After the much-maligned darkness of winter, there’s nothing more heart-warming than the warmth of sunshine radiating down on us, nourishing us with essential Vitamin D and boosting our psychological health. And there’s no better way to bounce into spring than with an exhilarating morning yoga session.  

Energy Boosting Yoga Routine

A round of sun salutations is the classic energising quick morning yoga flow that awakens the body, stimulating the circulatory and digestive systems, and easing overnight stiffness.

Follow on with some strengthening Warrior poses and complete your morning ritual, if you dare,  with the king of all yoga poses, the headstand. It’s an invigorating routine to get the juices flowing and set you up for the rest of the day.

Morning Yoga Routine

Wherever you plan to do your morning yoga routine, make sure you’re using a non-slip yoga mat. An essential for every yogi, these prevent slipping and sliding, absorb moisture from sweaty palms and feet and support joints, balance and posture.

For indoors, try our Yogi-Bare Paws Non-slip Mat for extreme grip technology. If you fancy taking your practise outdoors now the weather’s balmier, opt for our lightweight, perfectly portable Yogi Bare Teddy Mat. Available in funky designs like tropical, cosmic or nevada, these mats will stimulate your senses as much as nature’s paradise does.

15 Minutes of Yoga

Begin our perfect spring to summer yoga routine in Mountain Pose.

Flat Back (Ardha Uttanasana)

On the next exhale, bend forwards, bringing your arms down. Lay your palms flat on the floor so they’re in line with the toes. You can bend your knees a little if you prefer. Inhale, lift your head, keep it in line with your back which should be flat horizontally. Rest hands on the thighs or let your fingertips brush the floor.

Plank 

As you exhale, plant your palms firmly onto the floor. Step or jump legs back into the plank position. Shoulders should align over your wrists. The idea is to aim for a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels. Arms stay strong, pushing into the ground. 

Knees, Chest and Chin (Chaturanga Dandasana)

Exhale. Lower your knees, chest and chin until they touch the floor. Keep elbows tucked in as you do so, bottom and hips should remain held high. Shoulders should be positioned right over the hands.  

Cobra (Bhujangasana)

Inhale. Bring head and chest up, reaching forwards. Lower your bottom and knees until your legs are  flat along the floor. Elbows move backwards, pointing towards the hips. You should feel a slight backbend. Anchor hips and feet to the floor. 

Downward Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Exhale. Push back into downward facing dog. Come through hands and knees if necessary. Press fingertips lightly onto the floor. Your back and legs invert to create a triangle shape. 

Forward Bend (Uttanasana)

Exhale. Step the right foot forward, bringing it next to your right hand. Bring the left foot forward to join it. 

Come back into Mountain Pose to finish your first sun salutation routine. Repeat a minimum of 2-3 rounds. 

Warrior I (Virabhadrasana) 

When you’re ready, move on to Warrior I to build strength and stamina.

Lift your right leg forwards, bending into the right thigh. Root left foot to the spot, heel on the floor but turned at a 45° angle. Arms reach up overhead, fingertips point towards the sky and draw the stomach in. If you like, you can also go into Warrior 2 and Warrior 3 from here. 

Dolphin Pose (Ardha Pincha Mayurasana)

Begin on hands and knees, forearms should be shoulder-width apart. Elbows remain in place, clasp hands and lift hips up high. Lower head and remain in pose for at least 5 deep breaths.

Half Headstand/Headstand (Shirshasana)

Okay so not everyone feels quite up to a headstand understandably so don’t panic. If you’d rather not, just replace the headstand with your choice of seated poses instead.  

Don’t try this pose if you’ve currently got a neck or back injury. If you’ve had one of any severity in the past, you may also want to leave this out altogether or take advice from your doctor or yoga teacher. Headstand, in some cases, can make injuries worse.

It’s also not recommended if you have hypertension or glaucoma, which can be aggravated by the headstand. A headstand can worsen your symptoms if you suffer arthritis. 

Yoga blocks under the forearms are a great idea to take pressure off the head in this pose. Try our firm foam support block or our bamboo support block for extra support.

Keep feet in as close to the elbows as possible. Slowly, take them one at a time, lift each heel up to the buttocks, forming an egg shape. 

From half-headstand, begin by reaching feet straight up over shoulders and hips when you feel stable enough to do so. Lengthen your legs, flexing or pointing toes. Keep shoulders away from the head to protect the neck from being compressed too much.