A little yoga flow to ease your mind and your body.
I’m sure we’ve all felt a little (or a lot) stressed lately. Not only are we responsible for our usual blah-dee-blah – but now we have to keep people safe during a pandemic, become completely unqualified teachers, and figure out who should win this election! It’s a lot, and with that weight on our shoulders it’s easy for our bodies to start feeling it as well. Anyone else throw their back out while doing laundry, or walking the dog, or just… well… sitting?
Our bodies hold onto so much, and after a while they can’t handle it, either.
Life just happens and you can’t stop it no matter how badly you need a time out… unless you give yourself permission to take one. Which brings me to the reason I’m here. I have found one of the best ways to give myself a time out and I love it! And us girls share what we love with our friends, right?? So here it is…. YOGA!
Yoga can be anything you want… it’s flexible like that (ha!).
Yoga can be an all-encompassing spiritual journey, or it can simply be a moment in the day for solitude and connection with yourself…with some yummy stretching, too. Either way, it freaking works and it is for literally everyone. If you’re an experienced yogini, you know what I’m talking about. But if you’re new to yoga I beg you to give it a chance. The mix of deep breathing and stretching is basically magic.
Don’t believe me? Take a sec… try this:
- Take a deep breath in, and when you exhale, pull your head back so it’s in line with your entire spine… no turtle necking, here!
- Take another breath in, and as you exhale, see if your shoulders can drop from your ears.
- Take another deep breath in, and this time when you exhale, unclench your jaw and drop your tongue from the roof of your mouth.
- Now close your eyes and continue to sit in stillness for two more long inhales and exhales, all the while focusing on this posture.
Yoga can be an all-encompassing spiritual journey, or it can simply be a moment in the day for solitude and connection with yourself.
Katie Kottmann
Welcome back! Feel better, right?!
A regular yoga practice has been a staple in my life for many reasons (see paragraph one). Especially right now, with many gyms still closed and so many of us sitting in front of a computer for hours, it is so important for everyone to stretch, breathe, and unwind.
Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be another check on the to-do list, and it also doesn’t have to take forever.
So, if you’re ready for a time out, I invite you to try this simple seated yoga flow for neck, shoulder, and back tension. It will take you less than ten minutes and give you benefits to last the entire day.
The Flow
- Sitting tall in your chair, chin slightly tucked, shoulders relaxed, start to focus on your breathing.
- Inhale: Sweep both arms overhead and interlace your fingers. Flip your hands and press your palms to the ceiling.
- Exhale: Keep your neck long, chin tucked, and relax your shoulders even more.
- Inhale.
- Exhale: Slowly lower your hands into prayer position at the center of your chest.
- Inhale.
- Exhale: Drop your right ear to your right shoulder.
- Inhale.
- Exhale: Bring your head back to neutral.
- Inhale.
- Exhale: Repeat on left side.
- Inhale: Sweep both arms overhead.
- Exhale: Bend your elbows and place both hands behind your head, keeping elbows wide.
- Inhale: Expand your chest, tilt your head back, and keep your elbows wide and your back arches and you look up slightly towards the ceiling.
- Exhale: Slowly drop our head forward, bring elbows to meet in front of you, allowing a curve in your spine.
- Repeat in a flowing motion three times following your inhale and exhale.
- After your third exhale drop your arms and come to a tall seated position. Relax your hands in your lap.
- Inhale. Exhale.
- Inhale: Sweep both arms overhead, hands in prayer position.
- Exhale: Keep your spine elongated and hands pressed together as you lean to the right, reaching your fingertips to the corner of the room.
- Inhale: Try not to sink into your right side but stay lifted, feeling the expansion of your left side as you breathe in.
- Exhale. Inhale.
- Exhale: Keep your arms and spine elongated as you return to neutral position.
- Inhale.
- Exhale: Repeat on left side.
- On your final exhale, drop hands to prayer position.
- Inhale.
- Exhale: Twist to the right, holding on to the chair behind you. Keep your neck long, looking towards the room behind you.
- Inhale. Exhale.
- Inhale: Turn to face forward.
- Exhale: Repeat on left side.
- Inhale: Turn to face forward.
That’s it! If this is all new to you, it may have felt a little awkward and inorganic, but I promise with practice it gets better and better. Your entire body will thank you!
Katie Kottmann is well-rounded and well-versed in medicine, nutrition, and fitness. She’s a pediatric nurse, as well as a practicing nutritionist, yoga teacher, and private personal trainer. You can follow Katie on Instagram @bridebabybody.
As for her street cred, her certifications command a mic drop:
- BSN Registered Nurse
- BSN Psychology
- 200-hr RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher)
- CFT (Certified Fitness Trainer)
- SPN (Sports Performance Nutritionist