How To Do Yoga (A Quick, Minimalist, Daily, Morning Routine)

If you’re looking to get more flexible, learning how to do yoga is one of the best thing you can do for your body. The benefits of hot yoga are many, I’ve put them together in this article here. After practising in a studio environment for a couple of years I decided to put my own yoga routine together to focus on what I think is the best sequence for men as well as for the convenience of doing it at home and avoiding expensive yoga memberships.

You can do it with the heat up in the winter and the windows open in summer. The primary focus of the routine is on relaxation, flexibility and stabilizer muscle strength. You’ll probably need a few months practice in a yoga class so that your form and flexibility are up to par.

I’ve also removed or modified the unnecessary or dangerous poses taught in some yoga classes as well and given you  a sequence that transitions smoothly from one pose to the other. Try it out, it should take you about 20 minutes.

How To Do Yoga

Equipment

  • Resistance band
  • Yoga mat

Warmup

  • Shoulder Dislocations: Holding the resistance band at both ends in front of you palms facing towards you, bring your hands over your shoulders until your palms are facing out to the side then bring your hands back in front of you
  • Reps: 15

Routine

Breathing: In through the nose, out through the nose
Timing: Hold each pose for 15 even breaths

  1. Fist Plank: Plank is done on fists to reduce strain on wrists
  2. Fist Chattaranga: Chattaranga is done on fists to reduce strain on wrists
  3. Fist Upward Dog: Upward dog is done on fists to reduce strain on wrist
  4. Downward Dog
  5. Left Facing Triangle  with Right Foot Forward
  6. High Lunge  with Right Foot Forward
  7. Runners Lunge with Right Foot Forward 
  8. Twisted Runners with Right Foot Forward
  9. Chair Pose to the Right
  10. Chair Pose
  11. Chair Pose to the Left
  12. Twisted Runners Lunge to the left
  13. Runners Lunge with Left Foot Forward
  14. High Lunge with Left Foot Forward
  15. Right Facing Triangle with Left Foot Forward
  16. Star with Left Foot Forward
  17. Standing Splits with Left Foot Forward
  18. Standing Splits with Right Foot Forward
  19. Star with Right Foot Forward
  20. Downward Dog
  21. Pidgeon Left
  22. Pidgeon Right
  23. Sleeping Hero
  24. Lying Down Cobblers 
  25. Wind Relieving Left
  26. Wind Relieving Right
  27. Spinal Twist Left
  28. Spinal Twist Right
  29. Lying Leg Extension Left (optional resistance band)
  30. Lying Leg Extension Right (optional resistance band)

Cooldown

Timing: minimum 1 minute

  1. Corpse Pose