10 minutes of morning yoga to get rid of that annoying tightness in your back

If you’re experiencing any tension, pain, or stiffness in your back, this short 10-minute morning yoga class should give you some relief. It is a very slow and gentle circuit that focuses on stretching and strengthening the entire back body.

Back stretching yoga begins by lying on your back. You will do some simple and dynamic movements. Throughout the rest of the workout, you’ll experience twists, forward folds, backbends, and lateral extensions, working all areas of your spine—without having to stand.

So you can stay fairly close to the mat for a 10-minute morning yoga practice. The closest you can get to standing is the low pushup and downward facing dog. As with all of my morning classes, there is no savasana, simply so you won’t be tempted to fall back asleep.

10 minutes of morning yoga to treat back tension and tension

Yoga for back stiffness is suitable for all experience levels. There are no props needed although you can use them anytime they can provide support. Feel free to take your time and stay in any of the poses during this 10-minute morning yoga practice.

Knees to chest

Start by lying on your back and pull your knees toward your chest. Place your hands on your knees and perform a very simple knee pump motion by straightening your arms while moving your knees and hips away from you.

Then bend your elbows and bring your thighs back towards you. As you do this, see if you can completely relax your legs, hips, and lower back, let your arms support your legs, and achieve the movement. Make this a very gentle and simple movement that will help you check and see if there is any discomfort in your lower back.

You can rotate your legs slightly to create a larger circle with your knees. Then you might reverse the direction of those circles.

Happy baby pose

Now bring your knees back towards your chest and then take them a little wider towards your shoulders and armpits. You may want to stay here or you can come in Happy baby pose By grabbing the outer edges of your legs or feet or by hooking your peace toes around your big toes as you try to stack your ankles over your knees.

Even though this is a hip-opening position, think about pushing your tailbone down into the mat, moving your shoulder blades down your back, and making sure the entire length of your spine remains in contact with the floor. Maybe rocking a little from side to side. See if your knees and hips open a little wider and pull them down toward the mat a little more.

Bridge position

Place your feet flat on the mat, hip distance apart. With your arms at your sides, push your palms into the mat as you lift your hips into it Bridge position. Think about tucking your pelvis down slightly, pressing into your heels, and bringing your lower and mid-back off the mat. Hug your inner thighs toward each other so that your knees don’t spread out to the sides. Then lower yourself to the mat.

You will make this a dynamic bridge pose. So as you inhale, press into your feet and lift your hips, and as you exhale, slowly lower yourself to the mat. Take more repetitions like this. You want to really feel yourself rolling down, inch by inch, with each exhale, as if you are massaging your spine with this motion.

Reclining twist

Keeping your back on the mat, open your arms straight out to the sides, and bend your elbows into a cactus shape. Lift your hips slightly and move them slightly to the right before letting your knees and hips drop to the left in a diagonal roll. You can place your left hand on your thigh to help encourage it to push toward the mat by providing a little traction.

You try to stack your right hip on top of your left while extending your right hand long and pressing your right shoulder blade down to the mat. So you’re reaching your right knee and your right shoulder away from each other.

As you inhale, squeeze your abdominal muscles slightly to bring your knees back to center and then twist to the other side. You may want to move your hips slightly to the left. When you’re ready, bring your knees back, pull your hips toward your chest, and pause here.

cat cow

Work your way up to hands and knees, whether you’re rolling to one side or staying on your back and swinging up and down along your spine to get a little momentum before eventually crossing your ankles and swinging forward.

Place your hands under your shoulders and bring your knees under your hips. As you inhale, lower your belly, raise your gaze, and arch your back inward Cow pose.

Then exhale and reverse this movement by rounding your back inward Cat pose. Continue going in and out of these poses, flowing with your breath and noticing where there may be more stiffness or tightness as you try to reach each vertebra of your spine.

Thread the needle

Extend your right arm toward the ceiling and then pass your right arm under you until your right shoulder and ear come down to the mat and your left arm extends across your chest. So both hands are pressing hard on the mat. You are trying to feel the stretch between the shoulder blades and along the middle and upper back. Lean slightly on your right knee to help keep your hips stacked directly over your knees instead of swaying to one side. Relax through the neck and jaw.

Slowly raise ourselves all the way out of the twist and reach your right arm again. See if there’s a little more range of motion now. Then do the same thing on the other side.

Downward facing dog

You will find your first Downward facing dog By walking your hands slightly forward, past your shoulders, then tuck your toes down and lift your hips up and back. Bend your knees in whatever way feels good here, focusing on the stretch through the spine.

Scorpio dog

Extend your right leg toward the ceiling, bend your right knee, and open your hip.

Twist lunge

Step your right foot forward between your hands. Keep your left hand on the mat or block while your right arm extends toward the ceiling. So you want to stack your right shoulder over your left shoulder while keeping your hips square. Reach through your right fingertips.

Low impulsion

Slowly return your right fingertips to the mat and lower your back knee to the mat. Lift yourself straight up to Low impulsion. Think of pulling your lower abdomen toward your spine and then bend your elbows into a cactus shape. Press your shoulder blades toward each other while keeping your elbows as high as your shoulders. Maybe add a little backbend, lengthening your tailbone down so it doesn’t create pressure in your lower back.

Then lower your fingertips to the mat, return to Downward Dog, and repeat the Hip Opener, Low Lunge Twist, and Low Lunge on the left side.

Downward facing dog

Go back to Downward Dog one last time and stretch everything.

Plank position

Then move forward Wavemove your shoulders over your wrists, and stop here. Slowly lower yourself until you reach the mat.

Baby Cobra version

Move your hands back toward your chest, pressing the tops of your feet into the mat, and as you inhale, lift your chin, chest, and hands inward off the mat Cobra. If it’s okay, raise a little higher. Then as you exhale, lower yourself to the mat. Repeat this two more times.

Rabbit pose

Press your hips back toward your heels, then place your arms behind you, grabbing your feet. Lower your forehead to the mat as you lift your hips off your heels, keeping your feet still. Let your back round here as you pull your lower belly up and up. See if you can feel a gentle traction along your spine. Then release.

Puppy pose

Let’s take your final pose. Come to hands and knees and keep your hips directly over your knees as you walk with your hands in front of you and melt your forehead and chest toward the mat Puppy pose. You want to feel the stretch going into your chest a little bit. Take some breaths here.

closing

Then insert your hands and sit in whatever way is comfortable for you here. Release your shoulders down and away from your ears. Lengthen the crown of your head upward.

Take a moment to notice how you feel right now, even with this short and simple flow, what has shifted and changed, not only in your body, but also in how you feel overall?

Thank you so much for this short 10-minute morning yoga practice for back tightness season with me. I hope you feel the effects of these poses along your spine.