Rise & Shine

1 Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose)

Sit with the soles of your feet together about 20 inches from the groin. Let your knees drop out to the sides. (If your knees are higher than the tops of your hip bones, sit on a folded blanket.) Walk your hands forward, allowing your back to softly round. Drop your head for a neck stretch. If that's uncomfortable, support your head with your hands. Breathe into the back body. Stay for 5 minutes.

2 Cowboy Negotiation Pose

Take a wide squat with your feet turned out. If your heels lift, place a blanket or a rolled mat underneath them. Bring your weight into your left leg as you press your right knee away from your midline to create space in your hips. Stay for 5 breaths, then do the other side.

3 Hammock Pose

Stand sideways on your mat with your legs wide apart, toes turned in and lifted to engage the inner arches. Walk your hands forward and draw the tailbone back. Let the upper back be like a hammock and your heart relax downward. Wake the legs by isometrically squeezing your heels together on the inhalation and pressing them apart on the exhalation. Then relax and use your awareness and breath to connect with prana flowing up and down the legs. Stay for 5 breaths.

4 Horse Stance with Uddiyana Bandha (Upward Abdominal Lock)

Keep your wide stance and turn the feet out. Bend your knees and see that they are over the toes. Straighten your legs and reach your arms overhead. Inhale deeply and, as you exhale, bring your hands to your thighs, bend your knees, and stick out your tongue. Curl your tailbone under. At the bottom of the exhalation, draw your chin toward your chest and the navel toward your spine. Feel your pelvic floor lift up. Hold the breath out as you sway your hips side to side to access different spots. After a few seconds, relax all muscular effort, then inhale and bring your arms overhead as you straighten your legs. Feel the vitality in your body and mind. Take a clearing breath in between holds. Do 5 rounds.

5 Virabhadrasana II (Warrior Pose II)

With your legs straight and arms overhead, inhale; on your exhalation, open up into Warrior II. Repeat this movement 5 times, until you eventually land in the shape. Try softening your elbows and turning your palms up, connecting with the flow of prana from your heart out through your hands. Stay for 10 breaths, then repeat on the other side.

6 Low Lunge with External Rotation

From Warrior II, windmill your hands to the floor and come into Low Lunge. Stay for a few rounds of breath, draw your hips back on the inhalation and sink forward on the exha-lation. Turn the front foot out to externally rotate the hip. Relax your jaw and walk the hands back. If your hands are far from the floor, use blocks for support. Do both sides.

7 Rounded Plank Pose

Transition into Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose). Draw your tailbone under and round your back as you bring your shoulders over your wrists. Breathe into your full open back. Feel the work in the belly; relax your neck and head. Stay for at least 5 breaths here.

8 Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose)

From Rounded Plank, bend your elbows and lower your hips to the floor. Roll your shoulders back and down and lift your heart. Slowly turn your head from side to side to stretch your neck. Stay for 10 breaths, then lower down and rest.

9 Rocket Cat

Curl your toes under and press your hips back as if to move into Balasana (Child's Pose), but pause halfway. Exhale through your mouth and stick out your tongue. Alternate leaning right and left for 10 breaths to stretch.

10 Slumpy Swami Twist

Contraindications The combination of the twist and rounded back puts pressure on your lower back. If you have any lower-back injuries, take a twist that lengthens the spine instead.

Find a comfortable cross-legged position like Sukhasana (Easy Pose). With your right hand on the floor behind your right buttock, place your left hand on your right knee. Inhale and exhale, curling your tailbone under and rounding your back. Carefully and with a lot of attention, exhale through your mouth, draw your lower belly back, and twist your rib cage to the right. The work is not as strong as it is in Uddiyana Bandha, but the awareness is similar. If you feel open, reach the left arm across the right knee and dip in deeper. After 5 breaths, relax your effort, inhale, and slowly unwind. You will know it was effective if you have a warm, expansive feeling in your lower-right back. Switch legs and repeat on the other side.