Easy Morning Warm-Up

Good morning, yogis! One of my favorite Bible verses is Psalm 118:24, “This is a day which the Lord hath made, We will rejoice and be glad in it.” I love the positivity that flows through this verse. How can I not be grateful for a day made by our Lord? There is reason to rejoice every day, and I’m thankful for the beauty and love surrounding me and my family each day. This verse is one of the best ways to start a morning.

But, let’s be real: It’s Tuesday morning following a three-day weekend. Back to life, back to reality. My reality on this Tuesday morning is getting two kids ready for school and out the door in time for the bus. And our school bus driver is ruthlessly punctual–She’ll leave a kid behind without a second glance if you’re not at that bus stop on time. In our family, one kid likes school cafeteria lunch, the other likes taking a lunch made at home. One kid is old enough to get herself dressed for school, the other insists on taking off his shoes every time they’re put on his feet. One kid wakes up ready for a complete meal, the other needs about an hour to build up an appetite in the morning. Breakfast might be anything from scrambled eggs to yogurt with mixed berries to a granola bar eaten in the car on the way to the bus stop, it just depends on individual dispositions and what we’ve got on hand in the kitchen. Once the kids are out of the house, I squeeze in enough time to make myself presentable for work by 8am. Welcome to our weekday morning. And following a three-day weekend, there’s bound to be some lagging on everyone’s part this morning.

On a morning like this, I like to take an easy morning stretch before even getting out of bed. If I did my easy bedtime stretching the night before, this morning routine is even easier and feels even better. Before I get started, I let myself enjoy an active snooze session: I hit the snooze button and stay in bed, enjoying a nice Savasana first thing in the morning. I take a few inhales and exhales, notice any tightness or discomfort in my body, maybe let myself run through a quick to-do list for the day, then settle into a moment of gratitude for the day ahead. I like to think on Psalm 118:24 and enjoy the view from my bedroom window as I give God thanks for our daily blessings.

Okay, snooze time over, the alarm is bound to ring again. Time for a little morning stretch! Just like last night’s easy bedtime stretches, this morning routine can be completed from the comfort of your bed.

Easy Morning Warm-Up

Start in Savasana with your legs extended and arms at your sides. Take a deep inhale to the count of three, pause (hold your breath) for one count, then exhale slowly to the count of three. Pause for a single count again before repeating this pattern, inhaling and exhaling deeply and intentionally. Continue this simple breathing exercise for 5-10 rounds, observing how your body and mind respond to the controlled breath.

Now that your breathing is under control, gently wiggle your toes and fingers, bringing awareness to your limbs. Gently roll your ankles clockwise and counterclockwise, observing any tension or cracking. Point and flex your feet, noticing any tightness in your legs. Take a deep inhale and spread out all your fingers and toes, hold your breath for one count, and relax your fingers and toes as you exhale.

This might be enough for you right here. If you’re ready to get your day started, go ahead! If you’d like to prepare your body a little more before getting out of bed, continue with a deep inhale, and on the exhale bring your knees into your chest, wrapping your arms around your legs in Wind Removing Pose. Gently observe any tightness in your spine or shoulders as you inhale and exhale in Wind Removing Pose for 5-10 breaths. On the final exhale, release your legs and roll to your side, preparing to sit up.

Staying in the comfort of your bed, find a comfortable seated position. For me, this is usually Easy Pose this early in the morning–My knees aren’t ready for Hero Pose without more warming up. Take a few deep inhales and exhales in your comfortable seated position, resting your hands on your knees or thighs.

Keeping your gaze forward, sit tall. Inhale and raise your shoulders up towards your ears, exhale and drop your shoulders, pressing downward gently to expand your chest. Continue raising your shoulders towards your ears on the inhale, rolling your shoulders down on the exhale, for 5-10 rounds. This does not need to be a big, dramatic movement–Be gentle to your body in this first physical movement of the day.

Relax into your seated position again and take a deep inhale. On the exhale, gently tip your head to the right, letting your right ear drop down toward your right shoulder. Your ear doesn’t need to actually touch your shoulder, just bend your neck gently in that direction. Inhale and gently raise your head back to neutral, then gently drop your left ear toward your left shoulder on the exhale. Continue this gently stretching of your neck for 5-10 rounds, observing any tightness in your neck.

Facing forward and sitting tall, take a deep inhale. On the exhale, turn your head and your gaze over your right shoulder. Inhale and return to center. Exhale and gently turn your head and gaze over your left shoulder. Inhale and return to center. Repeat this gentle neck turning 5-10 times, noticing any tightness in your neck or back.

Facing forward and sitting tall, take a deep inhale. Exhale and gently drop your chin to your chest. Inhale and gently lift your gaze up to the ceiling, lifting your chin as far as feels comfortable for you. Exhale and gently tuck your chin again. Repeat this motion of raising and tucking your chin with each inhale and exhale for 5-10 rounds.

Almost done! Sit facing forward with a neutral spine, hands on your knees. Inhale and raise your arms up above your head, reaching for the ceiling above you as you straighten your spine and sit tall. On the exhale, bring your hands together in front of your heart in Prayer Position. Close your eyes and give thanks for the day ahead. Now open your eyes ready to make this a great day!

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Mom tip: Now that you’re up, make your bed first thing in the morning. It sets a strong, productive, organized tone for the day ahead, and makes it even easier to settle into your evening routine with a calmer environment when you wrap up the day.

Unsure about how to start? Sign up for a Quick Yoga Consultation to walk through the routine together one-on-one, or request an Individual Yoga Plan to have this routine expanded to include modifications specific to your needs.