Posted on March 23, 2026 at 09:12 AM
Expect a lot from your morning yoga practice. You need it to stretch and wake up your body and mind. You definitely want it to move your back and hips in all the essential stress-relieving ways. You may also want a more active component, including some strengthening and balance. However, you don’t want to overdo it. After all, I had just gotten out of bed. This 10-minute morning yoga routine helps you do all of the above.
As you practice, you’ll target your hips, challenge your balance, try some dynamic versions of familiar poses, and target all the basic movements of the spine – flexion, extension, twisting and side bending.
And you can do all this in just 10 minutes.
10 minutes of morning yoga to get your body moving
As you practice, you’ll also have a chance to think about your intention for your day — just one word that captures how you want to feel or how you want your day to go — before rushing off into your morning.
No props are needed although you can keep a set or two on hand.
cat cow
Start on your hands and knees with your palms under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. As you inhale, lower your belly, raise your gaze, and arch your back inward Cow pose.
As you exhale, reverse this movement as you push the mat away, round your back, contract your torso, and then release your head in Cat pose. Take a few more rounds, at your own pace. So, inhale and lean back a little, and as you exhale, rotate and extend everything along the back of the body.
Balancing a table or bird dog
Get back to your hands and knees. Inhale as you reach your left leg up and back and reach your right arm forward beside your head. Draw in your lower abdomen and squeeze through your glutes. This is the balance on the table or bird pose. As you exhale, bring your elbow and knee together underneath you.
Repeat several times. So inhale, lengthen, exhale and rotate. Then return your hand and knee to the mat. Repeat this several times.
rush
Slide your left foot forward between your hands at the top of the mat, place your back toes underneath, and lift your back knee. You can rock your hips back and forth and roll your shoulders back to intensify the stretch.
Warrior 2
Rotate your back heel flat so that it is parallel to the shorter edge of your mat. Push both feet into the mat and lift yourself up with your shoulders over your hips and your arms outward, palms facing down Warrior 2. Push into both feet equally.
The opposite of warrior
Reverse your warrior By lowering your right hand to your back thigh and reaching with your left arm in a great lateral body stretch.
Three-legged dog
Bring both hands back down to frame your front foot and reach your left leg up to the ceiling. Bend your left knee and extend your hip.
Downward facing dog
Place your feet on the mat, bend your knees as much as you want, and find the first one that fits Downward facing dog. You can shake the tail a little to stretch and try to get comfortable in the position.
Lower your knees to the mat and prepare for the same sequence on the second side, going through Balancing Tabletop, Lunge, Warrior 2, Reverse Warrior, and Three-Legged Dog.
Plank position
Move forward Plank position With your shoulders over your wrists.
Snake pose
Lie down on your stomach, push your hands into the mat, and inhale as you lift your upper body as much or as little off the mat as feels comfortable. Snake pose. Draw your elbows toward each other behind you. Exhale as you release your forehead onto the mat.
Child’s position
Plunge back in Child’s position By bringing your big toes together and sinking your hips toward your heels. Take your knees as wide as you want, and tilt your forehead toward the mat. Stay here for at least 5 breaths.
While you’re stopping here, you may want to ask yourself what your intention is for the day ahead. You can choose one word. Everything you want to feel for the next hours.
Sitting dove pose
Bring your hands back, sit up, and swing your legs straight out in front of you. Find pigeon pose while sitting by bending your right knee and bringing your right ankle to the top of your left knee. Choose how much to bend your left knee and bring your left foot toward you. As you move it closer towards you, you will feel this stretch more strongly through your right glutes and hip. Keep your chest up so you don’t bend or slouch. Maybe rock a little from side to side, if that’s okay.
Seated twist
Straighten your left leg and rest it on the mat. Place your right foot on the mat to the outside of your left thigh. Wrap your left arm around your right leg and sit tall. Then, twist your chest to the right and bring your right hand or fingertips to the mat behind you, moving your shoulder blades to your lower back, in a motion Seated twist. You want to rotate from the mid-back up.
Release and face forward, spread your legs, and shake them. Then repeat the sitting pigeon and twist on the other side. Spread your legs, shake them, and come to sit in whatever way is comfortable for you.
closing
Come to sit or kneel on the mat. Close your eyes if you want, and remind yourself of the word you chose. Simply stop here for as long as possible. Maybe check in with yourself and see how you feel. And you can keep checking in throughout the day while reminding yourself of your word. Thank you for doing this Very short 10-minute morning yoga routine and practice. We hope you feel better about your body.
Related to: Practice getting rid of that annoying tension in your back
