When you're working with limited time, trying to squeeze a 45-minute How to Practice Yoga: Sculpt class might not be possible. And sure, you can YouTube some HIT or tabata class to fill your exercise ring, but if you're craving flow, that will probably leave you wanting something.
This on the go circuit is designed in the spirit of vinyasa, which means all movement should flow with your breath. You'll inhale when you're actively creating length or rising upwards, and you'll exhale when there's a contraction or crunch, or if you're flowing towards the ground. The movements are repetitive to challenge your body and give you time to get out of your head and into the sensation of the pose. No weights required. Just 11 minutes of your day.
Spotify playlist Inspiration (short but sweet, with a juicy savasana!): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0aEjHbN6PWcXfxsSqEzTDl?si=SvBspXLrQ3GR6f0CEV4UdA
Warm Up: Cat/Cow with Knees Off the Mat x10
From table top pose, tuck your toes and hover your knees an inch from the mat. Pull your belly in to engage your core, and push all ten fingers into the mat. On your inhale, drop your belly and lift your chest and chin towards the sky to find a cow pose. On your exhale, curve and round your spine like a scared cat.
Modification: If keeping your knees off the mat doesn't work today, lower your knees and take traditional cat/cow.
Recover in down dog pose.
Plank to High Lunge x 20
From down dog, shift forward to high plank pose. Lift your right leg off the mat, and on your inhale, step your right food forward in between your hands and rise into a high lunge. On your exhale, lower your hands to the mat and step back into plank. On your next inhale, lift your left leg off the mat, step it forward in between your hands and rise into a high lunge. On the exhale, place your hands back on the mat and step back into plank.
Flow breath to movement 20 rounds, focusing all your concentration on your breath and building heat.
Modification: If holding plank in between sides is too much on your wrists, swap out plank for down dog.
Recover in child's pose.
Chaturanga Push Ups to Down Dog x 10
From down dog, hinge forward to high plank. Keep your elbows pulling in towards your side and lower half way down (low pushup). Your forearm should be parallel with the mat. Hold steady, then press straight back into a high plank, and use your core to pull you back into down dog. Take a breath in down dog, then repeat.
Flow breath to movement x 10 reps
Recover in child's pose.
Move to down dog, then jump forward to standing at the top of the mat.
Lunge to Squat x 20
Stand with your feet hip width distance apart. On your inhale, sit down into a squat, exhale rise. Then, step your right foot back into a lunge, come back to standing, do the modified squat, and lunge back with the left leg.
Flow breath to movement 20 rounds.
Recover in tadasana.
One Legged Tadasana with Leg Extensions x 20
From standing, lift your right leg hip width height. On your inhale, extend your lifted leg to straight, and as you exhale hamstring curl it back to a 90 degree bend. Keep balancing on the left leg, and work that right leg.
Flow breath to movement 20 rounds on each side.
Modification: If this is too much on your hip or hamstring, make this a static pose and hold your one legged mountain pose for 20 breaths. Trust me: it works just as well!
Recover with a well-deserved forward fold or rag doll pose.
Standing Eagle Crunches x 20
Start in chair pose. Then, lift your right leg up and wrap it around your left leg. If the balance isn't quite right, kickstand your right foot next to your left and sink down low into chair. If you're able, single or double wrap your right leg around left. Find your eagle arms: right arm wraps under and then around your left arm, and then draw your elbows forward and inline with your shoulders. Once balanced, pull your belly in and curve and round your spine so your elbows touch the knees in a crunch. Then rise back into eagle.
Flow 20 rounds each side.
Recover in tadasana.
Flow to down dog.
Falling Star Mountain Climbers x 10
The peak movement activates your entire body. From plank, draw your right knee towards your left arm. Pause for a moment, and then extend your right straight, hovering it off the mat. Return to plank. Left leg touches right arm, extend left leg long, back to plank.
Flow 10 on each side.
Modification: If keeping the leg lifted is too strenuous, flow through traditional falling star on each side.
Intermission: Down dog
Cool Down: 90-90 Movement x 10
Place the right leg in a 90 degree angle directly in front of you with your shin parallel with front of mat and knee flat. Do the same with the other leg behind you so each leg forms a 90 degree angle. Using the strength of your hips and core, keep the 90 degree angles on both legs and switch sides.
Flow this 10 rounds.
Stretch your legs out in front of you for a final forward fold. Then, lay down on your mat for a quick rest.