Carving out time to do chores, tick off your day job and fit in some sort of exercise first thing can feel like a never-ending logistical challenge. And that’s before you’ve even factored in socializing with friends and family.
But according to yoga instructor Francine Cipollone (the brains behind Yoga with Bird on YouTube) a 12-minute morning stretch could be key to helping you start your day off on the right foot—and finding some much-needed tension relief.
“This is a 12-minute yoga stretch to help you feel your best for the day ahead,” Cipollone highlights at the start of the session.
“This class is beginner-friendly and will help to deeply stretch the hips and upper body which are perfect additions to your morning yoga routine,” the expert adds.
All of the yoga poses in this stretch are floor-based. So while you won’t need any fancy equipment to get going, one of the best yoga mats will come in handy to help cushion your joints and add an extra layer of comfort to your class.
Watch how to do Yoga with Bird’s 12-minute full-body strength
Beginner-friendly, it’s worth highlighting that this short stretch session isn’t for those who are looking for a fast, powerful Vinyasa-style flow. Cipollone begins the yoga class with a one-and-a-half-minute child’s pose, which works to gently stretch the shoulders, neck, back, hips, thighs, and ankles.
Cipollone then gradually moves into cat-cow, a supine spinal twist—which is known to relieve tension and improve the flexibility in your back—and shoelace pose. “See what the body needs and don’t worry about how the body looks,” the expert notes.
Cipollone ends the stretch sequence with a two-minute Shavasana, or corpse pose, which involves lying on your back and relaxing your body and mind.
The benefits of yoga
Yoga has long been hailed as a mind-body practice that can enhance muscular strength and better respiratory and cardiovascular function, due to the combination of breathing exercises and physical poses.
Research published in the International Journal of Yoga shows that yogic practices can boost body flexibility, and reduce stress, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain. A consistent practice can also improve the quality of sleep while enhancing overall wellbeing.
Of course, you could just try out a range of stretches to help you increase your range of motion and go about your day with ease, like this seven-move routine. However, research published in The Journals of Gerontology Series A, found that yoga is ‘just as effective’ as stretching–strengthening exercises in improving functional fitness.
