Strengthening and stretching are both essential ingredients to staying in tip-top shape so you can keep enjoying your life in every way you want. Traveling, playing sports, running around with kids, hiking, biking, and other outdoor activities, just to name a few!
One of the great things about yoga is that many poses strengthen and stretch at the same time. So efficient!
I do love efficiency, so I put together a sequence of four yoga poses that create a well-rounded routine for your muscles, strengthening and stretching your body from head to toe.
The 4-Pose Sequence
Pose 1: Reverse Warrior
Reverse Warrior stretches one side of your upper body while strengthening the other. Your legs and core work hard to hold you steady, and you’ll also feel a stretch in the hip flexor and inner thigh of your straightened leg.
Details a picture can’t show you:
Straight leg:
- Engage the muscles in the thigh to keep it straight and protect your knee
- Actively press down through the outer edge of the foot
Bent leg:
- Your knee should be in line with your ankle
- Avoid the knee sinking inward by pressing down through the whole foot and engage the glutes and inner thigh to draw the knee back
Note: The wider apart your feet are, the deeper the bend in your knee will be, and the harder your thigh muscles will work.
Think of it like Goldilocks. Finding the level that’s just right can take some trial and error, but you’ll get there! You don’t want your feet so close together that it doesn’t challenge you, but also not so wide that it is not manageable to hold.
Upper Body
- Before lifting your extended arm, open your palm to the ceiling, draw your arm back so your chest is open, then reach your arm up and over
- Engage your upper back to keep the shoulder of your extended arm from sinking forward
- Engage your core before coming into the side bend and maintain it while holding the pose
- Your bottom arm can provide varying degrees of support: place your hand on your hip (most support), thigh or calf (medium to light support), or bring your arm behind your back if you want your side bend held solely from core engagement
Pose 2: High Lunge
High Lunge deepens the stretch in your back hip flexor while your legs and core work hard to hold you upright and balanced. You’ll also feel a stretch through the sides of your waist and shoulders.
Details a picture can’t show you:
Back leg:
- Lift your heel high and engage your entire leg by straightening it as much as you can. You should especially feel this in your quad.
Front leg:
- Keep your knee stacked over your ankle
Upper body:
- Draw your shoulders down away from your ears
- Engage your upper back and keep your shoulders stacked over your hips (avoid leaning forward)
- Lift through your chest and keep your core engaged to keep you stable
Pose 3: Downward Facing Dog
In our Downward Dog, we will peddle the feet to get a deeper stretch in your hamstrings and calves. You’ll be strengthening your upper body core to hold you in this inverted V-shape.
Details a picture can’t show you:
Hands:
- Spread your fingers wide and press firmly through your entire palm, especially the base of your index finger and thumb
- Your hands should be shoulder-width apart
Arms and shoulders:
- Keep your arms straight but not locked
- Imagine you are pushing the floor away from you, so your neck is long and there is space between your shoulders and ears
- Draw your shoulder blades down your back
Hips and spine:
- Lengthen your spine and avoid rounding your back (bend both of your knees while you focus on this first)
- Lift your hips high and back, tilting your pelvis forward, tailbone pointing upwards.
Legs:
- Pedal your feet—this is the key! Straighten one leg and press that heel down while bending the opposite knee slightly, then switch
- Your heels likely won’t touch the ground, you’re just pressing them in that direction
Core:
- Draw your belly gently in toward your spine to support your lower back
Pose 4: Tabletop Twist
Tabletop Twist stretches your chest, upper back, and spine while your supporting arm and core work to hold you stable in the twist.
Details a picture can’t show you:
Supporting arm:
- Press firmly into your supporting hand and fingers (this is the arm you are strengthening)
- Keep your supporting arm straight with your shoulder stacked over your wrist
- Keep your shoulder away from your ear (imagine you are pushing the floor away from you)
Lifted arm:
- Rotate your torso toward your lifted arm, and press that arm back to stretch through the chest and deepen the twist
- If this feels too intense, rest your lifted hand on your hip instead
Hips:
- Avoid letting your hips shift to one side
Core:
- Engage your core while you hold this twist
How to Structure This Sequence
Here’s an option that flows smoothly from the standing poses to the floor poses. Hold each pose for 30-60 seconds (about 5-10 breaths):
- Start in Reverse Warrior with your right leg bent
- Transition into High Lunge (lift the heel of your back leg and rotate your hips to face your front leg)
- Transition back to Reverse Warrior on the other side (lower your heel, rotate your hips back open, and switch the position of your feet so your left leg is now bent)
- Transition into High Lunge on the left side
- Transition to Downward Dog (bring your hands to the mat and step your front leg back)
- Transition to Tabletop Twist (lower to your knees and repeat on both sides)
