Having sore muscles after an intense workout is very common, especially for beginners who are just starting out. This gentle and invigorating yoga sequence can help you ease post-workout muscle soreness and increase your mobility and flexibility for future workouts.
1. Child’s pose: 60 seconds. Sit on your heels, lay your torso down and stretch your arms in front of you.
2. Cat pose: 30 seconds. Get on your hands and knees and exhale as you round your spine toward the ceiling.
3. Cow pose: 30 seconds. Inhale as you curve your belly down toward the floor and feel the stretch in your chest and neck.
4. Downward facing dog pose: 60 seconds. Extend your arms and legs and lift your hips up and back. Breathe deeply, open your shoulders and push your heels down.
5. Standing forward bend pose: 30 seconds. Exhale as you walk your hands back, draw your belly in and lengthen your torso.
6. Crescent lunge pose: 30 seconds + 30 seconds. Breathe out as you step your right leg straight back and bend your left knee, and inhale as you lift your torso and sweep your arms out to the sides and overhead. Exhale as you return to standing forward bend and then repeat on the opposite side.
7. Dolphin pose: 30 seconds. Place both hands on the floor and step your right leg back beside the left. Press your palms and forearms into the floor, straighten the knees and lift your hips up and back.
8. Cobra pose: 30 seconds. Lie on your belly with your hands under your shoulders and, as you inhale, straighten your arms and lift your chest off the floor.
9. Bridge pose: 30 seconds. Lie on your back, place both feet flat on the floor, inhale and lift your hips and chest up.
10. Knees to chest pose: 60 seconds. Lower your hips back to the mat and pull both knees up toward the chest.
11. Bound angle pose: 30 seconds. Sit up, bend your knees, press the soles of your feet together and drop the knees out to the sides.
12. Half lord of the fishes: 30 seconds + 30 seconds. Cross your right leg over the left, placing the sole of your right foot on the outside of your left thigh. Rest your right hand on the floor, twist your upper body to the right and pull your right knee toward the chest. Hold the pose for 30 seconds and then repeat on the opposite side.
13. Reclining bound angle pose: 60 seconds. Return to bound angle pose and, as you exhale, lie down with your arms alongside your body and your palms facing up.
14. Pigeon pose: 30 seconds + 30 seconds. Get on your hands and knees and bring your left knee forward and out to the left side. Slide your right leg back and tuck your right toes under. Spread your left toes, elongate your spine and gaze up. Stay in pigeon pose for 30 seconds, and then repeat with the opposite leg.
15. Plow pose: 30 seconds. Lie on your back, bend your knees and lift your legs, buttocks and back all at once. Slowly straighten your legs and spine, reach the toes to the floor, release the arms, squeeze the shoulder blades and interlace your fingers.
16. Supine spinal twist pose: 30 seconds + 30 seconds. Bring your legs back to the mat, bend both knees, rotate your hips to the left, extend your left leg, and cross the right knee over to the left side. Extend your right arm out to the side and rest your left hand on your right knee. Turn your head to the right and hold the pose for 30 seconds. Exhale as you release the pose, and then repeat on the opposite side.
17. Seated forward bend: 60 seconds. Sit on the floor with your feet together and your legs extended. Exhale as you bend at the hips and then slowly lower your torso and lengthen the spine.
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