Published on April 30, 2026 at 06:00 AM
Before you head out for a morning swim or put on a pair of running shoes, take a minute (or 10) to stretch and start your day off right. This 10-minute morning yoga flow is a short but fairly challenging series of poses that involve a balance of stretching, strengthening, breathing, and balance. There is a special focus on reaching your hips, with unexpected movements in familiar positions to increase your range of motion and challenge your stability.
This short sequence takes you through a large number of poses in a short amount of time, including poses and standing poses. You can also use this time to set the tone for the day ahead by choosing a word that matches your intention for the day. Like practicing yoga this morning, your intention can be short and sweet.
10 minutes of morning yoga to wake up
This short 10-minute morning yoga practice for all levels for the hips is suitable for anyone of any experience level. There are no props required for this class, although you can keep them on hand if you wish.
Hip circles
Let’s start on hands and knees. Spread your fingertips wide, push into your fingertips and knuckles, and begin to rotate around your hips to bring a little movement to your lower body and reach your hips.
Breathe in and out through your nose. Each time you lift your weight forward, you may feel a slight stretch in your forearms and wrists. Finally, reverse and circle in the other direction.
Diversity of bird and dog from cat and cow
Return to neutral hands and knees. You will go through the usual “cat cow” phase but with some extra movement of the arms and legs. As you exhale, round your back inward Cat pose Bring your right elbow and left knee toward each other. As you inhale, extend your right arm straight out in front of you and reach your left leg behind you while arching your back slightly in a version of Cow pose Known as the bird dog.
Repeat several times. So, inhale as you round your back and pull everything in, then exhale as you extend it. Allow yourself to exaggerate this movement.
Next time your arm and leg are straight, lower your right fingertips and left toes to the mat while remaining extended. Find a flat back by pulling the lower abdomen toward the spine. Then inhale while pressing and raise the arm and leg up, then exhale while lowering them down.
This is a much harder move than it may seem. It is very difficult to keep our spine nice and straight and isolate only the left arm and right leg. The challenge here is to maintain a flat back, which stabilizes the shoulders and hips. Repeat this several times.
Low impulsion
Step your left foot forward between your hands and uncross your back foot. Push down through your front knee and the top of your back foot to lift yourself up Low impulsion. Try to stretch through the waist, from the lower back.
Low impulsive development
Get into the twist by bringing your right hand to the mat or block and reaching your left arm up. Tuck your back toes under and lift your back knee off the mat.
Downward facing dog
Return your left hand to the mat. Back to Downward facing dog And take any movement that feels comfortable. Feel free to bend your knees generously, perhaps cross your legs, turn your head slightly from side to side, and try to extend your arms long while stretching across your chest.
Bring your knees to the mat and repeat the cat, cow, and flying dog formulas on the other side.
Scorpio dog
Extend your right leg toward the ceiling, bend your right knee, and open your hip nice and wide.
High rush
Step with your right foot In your hands and enter High rush With your feet hip distance apart. As you inhale, find some lift through your chest and length along your back. As you exhale, tilt your upper body forward and extend your arms back. Nothing changes in your legs.
Then inhale as you lift your upper body. Exhale as you lean forward and reach your arms back. Do another one like this.
Tree pose
Bring your hands together at your chest and step your left foot forward Tree pose. So you balance on your right leg and place your left foot somewhere along your right thigh, calf, or ankle. Take slow, steady breaths here. Think about moving your shoulders down, away from your ears, and reaching the top of your head up.
Chair position
Slowly bring your left foot to the mat, big toes together and heels apart, and bend your knees as you sink down Chair position. If it’s more comfortable, you can space your feet hip-width apart.
Standing forward bend
Start straightening your legs while bending forward Standing forward bend.
Downward facing dog
Return to Downward Facing Dog. Stay here or advance to Plank, then drop to the mat and lift your chest into Cobra, then release again into Downward-Facing Dog.
Repeat this sequence of poses on the other side, starting with Scorpion Dog and going through High Lunge, Tree, Chair, Standing Forward Bend, and Downward Dog.
Child’s position
Bring your knees to the mat, press your hips back toward your heels, and let your forehead and chest relax down toward the mat Child’s position. Stay here as long as you want.
Restricted angle position
Lift your upper body and place your legs in front of you. Bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees collapse. While leaning slightly forward Restricted angle positionlet it be a passive forward bend, especially in the morning when your body feels more solid. So keep your back rounded and try not to push or pull your upper body forward while letting gravity take you into the position. There is no need to have any expectations about how your posture will look.
Stay here for several breaths, in and out of the nose. Maybe start by asking yourself what your intention is for the day. I usually like to pick one word that I can focus on and come back to.
Sitting dove pose or figure 4
Bring your hands back towards you and then slowly raise yourself to a sitting position. Bend your knees and cross your right ankle over the top of your left knee while placing your hands behind you for support in a sitting pigeon or figure 4. Think of a long chest lift. Maybe rocking a little from side to side.
Seated twist
Move your left leg all the way straight. Place your right foot on your left leg and place it on the mat next to your left thigh or knee. Inhale as you sit tall and lift up. Exhale as you place your left arm around your right knee, pressing it, then place your right fingertips on the mat behind you as you turn your chest to the right. Breathe here while remaining lifted without slouching or rounding your back.
Slowly relax and repeat the Seated Pigeon and Twist on the other side.
closing
Release the position and sit, however comfortable it is for you. Close your eyes, lift up through your spine, and breathe here. Maybe you focus on your one-word intention for the day, repeating it to yourself several times and stating how you want to feel.
Thank you so much for doing this super short 10-minute morning yoga for the hips He practices with me.
