Exercise At Home: Angel's Yoga Routine

Angel's Yoga Routine

Simple Yoga Routine (to open your hips)

Gentle Twist

1. Begin seated, extend both legs out long. Bend your left leg and cross the foot over the right leg. Take your right elbow and wrap it around your left knee. Sit up nice and tall. 
2. When you’re ready, take your left hand and rest your fingertips behind you on the mat for a gentle twist. 
3. Don’t crank your back. Take a few deep breaths here and enjoy the stretch! 
4. Try and deepen your breath as you go along, lengthening the inhale as you sit up, as well as the exhale as you try and deepen the twist. Slowly release. 
5. Take your left ankle and keep it over your right thigh. Send your fingertips behind you and slowly bend the right knee and create a figure four with your legs. 
6. If no.5 isn’t possible and you’re feeling a pinch in your hips, move your right foot away from you. If you can manage a deeper stretch, move your foot closer in to you. 
7. All this time, keep the left foot flexed. Remember to keep breathing and if your hips allow, you can gently sway left to right on the glutes for an easy massage. 
8. Send the left leg out long and take the right foot and cross it over the left leg. 
9. Keep your left foot active by keeping it flexed.
   

Gentle Twist (Opposite Side)

1. Hug your left elbow over your knee. Sit up straight and take your fingertips behind you for a gentle twist.
2. Sit up a little taller with your inhale and draw your navel in. As you exhale, try and go deeper into that twist without forcing it. 
3. Now release, and open your right leg up into a figure four, take your fingertips behind you and bend your left knee. 
4. Keep both feet active and notice how different it may feel on this side. 
5. Adjust your feet so that your hips are comfortable and you don’t feel a pinch in your hips. 
6. Keep your back straight and your heart opened. 
7. Release both legs now and bring the soles of your feet together to get into cobbler’s pose. 
8. Allow your knees to open as wide as possible and if this position isn’t great for your hips, prop them up on a pillow or a folded blanket to raise them. 
9. With an inhale, lengthen your spine as much as possible, and with an exhale, bend the elbows left to right and slowly, start to lean forward. 
10. Deep inhale to straighten the spine, and an exhale to bring your nose forward to your toes. This will help to open your hips so that they don’t feel as tight.  

Lizard Pose
*advanced move, so be cautious - You may choose a one-legged pigeon if the lizard pose isn’t for you. 

1. Start with bringing the right foot forward and the left, back. 
2. Get your hips nice and low, and crawl your right foot over to the right side of the mat, with your hands to the left. Make sure your left leg goes straight behind you. 
3. Listen to your body. It will tell you what it can or cannot do. If you’re really challenging yourself today and your body says ok, bring your elbows down to the ground for a deeper stretch. 
4. Remember to keep your breaths even. 
5. To get out of this pose, get into all fours, nice and slowly. 
6. Do the opposite by bringing your left foot forward and crawling over to the edge of the mat, and bringing your hands to the right and repeating the same. 
7. If the lizard pose is too much, fold your left leg under, for the one-legged pigeon. 

 

One-Legged Pigeon

1. Push up on your hands, open your chest forward, look straight ahead, and inhale. 
2. As you exhale, fold forward. 
3. To come out of this position, rise up and get onto all fours first, before we go into our final position.  

Extended Child’s Pose

1. Bring your knees as wide as your yoga mat and bring your toes together to touch. 
2. Sink your hips back onto your heels, extend your arms forward, and rest your forehead on the mat. 
3. Stay in this position for as long as you like, making sure you continue, with those even breaths in and out.