It’s that time of year again when exercising outdoors feels about as inviting as pouring a bucket of ice water over your head. So, why not take your workout indoors instead? This very short (yes, really, eight minutes) yoga routine resets your energy, boosts your mood and gets your body flowing without stepping outside.
Instead, all you have to do is step onto one of the best yoga mats and get ready to lengthen and strengthen your body. The routine, curated by Cathy Madeo, is a deeply relaxing addition to mornings or evenings, helping to mobilize your hips, knees, ankles, wrists and spine, and focus on creating space and marrying breath and body. Here’s how you can follow along from home, plus the benefits.
Watch Cathy’s ‘gentle morning yoga’ routine
“Start your day feeling grounded, open and refreshed with this 8-minute gentle morning yoga routine,” says Madeo. “This class will warm up your spine, shoulders and hips through slow, mindful movement. You’ll move through reclining stretches, gentle twists and flowing kneeling poses to awaken your body and calm your mind. Perfect for busy mornings or as a soft start to your day."
And best of all, you don’t need props, but they are optional. I tend to have a resistance band and yoga block on standby in case I need them. Other than that, Madeo says you need “just your mat and a few minutes to reconnect with yourself.”
I tried this morning yoga routine — here's what happened
Any excuse to add some yoga into my daily routine and I’m there. I’m normally in a rush to get my dog walked and coffee drank first thing in the morning, so eight minutes appealed to me. Just enough time to roll out my mat and stretch my body awake before life sets in or excuses begin.
This routine is slower-paced, so if you prefer a more dynamic practice, like power or vinyasa, this might not be the one for you. That said, the movements feel energizing, and given you're finished in eight minutes, you could easily add this to the start or finish of another yoga workout.
The movements feel energizing, and given you're finished in eight minutes, you could easily add this to the start or finish of another yoga workout.
What I love most is how well the exercises are cued, which meant I didn't really need to look at the screen, which allowed me to settle into my practice more and engage with the session. I find it frustrating when instructors don't speak during their videos, so I end up relying on my phone or TV screen. That doesn't apply here, thankfully.
I added some light ankle weights, but other than that, there's nothing to focus on but yourself. If you're totally new to yoga, I recommend checking out our guide for yoga beginners to help you prepare before stepping on the mat.
If you're unsure about whether or not this is for you, research shows a regular yoga practice can preserve muscle and strength and promote flexibility as we age, aiding functional movement and boosting longevity.
Outside of that, yoga promotes feelings of calm and can even reduce anxiety, helping to switch the body from its fight-or-flight state to rest-and-repair, known as the parasympathetic nervous system.
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