This 10-minute power yoga flow is designed to energize you for whatever lies ahead in the day ahead. It’s a fast-moving morning session that packs a lot of strength into your shoulders, back and core in a short time. The idea is to challenge yourself as much as possible during your energy yoga practice so that you can continue with that mindset throughout the day. Prepare to put some effort into Hovering Tabletop, Plank, High Lunge and twists in this powerful yoga practice – and then feel the rewards.
10-minute Power Yoga for energy that lasts all day
No props are needed for this sequence, although you can use blocks anywhere you like during your power yoga practice.
Sitting cat-cow variant
You’ll be carrying a lot of weight in your hands for the rest of the exercise, so you can give your wrists a break while you do a seated variation of Cat and Cow.
Start kneeling and sitting on your heels or cross-legged. Bring your arms straight out in front of you and bend your elbows 90 degrees. As you inhale, spread your arms wide in the shape of a cactus and lift your chest.
As you exhale, round your back, tuck your chin to your chest and bring your elbows together. So inhale to open as you keep the elbows raised and exhale as you rotate and draw your navel towards the spine. Take another pair of seated Cat and Cow like this one.
Seated wrist and forearm stretches
While still seated, reach your arms toward the ceiling, spread your fingers wide and open, and close your hands as quickly as you can. You’re trying to work the muscles along the forearms, although you’ll probably feel this in the backs of your hands and fingers as well.
Seated side stretch
Interlace your fingers, releasing only your index fingers. Cross one thumb over the other and continue to reach overhead as you bend to one side and try to push out through your other hip. Then lean to the other side.
Float from tabletop to plank to downward dog
Lean forward, bring your hands to the mat and rest on the table top with your hands more in front of your shoulders than normal. Get into a floating table position with a flat back by lifting your knees a few inches off the mat.
Inhale as you straighten your legs and slide forward into Plank.
Then exhale as you bend your knees and come back through the floating tabletop and into downward-facing dog. Repeat that a few times. So bend your knees and come into Floating Tabletop, inhale as you straighten your legs into Plank, exhale as you come into Downward Facing Dog. Keeping the core very strong and engaged, imagine hugging a beach ball between your upper arms, strengthening and tightening your shoulders as you try to keep a flat back. Do one more.
Three-legged dog heel lifts
Hold your downward facing dog. Shift your weight to your left foot and reach your right leg toward the sky. Keep it straight and your hips square on the mat. Lift your left heel off the mat and then lower it back down a few times, trying to keep your right leg nice and high and stable.
Running low dropout
Step your right foot forward between your hands so that your feet are hip-distance apart to help maintain your balance. Keep your back knee up and your left hand staying on the mat while your right arm reaches toward the sky.
Spinning high lunge
Hold this twist as you push your feet into the mat and use your core strength to lift yourself upright. Your right arm reaches back and your left arm extends forward in a Twisting High Lunge.
High lunge
Inhale as you extend your arms above your head in a classic High Lunge.
Leaning high
Exhale as you tilt your chest forward and reach your arms back into a leaning high lunge. Keep a generous bend in your right front knee and reach the crown of the head forward.
Snake pose
Exhale as you bring your hands to the mat, step your right foot back to meet the left and lower to your stomach. Inhale as you press your hands against the mat under your shoulders and lift your chest a little or a lot in Cobra Pose. Exhale as you tuck your toes, bend your knees and lift yourself back up to downward-facing dog.
Repeat the three-legged dog lifts, twisting lunges and leaning high lunge, cobra pose, then skip downward-facing dog in favor of child’s pose.
Child’s pose
From Cobra, press your hips back into Child’s Pose and, if you wish, bring your palms together, bend your elbows and bring your thumbs to the back of the head. You slow down your breathing here.
Seated twist
From child’s pose, straighten your arms and come to a sitting position with your legs straight in front of you. Sit comfortably tall and keep your left leg straight as you bend your right knee and step your right foot to the outside of your left leg. Think of pushing down through that right foot into your Seated Twist. Wrap your left arm around your right thigh, hug your right thigh toward your chest, and use this hug to lift yourself a little taller. Your right fingers will be on the mat behind you, letting them support you as you keep your hips forward as you twist to the right. Pull your right shoulder back. There is no slouching or curves here. Stay lifted and tall.
Baby wild thing
Come back to the center and look forward. Bring your right foot to the inside of your left thigh. Keep your right hand behind you and push your feet and right hand down as you lift into Baby Wild Thing. Reach your left arm across your head as you lift your hips as high as they go for a big side body stretch. Keep pushing through that left foot.
Release yourself to the mat and repeat the Seated Twist and Baby Wild Thing on the other side.
Seated silence
Sit in a way that feels comfortable for your hips and lower back. I usually don’t practice Savasana during morning classes because it can be tempting to fall back asleep. Instead, we sit up straight, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, in and out through your nose. Maybe you choose one word to use as your intention for the day.
As you sit in silence, notice the effects of your practice, even if it is only for a short time. Stay here as long as you can.
Thank you for doing this 10 minute power yoga for energy excercise with me. I hope you feel really good in your body and that you experience a boost of energy so that you feel ready to tackle the day ahead.
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