This sequence builds strength and flexibility throughout your legs and hips because you take your weight on one leg at a time in strong lunges. Holding your lunge while arching your back opens up your shoulders and stretches your entire spine. The side twists rotate your hips, shoulders, and neck to a point of resistance to improve flexibility. It creates long, lean muscles to improve your metabolic rate.
Benefits
Builds strength and flexibility in the legs and hips
stretches the spine
improves flexibility in the hips, shoulders and neck
focus
Look at a point on the floor as you balance on one leg. Breathe deeply and slowly, so that you become a little sweaty and breathless by the end of the sequence. Feel light and agile, knowing that you are not as "heavy" as you might think you are!
Stand with your feet hip-width apart. Bring your hands to your chest, fingertips together and palms facing down.
Jump your feet to hip-width apart, and lift your arms to shoulder height, palms facing down. Lengthen though your spine and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
Inhaling, look to the right. Exhaling, bend over your right leg, and place your right hand on your right ankle. Lift your left arm toward the ceiling; twist, turn your head, and look up at your hand. Keep both legs straight, and bring your weight onto your left foot. Inhaling a slow breath, stretch your left arm farther. Exhaling, rotate your left shoulder and hip backward as far as you can.
Inhaling, stand up straight. Exhaling, circle your arms overhead, and bring your palms together. Interlock your fingers, with index fingers pointing up.
Inhaling, turn your right foot out a little. Exhale as you turn, twist, and lunge onto your right knee. Palms still together, fingers interlocked, arch your back, and stretch up through your spine as you pull your shoulders back. Hold the lunge for 2 steady breaths.
Lean forward, and extend your arms to the front so they are parallel to the floor.
Slide your left foot in so that you can straighten your right leg. Bring your weight over your right foot. Lock your right knee, lift your left leg straight our behind you, parallel to the floor, lean forward, and stretch your arms forward. Stretch strongly through your legs and arms. Hold the pose steady for 2 breaths.
Lower your left leg to the floor. Drop your left knee to the floor, and lunge onto your right knee again. Swing your arms overhead, look up, pull your shoulders back, and arch your back strongly.
Lean forward, and place your hands on your right foot.
Straighten your legs and bend forward, bringing your head toward your right knee.
"Walk" your hands back to the center, in front of your feet.
Inhaling, stand up and lift your arms to shoulder height. Exhaling, jump your feet together and your hands to your chest in starting position, fingertips together and palms facing down.
Repeat this sequence 7 times while breathing deeply and vigorously. Increase the speed of the sequence as you become familiar with it so that you finish a bit breathless and sweaty.
