Vinyasa Yoga Practice 13: Short & Sweet 5
A lower back reset - mini practice in less than 20 minutes. This one starts seated and moves to all fours. Moving bird-dog, cat cow, down dog, knee down twist, warrior 2, and more. Feel refreshed and balanced. A great desk break, post lower back relief, or lower back maintenance when don't have much time. Brings movement and blood flow into the hips, pelvis, and lower back. This practice is more of a vinyasa flow and has a lot of fluid movement. Includes a brief final relaxation.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to an all-levels vinyasa practice.
This is going to be short and sweet and just designed to release your hips,
Low back,
And loosen up your hamstrings a little bit.
This practice would be ideal if you've been sitting at a desk for a long time and just need to take a few minutes to reset and get back on track.
For this practice,
We'll start seated.
Extend both legs forward,
Bend your knees,
Feet on the floor,
Hands behind you about 10 to 12 inches,
Fingers pointing inward,
Palms down.
Feet are about hip distance apart.
Take a breath in.
As you exhale,
Drop your knees over to the right.
Inhale,
Back to center.
Exhale,
Knees drop to the left.
One more time each side.
Inhale,
Center.
Exhale,
Right.
Inhale,
Center.
Exhale,
Left.
Come to hands and knees on all fours.
Knees under your hips,
Hands underneath the shoulders.
As you inhale,
Reach the right arm forward,
Thumb pointing up to the ceiling,
And extend your left leg back.
Keep the toes on the floor.
Stay there or lift your left leg as well.
Inhale,
Lift the right arm and left leg a little bit higher.
On an exhale,
Touch the left knee to the right elbow.
Inhale,
Lift up.
Exhale,
Elbow to knee.
Inhale,
Up.
Exhale,
Elbow to knee.
Come back to all fours.
Switch sides.
Extend your left arm forward,
Thumb pointing up to the ceiling.
Right leg extends back,
Toes on the floor or leg lifted.
Inhale,
Lift up a little bit higher.
Exhale,
Left elbow to right knee.
Inhale,
Up.
Exhale,
Elbow to knee.
Inhale,
Up.
Exhale,
Elbow to knee.
Come back to all fours.
We'll do three cat-cows.
Inhale,
Lift your tailbone,
Drop the belly,
Lift the chin,
And pull the shoulders back as you look up.
Exhale,
Tuck the tailbone under,
Navel to spine,
Chin to chest,
Push through the shoulders.
Inhale,
Drop the belly,
Lift the tail,
Lift the chin,
Look up.
Exhale,
Tuck the tail,
Chin to chest,
Navel to spine.
One more.
Inhale,
Lift the tail,
Lift the chin,
Drop the belly.
Exhale,
Tuck the tail,
Navel to spine,
Chin to chest.
Come back to neutral,
Take a breath in.
Exhale,
Push back,
Downward facing dog.
From downward facing dog,
Inhale,
Lift the right leg up and back.
If it feels good,
You can open up the hips and stack the right on top of the left.
Maybe bend the right knee.
Take a couple breaths here.
And when you're ready,
Step the right foot forward between your hands.
Bring the left knee down to the floor.
Inhale,
Reach the right hand up to the ceiling.
Exhale,
Hold here.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Bring the right hand down to the floor.
Begin to straighten the left leg and bring the left heel down,
Coming up into a warrior two stance.
Deep lunge in the right knee.
Right arm reaches forward,
Left arm reaches backward.
Turn your head,
Look over the right fingertips.
Inhale,
Come into reverse warrior.
Reach the right hand up to the ceiling.
Exhale,
Come into extended side angle.
Right elbow over the right thigh or right hand to the floor.
And sweep your left hand up to the ceiling or up overhead.
Inhale,
Come back to reverse warrior.
Right arm up to the ceiling,
Left hand on the back of the left thigh.
Exhale,
Back to extended side angle.
Inhale,
Reverse warrior.
Exhale,
Extended side angle.
Inhale,
Reverse warrior.
Exhale,
Extended side angle.
Inhale,
Reverse warrior.
Exhale,
Extended side angle.
Bring your left hand down to the floor under the left shoulder,
Coming into lizard pose.
Straighten the left leg and point the left heel up to the ceiling.
You can stay here on your hands.
Both hands are to the inside of the right foot.
Or you can walk your hands forward,
Come down to your elbows.
Option to rest the left knee down to the floor.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Walk your hands back in if you're on the elbows.
Step the right foot back next to the left,
Coming into plank pose.
Take a breath here.
Exhale,
Lower down to your belly.
Keep your hands to the floor next to your ribs.
Fingers forward,
Palms down.
Fingertips in line with your chest.
Slide the shoulder blades back.
Elongate the back of your neck with the forehead down on the floor.
Inhale.
Push to cobra.
Keep the elbows bent,
Lifting the upper back.
Lift your chin.
Look straight ahead.
On an exhale,
Lower the forehead back down to the floor.
Inhale.
Lift back up to cobra.
Exhale.
Forehead down to the floor.
Keep going.
Inhale.
Lift to cobra.
Exhale.
Three.
Inhale.
Lift to cobra.
Exhale.
Four.
Inhale.
Lift to cobra.
Exhale.
Five.
Lower the forehead down.
And now push back into child's pose.
For this child's pose,
Let's do knees apart,
Toes together,
Arms extended forward in front of you.
And then walk your hands over to the right.
Feel the long stretch in the left side of the body.
Take a breath here.
Breathe in.
Walk your hands back to center.
And then over to the left.
Feel the long stretch in the right side body.
Breathe in.
And breathe out.
Come back to center.
Up to all fours.
And exhale your way back to downward facing dog.
Inhale.
Lift the left leg up and back.
If it feels good,
Stack the left hip on top of the right.
Bend the left knee.
Open up through that left hip flexor.
When you're ready,
Step the left foot all the way forward between your hands.
Bring the right knee down to the floor.
Keep the right hand on the floor.
Reach the left hand up to the ceiling,
Taking a modified knee down twist.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Bring your left hand down to the floor on the outside of the left foot.
Coming up to warrior two,
Pivot the right heel down as you straighten the right leg.
Bring your torso upright.
Deep lunge in the left knee.
From here,
Inhale.
Move into reverse warrior.
Left hand reaches up to the ceiling.
Right hand down the back of the right thigh.
On an exhale,
Coming into extended side angle,
Bring the left elbow over the left thigh or bring your left hand to the floor.
Sweep the right hand up to the ceiling or up overhead.
Inhale.
Come back up to reverse warrior.
Left hand up to the ceiling.
Exhale.
Back to extended side angle.
Inhale.
Reverse warrior.
Exhale.
Extended side angle.
Inhale.
Reverse warrior.
Exhale.
Extended side angle.
Inhale.
Reverse warrior.
Exhale.
Extended side angle.
Bring the right hand down to the floor.
Coming into lizard pose.
Straighten the right leg as you point the right heel up to the ceiling.
Both hands are on the floor to the inside of the left leg.
Left knee is bent.
Left heel is directly under the left knee.
You can stay here or walk your hands forward and come down to your elbows.
Option to rest the right knee on the floor.
Lizard pose.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe out five.
Walk your hands back in if you're on your elbows.
Straighten the right leg if the knee is bent and step your left foot back next to the right.
Coming into plank pose.
Hold here.
Take a breath in.
And exhale.
Carefully lower down to your belly.
Coming into cobra pose.
Bring your elbows directly underneath your shoulders.
Forearms down on the floor.
Palms down.
Fingers spread wide.
Elbows are shoulder width apart.
Lift your chest.
Pull the shoulders back and down.
Soft gaze straight ahead.
Relax your hips and glutes.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Lower down and push back into child's pose.
Come up to hands and knees.
Sit back on your heels.
Knees apart.
Walk your hands forward.
Forehead down on the floor.
Arms extended up overhead or if it's more comfortable,
Bring your hands down alongside your feet.
Relax your shoulders.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Walk your hands back in.
Come up.
Take a seat.
Extend your legs straight ahead.
Come into Paschimottanasana.
Seated Forward Fold.
Toes up to the ceiling.
Hands down alongside your hips.
Lift the spine upward.
On an exhale,
Walk your hands forward.
Come into your Forward Fold.
You can hold onto your ankles or your feet or your big toes in Yogic Toe Lock.
Breathe in.
Breathe out one.
Breathe in.
Breathe out two.
Breathe in.
Breathe out three.
Breathe in.
Breathe out four.
Breathe in.
Breathe out five.
Inhale,
Come up.
And exhale,
Lie flat on your back,
Coming into a short final relaxation.
As you lie flat,
Tuck your shoulder blades under.
Allow the palms to roll up if you can.
Palms are facing the ceiling.
Relax your hips.
Legs are extended out straight.
Feet are a little bit wider than your hips.
Bring your awareness to the base of the spine.
Take a breath in.
And breathe out.
Bring your awareness just below the navel.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Bring your awareness just below the diaphragm.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Bring your awareness to the center of your chest.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Bring your awareness to the throat center.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Bring your awareness to the space between your eyebrows.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Bring your awareness to the top of your head.
Breathe in.
Bend your knees.
Feet on the floor.
Roll over to one side and push yourself up to sit.
In a comfortable seated position,
Bring your hands at heart center in prayer.
Bow your forehead down to your fingertips.
Thank you for practicing yoga with me today.
I hope you enjoyed the practice and have a wonderful rest of your day.
Be well.
4.9 (17)
Recent Reviews
Mags
August 6, 2025
Perfect short practice for when you have little time.
Debi
April 29, 2025
Wonderful and effective short flow! Rebecca’s teaching is amazing!! Thank you! 🙏