Yoga Class: Full Body Stretch

Working out and stretching are both essential for staying healthy. When you exercise, your muscles get sore because they are working hard. Stretching after a workout can help prevent soreness by reducing muscle tension and the risk of injury. Stretching also increases blood flow to muscles, which sends nutrients that accelerate muscle recovery and repair. Whether you’re new to yoga or want to brush up on your skills, this full body stretch yoga will ease you into the poses to stay comfortable while challenging your body in new ways. -postures and stretches

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Warm-Ups

1. Breaths

Begin in an upright sitting position on a bolster with your feet crossed-legged on the floor, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Place your hands on your knees. Rest your mind while relaxing your body. Afterwards, close your eyes, let go of any mental baggage and bring your mind toward the present moment, take deep belly breaths as you go through this relaxation technique.

Breaths

2. Progressive 

Begin in an upright sitting position with your spine straight. while maintaining good alignment, Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen. While holding in this position, take deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth for a few seconds. Then relax and return to the starting position.

Progressive

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Routines

1. Butterfly Pose with Forward Fold 

Begin in an upright sitting position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring the soles of your feet together. Tighten your core and open your knees out to the sides. Hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward, down toward the floor, holding your feet with both hands for support. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and return to the starting position.

To make the exercise easier, you can put something underneath each knee like a pillow for support.

Butterfly Pose with Forward Fold

Alternative Exercise. Butterfly Pose with Forward Fold 

Begin in an upright sitting position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Tighten your core and open your knees out to the sides. Hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward over the bolster and a cushion. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and return to the starting position.

Alternative Exercise. Butterfly Pose with Forward Fold 

2. One-Legged Forward Fold 

Begin in an upright sitting position, while maintaining good alignment with your knees bent wide out to the side and the other foot extended forward. Tighten your core and hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward holding your foot. Hold this position for a few breaths. Relax, then bend forward over to your knee. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and return to the starting position and repeat the movement on the opposite side.

One-Legged Half Forward Fold

3. Progressive Exercise 

Begin in an upright sitting position with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and toes. Tighten your core and open your arms out to the sides. Extend one leg out and bend the other knee. Place your right hand on your knee then twist to the side. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side.

Progressive Exercise

4. Cat-Cow

Cat-Cow

5. Spine Circles

Spine Circles

6. Walking the Dog with Hovering Feet

Move to a paddling dog position on the floor with your knees below your hips and beneath your shoulder. Tighten your abdominal muscles and push back with your arms straightening your legs as you lift your hips; then, start walking in a fluid motion, letting your feet hover a few inches off the floor. Then relax and return to an upright standing position. 

 Walking the Dog with Hovering Feet

7. Three-Legged Dog Flow

Move to a three-legged dog position while maintaining good alignment; your hip is squared with the floor while reaching the opposite heel toward the floor. Tighten your abdominal area, then bend your right knee. From this position, start a gentle circular movement in one direction. Then relax and repeat the movement in the opposite direction. Start with 1 set of 3 repetitions.

Three-Legged Dog Flow

8. Progressive Exercises:

a. Lizard Pose with Twist

Move to a low lunge position with your hands on your sides and your left foot extended outward. Maintain good alignment and engage your core. Slightly push your right knee with your right hand, then twist your upper body, looking toward the sky. While holding in this position, take a few breaths, letting the stretch open your hips. Then relax and return to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite side.

Lizard Pose with Twist

b. Low Lunge to Runner’s Lunge

Move to a low lunge position, while maintaining good alignment with your hands on your sides and planted on the floor for support. Tighten your abdominal area and take a big step forward with one foot straightened out, toes flexed toward the sky. While holding in this position, take several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and return to the starting position.

You can rock your feet and hips side to side to intensify the movement. 

Low Lunge to Runner’s Lunge

c. Dragonfly Twist-Stretch

Move to a low lunge position, while maintaining good alignment with your hands planted on the floor for support. Engage your core. Extend your right hand toward the sky, lifting your left knee off the floor. After that, bring your hand down and form a collective mudra with your thumb and a finger. Inhale as you extend your hand and exhale, going down and dropping your hips. Then relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side. Start with 1 set of 10 repetitions.

Dragonfly Twist-Stretch

d. Hand to Foot Stretch

Begin with a half-kneeling position, while maintaining good alignment with your foot and left hand planted on the floor for support. Grab your left foot with your right hand, pushing your foot toward your hip, looking for a light stretch. While holding in this position, take several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and repeat on the opposite side.

Hand-to-Foot Stretch

9. Front Splits Forward Bend 

Move to a full split position, while maintaining good alignment. Touch the floor to support your balance. Hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward. Plant your elbows on the floor and clasp your hands for support. Then relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement on the opposite side. You can grab your back foot and rock side to side in this exercise.

Front Splits Forward Bend

10. Knees to Chest

Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your hands holding your knees, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Bring both knees to your chest, looking for a light stretch in the lower back and glutes. Engage your core and slowly rock your knees from side to side. Then relax and repeat the movement.

Knees to Chest

11. Happy Baby

Lie on the floor with your knees bent, relaxing your upper body. Then lift your legs and hold your toes with each hand, pulling down toward the shoulders with your knees wide apart. Hold the position for several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and repeat the movement. 

To intensify the movement, you can hold on to both feet, spread your legs wider, and rock your knees from side to side.

Happy Baby

12. Bridge

Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat, relaxing your upper body. Place your arms on the sides; fingers flexed toward the heels. Contract your abdominal area, then push from your heels to lift your hips, squeezing your glutes at the end position. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then, lower your hips to return to the starting position and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions. 

In this exercise, you can clasp your hands at the back or hold your heels for support. 

To intensify the movement, you can move your hip up and down. 

Bridge

Repeat Knees to Chest

13. Full Wheel

Lie on the floor with your knees bent, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your hands on the sides of your head. Engage your core, then slowly push your hands and feet against the floor, bringing your hips up and dropping your head, looking for a light stretch. Afterwards, hold this position for several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and return to the starting position.

Full Wheel

Repeat Bridge and Knees to Chest

14. Boat 

Sit upright on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat. Tighten your abdominal muscles and lean your upper body back. Straighten your arms at your side and extend your legs up towards the ceiling. Afterwards, hold this position for 30 seconds, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, and hips. Take several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and return to the starting position.

In this exercise, you can extend your legs up or grab your big toes.

Boat 

15. Camel Pose 

Begin in an upright kneeling position on the floor with your knees shoulder-width apart. Tighten your abdominal area. Place your hands on your lower back, opening the shoulder blades and elbows toward each other. Push the hips forward and drop the head back. While holding in this position, take a few belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and return to the starting position. Repeat the movement starting with 1 set of 3 repetitions.

In this exercise, you can place your hands on your ankles or just hold your ankle with one hand.

Camel Pose

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Cool Downs

1. Child’s Pose

Begin in an upright kneeling position on the floor with your knees wider than shoulder-width apart. Tighten your abdominal area, shift your hips back to your feet, and extend your arms. Drop your forehead on the floor, relaxing your mid-back area for a light stretch. Take a couple of deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.  Afterwards, hold this position for 10 seconds. Then relax and return to the starting position

Child’s Pose

2. Thread the Needle

Begin in a 4-point position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Maintain good alignment and engage your core. Inhale, extending your right arm up, and on your exhale, drive your right arm under the left arm and lower down onto the right knee. Extend your arms overhead for support. While holding in this position, take several deep belly breaths through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and repeat on the opposite side.

Thread the Needle

3. Modified Downward Dog 

Begin in a 4-point position with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Maintain good alignment and engage your core. Slowly, walk your hands forward, dropping your chest on the floor, pointing your tailbone up in the sky, and extending your arms overhead. While holding in this position, take a few belly breaths for a few seconds. Then relax and repeat the movement. Start with 1 set of 5 repetitions.

Modified Downward Dog

4.Seated Forward Fold 

Begin sitting on the floor with your feet shoulder-width apart, maintaining proper alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Bring your hands overhead and contract your core. Hinge through your hips to bend your upper body forward, holding your feet with each hand for support. While holding in this position, take several deep belly breath in through your nose and your mouth. Then relax and return to the starting position. 

Seated Forward Fold

5. Reclined 3-Part Breath

Lie on the floor with your knees bent, placing your left hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. While holding in this position, take deep belly breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth for a few seconds. Then relax and return to the starting position.

Reclined 3-Part Breath

6. Corpse Pose

Lie on your back on the floor, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Place your arms to your sides, legs extended and relaxed, eyes closed, palms facing up. While holding in this position, take several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. 

Corpse Pose

7. Full Body Stretch

Lie on your back on the floor, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Engage your core while extending your legs and arms. Take a big reach overhead while arching your belly up toward the sky. While holding in this position, take several deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Then relax and return to the starting position.

Full Body Stretch

Repeat Knees to Chest

8. Prayer Hands

Begin in an upright sitting position, while maintaining good alignment with your head, shoulders, hips, and legs. Bring your forward, keeping your palms touching each other. Slowly bring your palms together, up to your chest, and once you feel relaxed. While holding in this position, take deep belly breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. 

Prayer Hands

Full Body Stretch Yoga are a great way to reduce stress and improve your overall health. These poses stretch out your entire body, especially your neck, shoulders, and spine. They can ease muscle tension and stress, improve blood flow, and help you relax. They’re great for beginners and can be done anyplace, anytime. These also help reduce tension, anxiety, and stress and improve blood flow. It can help you fall asleep faster and sleep better throughout the night.