A 10-minute morning yoga routine to stretch your body + tone your energy

This 10-minute morning yoga routine provides the full-body movement your body wants at the start of your day as well as the focus your mind needs. It includes some seated stretches, a kneeling version of Wild Thing, standing poses, and even some unexpected transitions and dynamic positions. It’s quick and simple enough that you can do it every morning.

Instead of jumping straight into the poses at the beginning, we take a moment and set an intention for the day. You will repeat this phrase to yourself sometimes during your morning yoga practice to set an intention to help you prepare for the next day. The card I randomly pulled from my device Collection “I radiate joy”. It is that “my thoughts, words, and actions are aligned with my values.” Let this help you during your practice and the hours after.

Let’s start by taking a seat.

10-minute morning yoga routine to set intention

Sit intention setting + shoulder circles

Find a comfortable position, either Sitting cross-legged Or kneel. Then roll your shoulders back, close your eyes, and place one hand on your lower abdomen and the other hand on your heart. Take a deep breath in and out through your nose, and relax your facial muscles. As you breathe in, feel it through your palms as it expands through your chest and abdomen.

Take five more breaths here and repeat the affirmation internally several times. “My thoughts, words and actions are aligned with my values.”

Open your eyes, bring your hands to your knees, and start drawing some circles with your shoulders. You are trying to open up a little through your lower back and hips by keeping your sit bones anchored into the mat. Take two more circles in the same direction.

Instead of going in the opposite direction immediately, continue with the next pose.

Side body stretch exercise while sitting

Extend your right leg straight out to the side. As you inhale, extend your left arm up and over your head in a large side body stretch.

Wild child thing

Then place your left hand behind you on the mat and the next time you inhale, reach your right arm over your head into Baby Wild Thing.

You will flow in and out of these two modes. So inhale and do a side body extension as you reach your arm next to your head, then come back up and lift it up into Baby Wild Thing. Do this two more times, trying to create some space and length on either side of your waist.

Change the intersection of your legs, so you have the other leg on top, and make some Seated shoulder circles In the other direction. Then start with A Side body stretch exercise while sittingput your hand down, and raise your hips inward Wild child thing. Do 3 more movements like this on that side, breathing in and out, as you stretch out. You may notice a difference in range of motion from side to side. This is completely normal.

Knee to nose

Sit on your hands and knees, with your palms under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Move yourself toward the top of your mat, then extend your right leg behind you and push through your right heel, extending your leg and ankle. Think about pulling your lower abdomen in, flattening your lower back, and rocking your weight forward slightly.

Push into the ball of your right foot to steady yourself, then bend your left knee, pulling it toward your nose as you round your back and contract your torso.

Three-legged dog

Then lift your left leg up and return to the Three-Legged Dog position. Bend your left knee, open your hip, and feel a stretch along the front of your left thigh. Push down through your right heel to steady yourself.

High rush

Move your left foot forward to the top of the mat between your hands and lift your back knee off the mat. Push down through your feet as you raise your chest and arms into High Lunge. Your feet are hip-distance apart, which will greatly help with your balance as you lift yourself up.

Bend your elbows into a cactus shape, press your shoulder blades behind you, and raise your elbows until they are at shoulder height. You may find a little back bend here as you lift your chest and shift your gaze upward. Maintain this generous bend in your front knee. Then release the backbend and straighten your arms beside your head in the High Lunge.

Warrior 2

Extend your arms straight out from your shoulders, reaching the front and back of the mat, while rotating your back foot parallel to the short edge of the mat. Bend your left knee and press it to open it. Position your shoulders directly over your hips so you are not leaning forward.

The opposite of warrior

Reverse your right arm down and reach your left arm up in Reverse Warrior. Lean on the other big side body extension here.

Plank position

Inhale as you rotate your hands back to the mat to frame your front foot and return to Plank Pose.

Cobra

Exhale as you lower into your stomach and lift your chest a little or a lot back known as a cobra.

Child’s position

Press your hips back toward your heels and release your front onto the mat in Child’s Pose. Relax through your arms, upper back, neck and shoulders. Take five slow breaths here and repeat to yourself: “My thoughts, words, and actions are aligned with my values.”

Return to hands and knees toward the front of the mat and repeat Knee to nose, Three-legged dog, High rush, Warrior 2, The opposite of warrior, wave, cobra, and Child’s position.

closing

Insert your hands, raise yourself, and sit down, depending on how you feel comfortable. Sit nice and tall, close your eyes, and notice how you feel now compared to how you did when you first stepped on your mat. Then think about how you can put this affirmation into action today.

Thank you all so much for doing this 10-minute morning yoga routine to set intention with me. I hope this helps you feel grounded while energized and ready for the next day.