This routine starts with a few postures to get your muscles warm, then moves to restorative stretches to relieve tension and soreness in your lower body. Do this routine to promote recovery from an intense workout or to help prevent injuries caused by over-training.
GOOD FOR
• People with back pain due to tight hips
• Athletes, fitness enthusiasts, runners, cyclists, and endurance athletes on the day after a lower-body workout
• People with injury, pain, or tenderness in ankles, knees, or hips
YOU WILL NEED
• A strap • A block to modify if you’re new to yoga or less flexible
GUIDELINES
• Hold the postures for the time given, or repeat for the reps given, breathing consciously to work deeper into the poses.
• If the instructions say to hold on each side, do the left side and then the right side in succession.
• Move as fluidly as possible from one posture to the next without resetting to a starting position unless necessary.
• This is a recovery workout, so focus on deep breathing to release muscle tension and promote quick recovery.
| START | |
| BRIDGE Hold: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 45 secs |
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| SEATED TWIST Hold on each side: BEGINNER 30 secs/side ADVANCED 45 secs/side |
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| BUTTERFLY STRETCH Hold: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 60 secs |
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| CAT-COW (OPTIONAL) Repeat: BEGINNER 5–10 reps ADVANCED 5–10 reps |
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| LOW LUNGE Hold on left side: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 60 secs |
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| HALF SPLIT Hold on left side: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 60 secs |
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| LOW LUNGE Hold on right side: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 60 secs |
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| HALF SPLIT Hold on right side: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 60 secs |
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| HALF SUN SALUTATION Repeat: BEGINNER 2 reps ADVANCED 3–4 reps |
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| WARRIOR 1 Hold on left side: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 45 secs |
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| PYRAMID Hold on left side: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 45 secs |
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| WARRIOR 1 Hold on right side: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 45 secs |
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| PYRAMID Hold on right side: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 45 secs |
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| CHILD’S POSE Hold: BEGINNER 30–60 secs ADVANCED 30–60 secs |
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| DOWNWARD-FACING DOG Hold: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 60 secs |
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| PIGEON Hold on each side: BEGINNER 60 secs/side ADVANCED 90 secs/side |
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| LIZARD Hold on each side: BEGINNER 60 secs/side ADVANCED 90 secs/side |
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| HAPPY BABY Hold: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 30 secs |
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| BRIDGE (OPTIONAL) Hold: BEGINNER 30 secs ADVANCED 60 secs |
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| HAMSTRING STRAP STRETCH Hold on each side: BEGINNER 45 secs/side ADVANCED 60–90 secs/side |
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| INNER-THIGH STRAP STRETCH Hold on each side: BEGINNER 45 secs/side ADVANCED 60–90 secs/side |
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| OUTER-THIGH STRAP STRETCH Hold on each side: BEGINNER 45 secs/side ADVANCED 60–90 secs/side |
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| FINISH | |