5 Energizing yoga poses

Before you go reaching for the coffee, try out these yoga poses for that extra energy boost when you need it. It might even make you fitter… Shocking, we know.

It doesn’t matter what the motivation is, really. Everyone needs a little kick in the butt in the morning or a little boosty-boost in the evening. While caffeine is the easier approach, it’s not the healthiest; it also doesn’t help with the occasional muscle tension, unlike yoga.

So once you squeeze into some yoga pants and put on those awesome leg warmers, we recommend you start off with some simple, deep abdominal breathing and kapalabhati — a series of short, quick exhalations alternated with slow, deep inhalations. You may also do the sun salutation as a warm-up. Now you’re ready!

• Stand with your feet roughly double your shoulder width apart. Keep your right foot slightly inward, and turn your left foot to the left.
• Twist at the waist by placing your right hand on the floor next to your left foot. Extend your left arm straight up, and look at it. Hold the pose for about a minute.

• Kneel on the floor, then move your right foot forward, and place it between your hands. Extend your left leg backward, keeping your knee on the mat.
• Holding your balance, put your hands together, and stretch them above your head, keeping your arms straight.
• While maintaining your balance and keeping your hands extended upward, bend backward. You should feel your muscles pulling at this point. Hold for six to eight breaths.

• Sit with your legs stretched straight out in front of you, feet together. Place your hands behind you, and drop your head back.
• Raise yourself up as high as possible. It should look like an inverted push-up position. Hold for six to eight breaths.

• Start in a sitting position, with your legs extended straight in front of you and hands resting behind your back.
• Place your left foot flat next to the outside of your right calf.
• Press your right arm against your left leg, with your fingertips touching the sole of your left foot.
• Twist your torso left. Hold for six to eight breaths.

• Lie flat on your back with your legs straight together.
• Tuck your arms under your body, keeping your hands (palms facing up) as close to your thighs as you can.
• Now raise your chest as high as you can manage, bending your elbows and dropping your head back. If you can, while keeping most of the weight on your elbows, lower the top of your head to the floor. Hold for six to eight breaths.

You should feel as fresh as a cucumber and as elastic as a hair band. Let us know what worked for you!

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