10-minute morning yoga for a full-body workout

I think sometimes we feel like it’s not worth it to practice 10 minutes of yoga because there isn’t enough time. But you can actually accomplish a lot—and in ways that help you approach your day differently. This 10-minute morning yoga practice shows how much of a full-body workout you can get with just a small time commitment.

You’ll start with some hip opening, essential spine movements, and a little core strengthening before moving into standing poses. Throughout the exercise, concentrate on directing your breathing all the way into your abdomen so that you are not stuck in shallow chest breathing.

After this 10-minute morning yoga session, notice how even that small amount of movement and breathing throughout the day creates changes in your body and your headspace.

10-minute morning yoga for a full-body workout

This short morning yoga practice is an energizing, full-body workout best suited for intermediate students. No props are required, although you are welcome to use them.

Reclining Bound Angle Pose

You lie on your back in the supine bound angle (Supta Baddha Konasana). All you have to do is bring the soles of your feet together so that they touch and spread your knees apart. Shrug your shoulders down and away from your ears, open your chest and rest your hands on your stomach or at your sides, whichever is most comfortable for you.

You use this first pose to connect with your breathing, simply breathing in and out through your nose. Try to keep your inhale as long as your exhale. Stay here for a few breaths.

The next time you inhale, extend your arms up, straighten your legs, and extend your fingers down to your toes.

Dynamic bridge pose

Get into Bridge Pose by bending your knees and placing your feet flat on the mat, about hip-distance apart. Push through your heels, squeeze through your glutes and lift your chair off the mat. Hug through your inner thighs so that your knees are not wider apart. Push down through your shoulder blades and upper arms as you relax your neck. Take a deep breath here and then slowly, inch by inch, return to the mat.

Lift your legs and find a 90-degree bend in your knees so that your shins are parallel to the mat. Place your hands on your thighs, curl your head and shoulders off the mat and press your palms into your legs, pressing your legs against your hands. You will feel your core tightening almost immediately.

Squeeze and lift a little higher, then exhale as you release and return to Bridge Pose. Do the same thing two more times.

Forearm cat-cow

Get on your hands and knees, and instead of doing the traditional Cat and Cow, do these poses on your forearms to target the mid and upper back a little more. So your elbows are under your shoulders. As you inhale, lower your stomach and lift your gaze as you arch your back into Cow Pose.

And as you exhale, reverse this movement, pulling your chin toward your chest and really widening through your upper back in Cat Pose. Move in and out of these two positions a few times.

Downward Facing Dog

Place your hands shoulder distance apart, tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back into Downward Facing Dog. You can absolutely keep your knees bent here. Maybe you can kick it out and alternate bending one knee while trying to encourage that heel toward the mat, extending through the back of your leg, then switching sides.

Lunge twist

Lift your right leg toward the sky, bend your right knee, open your hip and step forward with your right foot between your hands. Keep your left hand on the mat as you perform a twist by reaching your right arm toward the sky and stacking your right shoulder over your left shoulder. Keep breathing for a moment.

Variation in pyramid pose

Bring your right hand or fingertips to the mat, straighten your right leg and slide your hips back toward the wall behind you in a variation of Pyramid Pose (Parsvottanasana) with your back heel raised. To intensify the stretch along the back of your front leg, flex your front foot.

Low dropout

Bend your front knee, lower your back knee to the mat and come into a Low Lunge. To intensify the stretch, reach back with your right hand and pull the left heel toward you for a quad stretch. Try to keep your hips low and pointed forward.

Half splits

Release the back heel if you have one and bring your hands to the mat. Straighten your right leg again, drop your hips back and bend forward while keeping a flat back in Half Splits. Flex your front foot.

Repeat that same little sequence two more times. So start with your Lunge Twist, then Pyramid Pose Variation, Half Splits. Repeat it again.

Plank pose

After your final half split on your right side, bend your front knee and step back into Plank Pose.

Cobra

Slowly lower yourself all the way down to the mat, with your palms resting against your chest. Press down with your hands to lift your chest as much or as little as you want in Cobra.

Downward Facing Dog

Then come back to Downward Dog. Release your neck here. Notice how this Down Dog feels different than the first time you did it.

Repeat the same sequence on the second side, perhaps replacing Cobra by going to Chaturanga and coming to Up Dog.

Child’s pose

Lower your knees to the mat, bring your big toes together, place your knees as wide as you want, press your hips toward your heels, and bring your chest toward the mat in child’s pose. Try to slow down your breathing.

Sit in silence

Walk in with your hands and slowly sit down in a way that is comfortable for you. Close your eyes and pause here for as long as you can. Thank you everyone so much for this 10 minute morning yoga excercise for a full-body workout with me. I hope you feel more energetic and comfortable in your body.