Quick Yoga fix for the Holidays

Short on time during the busy holiday season? Want to do yoga at home but do not know how or what to do? Check out our 3 quick yoga sequences to keep your yoga going during the holiday season.

Sun Salutation Mash Up

Roll out your mat and get moving. It will take under 10 minutes. And it’s easy if you already have mastered it in class. Surya Namaskar (sun salutations) is an easy way to get the whole body moving, warmed up, toned and strengthened. This rhythmic movement is combined with the breath. Thereby, giving you a sense of grounding, focus and allows you to get centered. Do as little as 5 rounds to as many as your 10 minutes will let you. You will end up breaking out into a  sweat in no time. I personally recommend a combination of 6 classical rounds, 5 vinyasa A, and 4 vinyasa B to finish your sun salutation mash up. But make sure you have learned it well in class before attempting this at home on your own.

10 favorite yoga sequence combo

We all have some favorite yoga poses. Think of your most frequented yoga poses right now and make a list of them on paper or on your phone. Next time you need a go-to sequence, during the holidays. Just do your favorite yoga poses on the yoga mat. I recommend you have at least 10 yoga poses. To make it denser you can always add a few rounds of surya namasakars or sun salutations. Or repeat each pose twice. Make sure to have a good mix up of yoga poses – a little of everything.

Here’s a sample of one of my favorite yoga sequences on the go…

• Sun salutations (5 rounds)
• Trikonasana (Triangle pose)
• Virabhadrasana 2 (Warrior 2)
• Ardha Chandrasana (Half moon)
• Virabhadrasana 1 (Warrior 1)
• Parivritta Parsvakonasana (Revolved side angle)
• Shirshasana (headstand)
• Ushtrasana (Camel pose)
• Baddhakonasana (bound angle pose)
• Sarvangasana (Shoulder stand) or Vipreeta karani (legs up the wall) or Supta Matsyasana (Supine fish pose)

Quick yoga fix for the holidays

Restore and relax

The holiday season can be tiring and stressful for many. And if you are not up for an active yoga practice. No problem. You do not always have to work extra hard each time you get on to the mat. That’s like eating the same meal every day and forever. I am hoping that you have had the opportunity to learn and practice some good quality restorative yoga poses. If not, we will have a couple of videos out soon on some of the best yoga poses when you don’t feel like doing yoga. But if you do know a couple of restorative poses. All you need is one or two poses. See some examples below…

• Supta Baddhakonasana (Supine Bound Angle) hold for 10 minutes. Props needed are bolster, blanket, strap, and blocks
• Vipreeta Karani (Legs up the wall pose) hold for 10 minutes. Can be done with or without props. If you have a bolster add it below your sacrum
• Supta Virasana (Supine Hero’s pose) hold for 5 to 10 minutes. If you are doing one leg at a time, you will need to switch after a few minutes. But if you can hold the full pose stay as long as it’s comfortable and well-aligned. Props needed are bolster, blanket, block and strap
• Chair Shavasana – Lie on your back and place the seat of a chair under the lower legs. Stay like this for 10 minutes or more. This pose is simple but not to be underestimated and great for sore lower backs.
• Supta Matsyasana (Supine Fish pose) – this is one of my all-time favorite restorative poses. Best if done for a longer duration. Choose a comfortable leg option. Blocks must be placed well for adequate support.

So there you have it. Quick yoga fixes for the holidays. It’s not about spending an hour or more on the mat each day. It’s about making time to fill yoga into the little pockets of life and truly learning to integrate it with our lives. I wish you a wonderful holiday season ahead. Let me know in the comments below how you plan to keep your yoga up during the holiday season.