21 Day Yoga Habit

Kick off your yoga habit with this 21 Day Challenge!

See for yourself the effect that just 10 mins of yoga can have on you - physically and mentally!

This first of the series takes things slowly as we set an intention for the coming days and weeks, and practice moving with the breath. Simple, uncomplicated movements.

Today we'll build on our practice from yesterday and use the breath to help guide us through some of our poses, working some movement through the spine and listening to the body throughout!

Today we'll use the foundation of the last 2 days to bring a little more strength into the practice - looking at the movement from Downward Facing Dog through to Plank (and the alternative options you can take if it's not your cup of tea!)

We’ve spent the last few days building up to this one … the Sun Salutation! One of the most commonly found yoga sequences in a flowing class, and also your go-to for those days when you’re not quite sure where to start.

Follow the breath & see where it leads …

Think of this as a 'checking in' session to see how your back is doing! Sometimes a more strenuous practice can put stress on the back so we'll use today to assess how everything is feeling, and gauge YOUR comfortable range of movement.

Whether you are an athlete or you have a desk job I can almost guarantee that your hips will benefit from a good stretch out! This simple sequence works slowly to assess how the hips are feeling and gently bring some freeing movement to allow them to release any tension/effort stored in them!

Aaaaaand rest!! Well done for making it through the first week of your new yoga habit, and today I am rewarding you with a restorative session! Usually restorative yoga is practiced for at least an hour but I wanted to show that even if you only have 10 minutes you can still gain benefits from slowing down!

This one is a perfect morning sequence to get you up and moving! Focusing on the hips, hamstrings and lower back (which are certainly where I feel a bit 'stuck' when I wake up!) this one will ease you into your body ... and hopefully the rest of your day!

Ah the shoulders ... the classes that are most requested and get the most feedback!!

The shoulder is a complicated joint, but freeing it up needn't be. In just 10 minutes you can mobilise the joint, and work into the rest of the upper body - perfect for those of you stuck at a desk for most of the day.

Well, we've managed to skirt around the issue pretty well until now haven't we?! I promise that this isn't a powerful core workout, more of a gentle exploration of what 'engaging the core' feels like for you ... and what yoga teachers mean when they ask you to 'tuck the tailbone'!

This one is great for when you need to get out of your head for a little while! In this 10 min session we'll flow all around the mat in rhythm with the breath safe in the knowledge that we'll always end up back where we started! I promise you'll not have a chance to think about those stresses and worries for the whole time!!

Perfect for when you're feeling right at the end of your tether, this sequence will help you to find a sense of calm and balance. You'll feel refreshed and ready to go at the end of your 10 minutes.

I know right - sometimes it can just feel like too much effort to squeeze in a yoga practice. However, for this 10min session we won't move very far - focusing on reclined poses that require just enough effort ... but not too much! Perfect for when you want to take it easy.

Savasana - aaahhhh, surely the king of all poses!! This is how you will usually finish up a full length class, and it allows you the opportunity to rest and absorb all of the benefits that your physical practice has provided.

(You can also use this practice as a 10 minute seated relaxation by listening to the audio whilst sitting comfortably)

Right, we're into the final few classes of the challenge so it's time to step it up a little! This flow includes some poses that help to build strength and warmth in the body, and should leave you feeling like you've shaken off any lethargy or stagnant energy!

(Remember you can rest whenever you need to it - take it at the level that feels good for you)

This sequence came about as a result of private clients that I was treating for Sciatica. It's based on the practice of Nerodynamics and focuses on promoting healthy movement in the nerves. This session will feel different because you'll need to stop BEFORE you feel any muscular stretch as it's not the muscles we working on today!!

We’ve got a joyful practice today that focuses on creating a feeling of openness in the upper body - rather than thinking of these poses as backbends we'll lead with the centre of the chest to expand and to create a feeling of joy!

Oh yes, whether you are an athlete or a desk jockey chances are you'll have tight hamstrings - which could potentially be causing you some lower back issues.

This 10 minutes sequence can be taken anywhere (even at work!) and will gently work to lengthen and relax the hamstrings. Remember, the hamstrings should be treated gently - don't try and force the poses, allow them to develop naturally.

Ever have those day where everything feels like it's just too much - like all the plates are spinning and everything is happening much too fast. Then this is the flow for you!! Plenty of contact with the ground, and keeping everything slow and steady to create a sense of calm amidst the chaos!!

This 10 minutes session focuses on stimulating the lymph glands which help to fight bacteria, virus and infection. We'll start with an inversion and then use some gentle poses to help move the lymphatic fluid around the body. This is great at seasonal transitions when our risk of illness seems to be increased, but is a great all round gentle sequence at any time of year!

So we've made it to day 21 - congratulations!! I'm so proud of you, and to celebrate I've put together a sequence that celebrates the very best of a yoga practice. We'll breathe, flow and smile our way through this one together!

(I really struggled to keep this one short as the joy I feel when sharing this with you guys is just too hard to contain!)