Updated on July 8, 2026 at 01:21 PM
No matter how much you love yoga, sometimes life gets in the way. Whether it’s changes in your schedule, dealing with an illness (yours or someone else’s), or feeling old-fashioned lack of motivation, the truth is that there may be long periods of time — weeks, months, or, yes, years — when you never step on your mat. Absolutely. This is good.
But what happens when you feel like practicing yoga again? Just the thought of going back to it can be daunting. Finding a new rhythm when you’re spending time away can be difficult because you may not be as interested — or uncomfortable — with working out the same way you were before. You may feel less flexible or have less endurance than when you were bending, stretching, strengthening, balancing and twisting more regularly.
These challenges don’t mean you shouldn’t practice yoga anymore, but they require a different approach than before. One solution is to start small with a short, straightforward exercise you can do at home. This 20-minute yoga flow encourages you to reconnect with your body as you reintroduce it to yoga. Your only goal? To turn inward and move at your own pace.
20 minutes of yoga when you return after a break
The sequence is a mix of familiar poses and varied options so you can adapt the practice to how you feel and what you need. Consider this your favorite sequence to rebuild your yoga practice.
Welcome back to your mat!
1. Knee to chest
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat. Take a few deep breaths and notice how you feel. Draw your right knee toward your chest and wrap your arms around your leg or hold behind your thigh. Take a few deep breaths here, then lower your right foot onto the mat and switch sides.
2. Bridge pose
Lying on your back with your feet flat on the mat, place your arms at your sides. Inhale, press your hands and feet into the mat, and lift your hips inward Bridge position. Take a few breaths here, then lower your hips to the mat.
3. Full body stretch
Extend your hands above your head and straighten your legs on the mat. Extend your hands and feet away from you, stretching your entire body from head to toe. Take a few breaths here, then release.
4. Fetal position
Turn on one side with your knees bent and your head resting on your lower arm. Take some breaths here.
5. Lateral stretching exercise while sitting
Come into a comfortable sitting position. Inhale as you reach your arms above your head, interlace your fingers, and turn your palms to face the ceiling. Exhale and lean towards the right. Shift your gaze to the left if that’s okay, otherwise look straight ahead. Inhale and return to center. Exhale and turn to the left and look to the right if that’s comfortable. Inhale and return to center.
6. Cow cat
Come to your hands and knees. As you inhale, lift your chest, letting your belly drop toward the mat, and arch your back inward Cow pose. As you exhale, press your palms into the mat, round your back, and pull your chin toward your chest Cat pose.
7. Toe squat variation
From your hands and knees, tuck your toes and pull your hips toward your heels. Straighten your arms and press your hands into the mat. Stay leaning forward (rather than sitting upright) in this position Toe squat disparity. Take some breaths here.
8. Plank exercise down between the knees
Come to your hands and knees. Walk on your knees a few inches behind your hips. Press your hands into the mat and rotate your elbows so they point toward the wall behind you in a Knees-Down Plank. Take some breaths here.
9. Chaturanga variation
From the knees down, bend the elbows and slowly lower your chest to the mat in a knees-down position Chaturanga disparity.
10. Cobra pose
Inhale as you press your hands into the mat, straighten your legs behind you, and lift your chest as much as feels comfortable Cobra. Exhale as you lower your chest to the mat.
11. Crocodile pose
Place one hand on top of the other, then rest your forehead on your upper hand. Let your whole body sink into the mat. Take some deep breaths here.
12. Hands and knees or downward-facing dog
Press your hands into the mat and pull your hips toward your heels. Come to your hands and knees or tuck your toes and lift your hips inward Downward facing dog. Take some breaths here.
13. Low impulsiveness
If you’re not there already, come to your hands and knees. Draw your right knee toward your chest and place your foot in front of you. Lift your chest and place your hands on your right thigh Low impulsion. Take some breaths here. Return to your hands and knees.
Repeats Plank exercise for lower knees, Chaturanga variation, and cobra, Or simply come to your own Hands and knees or Downward facing dog. Repeats Low impulsion On the left side.
14. Child’s position
Come to your hands and knees. Separate your knees and lower your hips toward your heels. Walk your hands forward and lower your chest toward the distance between your knees. Place your forehead on the mat or a piece of cloth Child’s position. Take some deep breaths here.
15. Stand with a semi-bend forward
Come to your hands and knees or Downward Dog. Then walk to the top of the mat. Bring your big toes touching or keep your heels hip distance apart. Extend your chest forward, keep your back flat and parallel to the mat, and place your hands on your legs or thighs. Stand half bend forward. Take some breaths here.
18. Standing Forward Bend
Exhale as you lower your chest toward your thighs and place your fingertips on the mat or blocks inside Standing forward bend. Release your neck and let your head hang heavy.
19. The upper salutation
From Standing Forward Bend, slowly roll up and reach your arms above your head. Raise your gaze toward the ceiling An upward salute.
20. Mountain pose
From the overhead salute, lower your arms to your sides and press your feet into the mat. Reach the crown of your head toward the ceiling Mountain pose. Take some breaths here.
Return to standing forward bend.
21. High impulsion
From the Standing Forward Bend, step your left foot back and press the ball of your foot into the mat. Have your feet hip-distance apart or wider. Reach your arms at the top High rush. Take some breaths here.
To come out of the pose, place your hands on either side of your right foot and move your left foot forward into a Standing Forward Bend. Repeat the high lunge on the left side.
22. Rotating position from head to knee
Sit on the mat with your right leg bent (as in Bound Angle Pose) and your left leg straight out to the side. Slowly bend over your left leg, tilting your chest toward your toes and reaching your left hand toward your shin or thigh. Stay here or wrap your right arm behind you. Turn your chest to the right Rotating position from head to knee. Stay here or raise your left arm toward the ceiling. You want to feel stretched but without too much pressure. Then place your right arm over your left leg, take a few breaths here, then return to center. Switch sides.
23. Windshield wipers
Sit with your knees bent and feet on the mat at hip distance or wider. Press your hands into the mat behind you. Lower both knees toward the right side, then the left inward Windshield wipers. Repeat several times.
24. Wrist circles
Find a comfortable sitting position. Interlace your fingers and press your palms together. Slowly twist your wrists in circles in one direction, then switch directions.
