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Morning yoga is a great way to start the day because it awakens the groggy mind and sets the tone for the hours ahead. Aside from improved flexibility and strength, doing yoga first thing in the morning can be beneficial in a variety of ways, such as reducing stress and anxiety, and helping you control your weight.
No matter how good you are at yoga or how new you are to it, there are benefits for everyone. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced yogi, creating an ideal morning yoga routine can be a very refreshing and helpful activity.
Practicing yoga regularly has been scientifically shown to reduce stress and improve mood levels, as well as physical fitness. If you want these benefits, start performing morning yoga regularly.
Thread the Needle and 4 Other Life-Transforming Beginner Morning Yoga Poses
Try this morning yoga pose sequence for a fresh start to your day.
1) Uttanasana
When we turn ourselves upside down, we give our hearts a break and send more blood to places that need it, like our brains. This morning yoga pose strengthens the thighs and knees and stretches the hips, hamstrings, and calves. It keeps your spine flexible and strong. Additionally, it makes you feel less stressed, anxious, sad, and tired.
To do this yoga pose:
- Start by standing with your feet hip-width apart and your hands intertwined behind your back.
- Your arms should be straight. Lift your fists away from your body, look at the ceiling, and spread your collarbones wide.
- Then, bend at the hips to fold your torso over your legs and reach your arms up above your head.
- Let your head hang down and move your weight to the balls of your feet.
- Stay folded for five slow breaths.
2) Three-Legged Dog
We keep our feelings in our hips, so making that area soft is a great way to start the day with a clear head. A three-legged downward dog can help build strength and balance, wake up the nervous system, and relieve stress, headaches, tiredness, and problems with digestion.
To do this yoga pose:
- Start on all fours.
- Tuck your toes and lift hips into air, extending legs to straight and shifting weight back into feet so body forms an upside down "V" shape.
- Lift your left foot off the mat and up towards the ceiling while keeping your shoulders square and your body weight even between your palms and right foot.
- Hold this pose for three deep breaths on each side.
3) Anjaneyasana
This morning yoga pose works on tight quads, hamstrings, and hips, which are often the cause of lower-body pain, especially in runners. The pose lets your hips relax and stretches your groin, hamstrings, and quads. To add to the list of benefits, it also makes your knees stronger and helps you think more clearly.
To do this yoga pose:
- Start by standing straight, then bend forward and put your hands on the floor in front of your feet.
- Step back with your left foot until the leg is straight, the toes are tucked, and the heel is high.
- At the same time, bend your right knee to a 90-degree angle and stand up on your fingertips.
- Lower your left knee and shin to the mat and pull your left toes out.
- Each side of this pose can be held for three deep breaths.
4) Thread the Needle
The rhomboids, trapezius, and deltoids will all be used during this excellent morning yoga pose. The upper body opens up with the Thread the Needle Stretch (chest, shoulders, upper back). It makes the upper back and neck feel less tense and can help loosen up tight muscles to twist the spine. At the same time, it also helps a lot with back and shoulder pain that doesn't go away.
To do this yoga pose:
- Start on your knees.
- Lift your right hand off the mat and slide it behind left forearm, bringing your right arm and shoulder to rest on the floor behind left palm (hips stay high) and placing your right ear on mat.
- Spinal twists are great for getting rid of toxins, and it feels great to open up after a twist.
- Hold this position for three deep breaths on each side, or keep doing it until you feel "loose" and at ease.
5) Cat Cow Pose
This morning yoga pose helps you stand up straighter and keep your balance. It strengthens and stretches the spine and neck, along with stretching the hips, abdomen, and back. It will make it easier to work together. This yoga exercise massages and stimulates the kidneys and adrenal glands, which are in the belly. The pose brings about emotional balance and calms the mind and body.
To do this yoga pose:
- Start on all fours with wrists directly under shoulders and knees below hips.
- First, let out an exhalation as you round your back and lower your head and tailbone toward the mat.
- Then, as you inhale, arch your back and tilt your tailbone and chin toward the ceiling as you arch your back.
- This is cow pose. You should do this stretch five times each way.
Practice these morning yoga poses regularly if you want a fresh and enthusiastic start to your day.
