more ease. We'll begin at the front short edge of our mat. And mountain pose, So our feet are about hips width apart. Arms are relaxed by our sides, And we allow for the gentle curves in our spine to simply exist. We're not trying to be rigidly straight, Just at ease. Once you are comfortably in your mountain pose. Bring your attention to your breath. On your next inhale, Circle your arms up overhead. Take your right wrist into your left hand and stretch over to the left. Come back up and switch sides. So right hand takes hold of your left wrist and you stretch to the right. Come back up through center, Release your wrist, And gently Lean back. Come back up. And we'll stretch to the left again. So left hand takes hold of right wrist. Bend to the left. Come up, Switch sides. And to the right. Tama. Release. Arch back. On your next exhale, Hinge forward at the hips. As you circle your arms down. Reaching down for the floor. Feel free to bend your knees as much as you'd like here. In order to rest your fingertips onto the mat. Shifting your weight forward is another way. To get your hands a little bit closer. And maybe experience the stretch in a slightly different part of your body. Explore what that feels like for you. Bend your knees even more generously to firmly place your palms onto the floor. Then begin to walk your feet back. To come into our first downward facing dog. So your hips are high. You're pressing firmly into the floor. And your heels are moving down towards the mat. That's fine if they don't reach the mat. Alternate bending one leg. And then the other. Pedal through your first downward facing dog. Bend both knees, Send your torso a little bit closer to your thighs. Then lift up as high as you can onto the balls of your feet and lower your knees slowly to the mat. Uncurl your toes, And walk your hands back underneath your shoulders. We're going to be here on our hands and our knees for quite some time, So feel free to make yourself comfortable. You can do that by grabbing a towel or a blanket and cushioning your knees. Which is what I will be doing. Once you're comfortable, Begin to explore Cat Cow. By inhaling, To arch your spine. Come and take care. Exhaling to round your spine to come into cat toe. Continue moving through Cat-Cow at the pace of your breath. Come back to neutral. Step your right foot forward on the outside of your right hand. Bring your torso up. And reach your arms up overhead. Twist to the right and lower your arms down to shoulder height. Come out of your twist, Arms reach back up. And then bring your hands down to the mat. Breathe here for just a moment. Straighten your front knee, Send your hips back. Continue to allow your toes to point forward. Breathe here. Flex your foot. And breathe here. Toes are pointing up towards the ceiling. Re-bend that front knee. Place your palms firmly. On the mat. On the inside of your right foot. Press into the mat. Curl your left toes under and lift your left knee. Rock back and forth. Stretching through that left calf. Be still for a moment here. Press firmly into your hands. And step your right foot back. In line with your left foot for plank. Then lower your knees. Uncurl your toes and we'll repeat on the left side. So step your left foot forward. Bring your torso up. Reach your arms up overhead. Twist to the left and lower your arms down to shoulder height. Come out of your twist, Reach your arms up overhead. Bring your hands down. Breathe here. Straighten your front knee. Hips come back. Breathe here. Flex your foot. Toes point up towards the ceiling. Notice how that small change. Changes where you experience the stretch and what you feel in your body. Rebend your front knee. Sole of your foot comes back down to the mat. Palms come to the mat. When you're ready, Curl your back toes under and lift your back knee. Rock back and forth. Then be still. Press firmly into the mat with your hands. And step your left foot back. To come into play. Send your hips up. Torso back towards your thighs for downward facing dog. And walk your hands back. Towards your feet. Come into a forward fold at the back of your mat. Slowly roll up Notice how this mountain feels different or similar to the first mountain pose we took at the start of our practice. On your next inhale, Circle your arms up overhead. Take your left wrist into your right hand. And stretch to the right. Come up through center. Switch side. Stretch to the left. Arch back. Back up through center. Stretch to the right. Through center. And over to the left. Through center, And for the final time, Arch back. Up through center. On your next exhale, Forward fold. Bend your knees. Walk forward. Bend your knees even more to lower them to the mat. Uncurl your toes, Bring your big toes together. Walk your feet. Pardon me, Your knees outlie. Sit back onto your heels. Stretch your hands forward and lower your forehead down for Child's Pose. Slowly. Come on. Walk your hands back. Feel free to shift any props off of your mat. Bring your legs out in front of you. With your knees bent, Lie down at the center of your mat. Allow your knees to fall together and walk your feet out as wide as your mat. And release your fingers. And place them behind your head. And rest here for a moment. Find some ease here for a moment. Roll over onto one side. And slowly press yourself up. Come into a comfortable seated position. On your inhale, Circle your arms up overhead, Palms touch. As you exhale, Bend your elbows. Bring your hands to rest at the center of your chest. Take a moment. To thank yourself. Forgiving yourself this time. To move. To breathe. And to be still. I hope you found some ease here on your mat. And I thank you for allowing me to guide you in this practice. I hope to see you again, And until then, Be well, And bye for now.