You don't need the gym to build mental and physical stamina, try this 20-minute morning yoga routine instead

Features
By published

It's beginner-friendly,

Male wearing white performing upward dog back stretch on yoga mat in studio
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

I love practicing yoga because it helps me build physical and mental stamina, leaving me calmer yet more energized to tackle the day. If I practice in the evening, I feel more able to wind down and sleep better.

This 20-minute routine is the perfect morning flow to set up your day, increase flexibility and mobility and leave you feeling longer and stronger. "Welcome to this morning yoga flow," says your teacher, Charlie. "A full-body yoga practice for all levels to start your day."

Watch Charlie Follows' 20-minute yoga routine

20 Min Morning Yoga Flow | All Levels Yoga to Supercharge Your Day - YouTube 20 Min Morning Yoga Flow | All Levels Yoga to Supercharge Your Day - YouTube
Watch On

During the routine, expect to move through standing sequences like chair pose, warrior I and warrior II. Charlie also introduces standing twists like triangle pose and reverse triangle, while helping you to "cultivate concentration with goddess pose and tree pose."

You'll then have the opportunity to practice backbends like puppy pose, locust and bow, then warm down with a seated sequence, which features twists and forward folds. All in all, Charlie promises to relieve tension in your upper back, neck and shoulders and then relieve mental tension with breathwork and meditation.

You can't get much better, as this covers a lot in a short space of time. Gentle twists and backbends are great for improving posture and switching on your core muscles, releasing tightness in problem areas like the lower back and shoulders.

A man wakes up in bed and stretches after a good night's sleep

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Balance work is crucial for fall prevention and can help you learn to activate the smaller, stabilizer muscles in your body that keep you upright and stable. Practicing these types of exercises, especially standing, can improve markers of longevity, while the physical strengthening aspect of the routine will safeguard functional strength.

I love yoga flows rather than more static routines like Hatha or Yin. They help me move into tight areas of my body, release them and build rhythm, which, in turn, helps me switch off and focus on my breath. I think you'll love this about the routine, too.

It is beginner-friendly, and Charlie will offer you cues to follow if you need them. My biggest piece of advice is to notice how slowly Charlie moves and with how much control. This is about slowing things down while flowing from pose to pose, connecting breath and body and taking your time with your transitions. Not only will you find yourself calmer as a result, but your body will appreciate spending a little longer in each pose.

I'd say a practice like this one is especially important at this time of year, when the holidays can be calm for some and hectic for others; whatever this period of the year looks like for you, taking some time out on your mat can help you slow down or recharge, depending on what you need.

Completely new to yoga? Check out my guide for yoga beginners to help you prepare.

Google News

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

More from Tom's Guide

Sam Hopes
Sam Hopes
Fitness Editor and Coach

Sam Hopes is a level 3 qualified trainer, a level 2 Reiki practitioner and fitness editor at Tom's Guide. She is also currently undertaking her Yoga For Athletes training course.

Sam has written for various fitness brands and websites over the years and has experience across brands at Future, such as Live Science, Fit&Well, Coach, and T3.

Having coached at fitness studios like F45 and Virgin Active and personal trained, Sam now primarily teaches outdoor bootcamps, bodyweight, calisthenics and kettlebells.

She also coaches mobility and flexibility classes several times a week and believes that true strength comes from a holistic approach to training your body.

Sam has completed two mixed doubles Hyrox competitions in London and the Netherlands and finished her first doubles attempt in 1:11.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.