Morning Boost: a breath-led wake-up flow

Intermediate 5 poses

Upright, squat, and backbend — an energizing wake-up with no weight on the hands

An upbeat flow to start the day: your body reaches up, squats, arches and folds, and your hands never take your weight. That makes it a good fit even if Plank and Downward Dog are uncomfortable for your wrists. It's intermediate because of Camel.

With sore knees, put a blanket under them in Camel and don't squat deep, and with acute lower back pain, keep your palms on your sacrum. The flow isn't done in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. If you have more time in the morning, try the twenty-minute morning practice.

  1. Upward Salute Upward Salute 1
  2. Garland Pose Garland Pose 2
  3. Camel Pose Camel Pose 3
  4. Head-to-Knee Pose Head-to-Knee Pose 4
  5. Chair Pose Chair Pose 5

Why this order

An inhale lifts your arms and straightens your body after sleep, and an exhale lowers you into the deep squat of Garland. From there you come onto your knees and open your chest in Camel, the high point of the round.

Head-to-Knee Pose is done seated to both sides and balances the backbend. Chair at the end brings you up to standing again and warms your thighs. If you tend to get dizzy, change levels more slowly and don't drop your head back.

Cautions

  • Shoulder joint injuries (Upward Salute)
  • Knee injuries (Garland Pose, Chair Pose)
  • If your heels don't reach the floor, place a blanket under them (Garland Pose)
  • Spinal disc herniation (Camel Pose)
  • Hypertension (Camel Pose)
  • Migraines (Camel Pose)
  • Knee injuries — place a support under your bent knee (Head-to-Knee Pose)
  • Flare-up of lower back problems (Chair Pose)

This site is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have pain, an injury, a chronic condition, or are pregnant, check with a qualified professional before practicing.