The warm up starts with the pelvic and shoulder exercises. It releases tension from your body, especially from the shoulder area where we tend to carry the most stress. If you do not have much time, just try the shoulder warm up or simply do the face warm up: "The Wow!" section which you will find later in this chapter. You can do all of these warming up poses while sitting on a chair.
Benefits
1. Releases tension around the hips.
2. Relaxes the lower back.
3. Warms up the body from the center.
Key Point
If you are sitting on the floor with crossed legs, change the position of the legs and do the same set of rotations again.
1. Sit tall.
2. Relax your shoulders.
3. Palms on the knees.
4. Open your chest.
5. Start rotating your torso, making a circle using the core of your body.
6. Keep breathing and rotate for 10 circles. Each time make the circle bigger.
7. Rotate in the other direction for 10 circles.
Benefits
1. Opens your chest and helps to correct your posture, especially rounded shoulders.
2. It promotes circulation in the chest area.
Key Points
1. Breathing is key.
2. Breathe out vigorously.
1. Place both hands on your shoulders.
2. Open your chest and push your shoulder blades down.
3. Breathe in while moving elbows closer together and then up toward the ceiling as if you are drawing a circle with your elbows.
4. Make a complete circle and repeat five times.
5. Make five circles in the opposite direction.
Benefits
1. Shoulders do so much work thorough the day but we do not give them enough attention and care.
2. This pose releases tension from the shoulder blades and makes you more relaxed.
Key Point
Relax your shoulders and imagine you are rotating the shoulder blades.
1. Palms face down and arms are out at your side in an airplane position parallel to the floor.
2. Relax your shoulders.
3. Alternate the right shoulder in a backwards circle followed by the left shoulder while keeping your arms held in the airplane position.
4. Repeat this for 10 times on each side.
5. Reverse the direction.
6. Repeat 10 times.