Cat Cow

Come to tabletop with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your hips stacked over your knees. Ground down through your palms. As you inhale, tilt your tailbone up, drop your belly, and lift your gaze slightly up without bunching the back of the neck. (This is the "cow" half.) As you exhale, tuck your tailbone, curl and round your spine, and bring your gaze toward your belly button. (This is the "cat" half.) Repeat for at least three breaths.

Child's Pose

Start in kneeling position. Touch your big toes together while sitting on your heels, keeping your knees in line with your hips. Bend forward while exhaling, finishing with your torso against your thighs, forehead to the floor. Keeping palms upward, relax your arms beside your body.
Inhale and exhale for 30 seconds to a few minutes, coz’ it’s a resting pose..

Thread and Needle

Start on all fours with your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees under your hips. Raise your left arm up toward the ceiling and look up at your fingertips. Next, "thread” your left arm under your chest until your left shoulder rests on the mat with your palm facing up. Make sure your head is turned to the right so that the left side of your face is resting on the mat. Hold for three to four deep breaths. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Low Lunge


Begin in Down Dog position. Inhale, shifting your weight to your left foot. Exhale, stepping your right foot forward. Plant your right foot inside or slightly behind your right hand.
Shift your seat forward, stacking your right knee over your right ankle. Lower your left knee to the ground. Inhale, lifting your hands to rest on top of your right thigh. Gently press both feet into the ground for stability as you elongate your spine and lift the crown (top)
of your head to the sky. Repeat on the other side.

Neck Massage with Ball

Gently roll the ball around your tender spots until you feel the soreness subside, and then follow it up with gentle stretching of the same muscles. You might want to pay special attention to the areas where the neck joins the shoulders and the top of the neck closest to the head.

Avoid rolling high along the sides of your neck or down the front of your neck/throat/spine. 

Bear Hugs and Snow Angels

Lie down, opening your arms out wide and slowly hug yourself with the right arm over left arm. Try to grab the back of your shoulder and squeeze. Hold this position for 30 seconds before releasing. Repeat it with your left arm on top this time.

Figure Four Stretch

Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor in front of you. Cross your left foot over your right knee. Grab your right leg with both hands and pull your right knee in toward your upper body until you feel a deep stretch in the left side of your hip.  Hold this position for 30 seconds, taking deep breaths. Return to the starting position and switch sides.

Knee to Chest to Spinal Twist

This combination move stretches the hips and lower back. Stretch out your legs and slide them together. Pull your right knee into your chest clasping your fingers around your right shin and gently hug your knee in to stretch your low back and hips. Hold for three breaths. Release your knee and send it across the left leg for a gentle spinal twist. Turn your gaze to the right. Hold for five to 10 breaths and switch sides.

Legs Up the Wall

Sit with your right side against the wall, with bent knees and your feet drawn in toward your hips. Swing your legs up against the wall as you turn to lie flat on your back.
Place your hips against the wall or slightly away. Place your arms in any comfortable position. Stay in this position for up to 20 minutes. To release the pose, gently push yourself away from the wall. Relax on your back for a few moments. Draw your knees into your chest and roll onto your right side.
Rest for a few moments before slowly moving into an upright position.
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Photo credit: The New York Times (c) Brown Bird Design​