Hi there.
Kendra Tolbert here.
I'm a registered yoga teacher and dietitian specializing in women's health and well-being,
And this yoga sequence is a morning mobility practice.
It was designed to help you rid your body of that creaky,
Achy feeling that so many of us experience in the morning.
We'll begin by lying down,
So I invite you to lie down on the floor.
Once you're there,
Reach your arms by your ears,
And then reach your feet and your hands as far away from the center of your body as possible so that you're creating a long,
Full body stretch.
Breathe deeply here.
Then allow everything to relax and melt into the floor.
Bend your knees,
Bring the soles of your feet to the floor.
Reach your arms up towards the ceiling,
Spread your fingers wide,
And make circles with your hands and your wrists.
Really exaggerate these motions.
Change the direction of your circles,
And then shake out your hands and your wrists.
Bring your knees into your chest and hug your knees in.
You can place your hands on your shins,
Your knees,
Or the backs of your thighs.
Whatever would make you feel most comfortable.
Begin to rock from side to side,
Gently massaging your lower back.
Make your rocking slower and smaller until eventually you're still.
If your hands are not on your knees,
I invite you to place them there,
And then begin to make circles with your knees.
Change the direction of your circles.
Be still,
Hug your knees in a little bit more.
Place your arms out to the side in either a T-shape or with bent elbows into a cactus or field goal shape.
Drop your knees from side to side.
The next time your knees come through center,
Leave them there,
Then straighten your legs as much as feels comfortable to you.
Maybe your toes are pointing up,
Maybe the soles of your feet are pointing up,
Or maybe it's something in between those two spots.
Allow your ankles to separate just enough for you to make circles with your feet and your ankles.
Change the direction of those circles,
And then shake your feet and your legs out.
Next,
Re-bend your knees,
Place the soles of your feet onto the floor,
And roll over to one side.
Slowly press yourself up and take a seat.
Place the soles of your feet together,
Drop your knees away from one another down towards the mat,
And bring your thumbs to the balls of your feet.
Begin to massage your feet.
Now bring your hands to rest on your ankles,
And begin to gently squeeze and release your ankles,
Creating kind of a pulsing sensation.
Continue with this pulsing movement as you move your hands up your shins.
Once you reach just underneath your knees,
You can stop there,
And then start to make circles with your fingertips.
Change the direction of those circles.
Release your hands,
Place them behind your hips,
Lean back just a bit so that you can straighten your right leg out to the side.
Draw your left foot closer towards your body.
On your inhale,
Send your left arm up by your ear,
And as you exhale,
Bend over to the right.
Come up,
Place your left hand down,
Shift your weight so that it is over your left knee,
And forward.
Press in to your left hand and your left leg.
Lift your hips,
Send your hips forward,
And then reach your right arm up alongside your right ear.
Stretch your foot and your hand away from one another as far as possible.
Sit back down,
And switch sides.
Right foot comes in,
Left foot goes out.
Inhale to bring your right hand up,
Exhale to bend to the left.
Come up,
Right hand comes down,
Weight shifts forward.
Lift your hips,
Press into your hand and your leg.
Reach your left hand alongside your left ear.
Maybe I should say left arm.
And give yourself a full stretch here.
Hand reaches away,
Foot reaches away,
Hips come forward.
Sit back.
Bring your hand down,
And then make your way onto your hands and your knees.
On your inhale,
Arch your spine.
As you exhale,
Circle your hips and your head to the right and down.
Spine is now rounded.
On your next inhale,
Circle your hips to the left,
Circle your head to the left,
And then back up.
So once again,
Your spine is arched.
Continue making circles with your hips and your head,
Syncing up your movement with your breath.
Move gently.
Move intentionally.
Circle your head and your hips in the other direction.
Come back to neutral.
Place your big toes together.
Bring your knees out wide.
Sit your hips back towards your heels and reach your hands forward.
Lower your forehead down.
And breathe here in Child's Pose.
Slowly,
Come up.
Bring your knees closer together,
So they're about hip's width apart.
Feet are in line with your knees.
Shift your weight to the right and step your left foot forward on the outside of your left hand.
Breathe here.
Press firmly into your hands and your left foot.
Curl your back toes under.
Lift your back knee.
Rock back and forth.
And then lower your back knee.
Walk your hands back.
Send your hips back.
Straighten your front leg.
Re-bend your knee.
Breathe here.
Once again,
Lift your back knee.
Rock back and forth.
And then lower your back knee.
Straighten your front leg.
Hips come back.
Hands walk back.
Re-bend your knee.
Breathe here.
Final time.
Lift your back knee.
Rock.
Lower your back knee.
Straighten your front knee.
Re-bend your front knee.
Uncurl your back toes.
Come back onto all fours.
Shift your weight to the left.
Step your right foot forward on the outside of your right hand.
Breathe here.
Press firmly into your hands and your right foot.
Curl your back toes under.
Lift your back knee.
Rock back and forth.
Lower your back knee.
Straighten your front knee.
Re-bend your front knee.
Lift your back knee.
And rock.
Lower your back knee.
Straighten your front knee.
Re-bend.
Final time.
Lift your back knee.
Rock back and forth.
Lower your back knee.
Straighten your front knee.
Re-bend your front knee.
Come back onto all fours.
Sit back onto your heels.
Continue to walk your hands back until they are behind your back.
Broaden your shoulders.
Lift your chest.
Maybe you look up.
Maybe you look back.
Bring your chin in towards your chest.
Walk your hands forward so they're in line with your hips.
Then take a seat over to one side.
Come into a comfortable cross-legged position.
Place your hands onto your knees.
Bring your attention to your breath.
On your next inhale,
Circle your arms up overhead.
Palms touch.
Exhale.
Hands come to the center of your chest.
Take a moment to thank yourself for moving,
For breathing,
And for being still.
And I thank you for allowing me to guide you in this practice.
