Who doesn’t like treats!!
Treats are quick and easy and you can have them anywhere, any time.
Yoga treats are like that, too! They are quick little treats that will make our bodies and us happy!! Yoga treats can be practiced any where at any time and any where . . . like standing in line at the grocery store . . . or standing at a counter preparing meals, washing our face, brushing our teeth . . . or sitting in the car or in an airplane . . . waiting. Instead of just standing or sitting . . . have a treat!
We don’t have to warm up . . . yoga treats are a warm up. We may partake of one, two, three or more. And we can even sneak them in when no one is looking!
So enjoy the treats! And, remember, you can never have too many yoga treats!
Click on the pose name to read the full expression of each pose.
Standing Yoga Treats
Mountain is perhaps the easiest pose to practice anywhere and any time. Mountain is how we should stand and breath all the time! Standing in Mountain makes us look taller and thinner! Try it! Shoulders back and down. Top of our head reaching to the sky. Tummy pulled back to our spine. Tailbone tucked under. Power down through our legs and feet. Now breathe! Mountain: READ MORE
Practicing Tree helps us to balance. But we don’t have to practice the full expression of the asana to obtain great benefits. The next time you are standing in line or at a counter, balance on one leg and practice lifting the other. Be sure to practice on both sides! Tree: READ MORE
Airplane, like Tree, is a balance pose. In airplane, we focus on standing straight and tall and lifting our leg out behind us. We can lift it a little or a lot. Focusing on our core is what provides our balance. We can practice lifting our leg and engaging our core without anyone even noticing! Airplane: READ MORE
Whether we work behind a counter or at a desk, or if we are just standing in line . . . it’s great when we use extra time to warm up our muscles and keep active. Sure some people might stare . . . but that’s because they wish they were doing their exercises! You can practice by standing tall, tummy in, shoulders back and down, and do some deep squats. Moon Flow: READ MORE
Chair is so easy to sneak in as a treat! Just keep standing up and sitting down with great posture and form, focusing on using our glutes. Chair: READ MORE
Sitting Yoga Treats
Mountain is easy to practice anywhere and any time. It is how we should sit and breathe all the time! We can practice Mountain pose sitting in the car, waiting for an appointment, or sitting at work in front of the computer. Try it! Shoulders back and down. Top of our head reaching to the sky. Tummy pulled back to our spine. Tailbone tucked under. Now breathe! Mountain: READ MORE
Chair can also be practiced when we are sitting at home or at the office or waiting. We place our feet on the floor and bring our arms straight out in front of us raising up out of our chair. Return to sitting. We will feel this in our core and our glutes! Chair Pose: READ MORE
In side stretch, our movements are the same standing or sitting . . . at home, in the office, in the car, in a waiting room. Lateral flexion stretches from our hips through our waist, side, shoulder and arms and creates lateral (side to side) flexibility of our spine. As we inhale we reach and stretch. As we exhale we maintain the stretch and relax. On the next inhale, we reach and stretch. On the exhale, we relax. After 3 breaths, we slowly return to center, walking our lower hand up our leg or side for support. Side Stretch: READ MORE
Shoulder stretch is also easy to practice in the car, just not while we are driving.
Place a strap or a towel in our right hand.
As we inhale deeply, we raise our right arm straight up, fingers reaching for the sky. As we exhale, we bend our right elbow, lowering our hand and strap behind our head, rotating our right shoulder outward, being mindful that we do not push our head forward.
On our next inhale, we roll our left shoulder back and down, and place our left hand behind our back, rotating our shoulder outward, reaching for the strap or towel or our right hand. Shoulder Stretch: READ MORE
Seated Twist is an easy, feel good treat. Starting in Seated Mountain, we inhale deeply and stretch our head and spine upward, we take our right hand and place it gently on our left knee, and exhale. On our next inhale, we stretch our head and spine upward, gently turning our upper body to the left, allowing our head to follow, and place our left hand behind our body. Turning at our waist, we turn our shoulders and upper body to gaze behind us and exhale.
On the next inhale, slowly and mindfully, begin turning back to front, bringing our upper body, our gaze, and our left hand back to our left knee. Exhale. Inhale and bring right hand to our right knee and our upper body and gaze to center. Exhale.
Repeat on the left side . Seated Twist: READ MORE
Knee to Elbow is a great way to release our backs and strengthen our core while sitting.
We begin in Seated Mountain in a chair, sitting straight and tall, our head reaching toward the sky, our feet flat on the floor.
Inhale, and on the exhale, raise our left knee and touch our right elbow to our left knee. Inhale and return to sitting posture. Exhale, raise right knee and touch left elbow to our right knee.
Engage our core. Move slowly and with purpose.
Repeat on each side 5 to 10 times. Knee to Elbow: READ MORE