10-minute standing yoga that you can practice anywhere (no mat required)

This 10-minute yoga practice is a little different than most. Each of us has probably been in a situation where we don’t have a mat or props or not much space to exercise, but you still want to do a few stretches and some exercise. That’s what this 10-minute standing yoga sequence is designed for.

In this class everything is done standing. This sequence was actually requested by someone who wanted to do an exercise while traveling but didn’t want to touch the carpet in the hotel room, even though you can rely on it anywhere. At the office. Waiting for a parking lot. When you just don’t want to roll out your mat.

It’s also a good type of class to do if you just want to give your wrists and arms some rest, since there are no weight-bearing poses. And you still experience a good mix of balance, strength and flexibility training. You don’t actually lie on the floor, but you still work your entire body. A lot fits into those 10 minutes. And nothing else is needed but yourself.

10-minute standing yoga that you can practice anywhere

This is an all-levels exercise that requires no props. You don’t even need much space to practice.

Standing neck rolls

Start standing with your feet hip-distance apart in Mountain Pose. Then roll your shoulders down and away from your ears and do a few neck rolls. So you can lower one ear to one shoulder and roll your chin toward your chest until you move to the other side. You can tilt your head back slightly so that you stretch along the front of the throat, but pause before tilting your head all the way back.

Then reverse your semicircle, bringing your chin to your chest and back to the starting side. Continue doing this a few times, being mindful of your posture so that you don’t slouch or spin around. Take a few more laps and then reverse direction.

Standing side stretches

Slowly bring your head back to center and lift your chin. Extend your arms past your head, grasp your right wrist with your left hand and lean your upper body to the left while finding a small side bend. Think about almost pulling on your right arm to stretch it a little more. Push your right hip out to the side.

Then slowly lift back up and switch sides. Come back to the center.

Standing cat and cow with cactus arms

As you inhale, bend your elbows at approximately a 90-degree angle, lift them through the chest and squeeze your shoulder blades together in a slight backbend. As you exhale, round and contract. Try to isolate the movement in your upper back.

So inhale to lift, exhale to round. Do a few more rounds in this manner, keeping your elbows high.

Chair pose

Release your arms. Keep your feet hip-distance apart as you bend your knees, put your weight on your heels and extend your arms above your head in chair pose. Notice if your knees want to bend inward, toward each other, and make sure they reach forward. Drop a little lower.

Standing forward bend

Drop yourself forward into Rag Doll or a Standing Forward Bend, without actually touching the floor. You can keep your fingertips on your shins and absolutely bend your knees.

Half way up

Inhale as you lift yourself halfway and bring your fingertips to your legs. Lengthen your spine with a flat back in Halfway Lift.

Standing forward bend

Exhale as you fold forward again into a standing forward bend. Let your head be heavy.

Find the chair position again. Then exhale and bend forward. Lift it halfway and press your fingertips against your shins with a flat back. Then exhale, release and fold down. Return to chair pose. Then press up to stand.

Standing balancing position

From a standing position, pull your right knee toward your chest and grasp it. We’re going to work on the balance a bit here. So focus your gaze straight ahead on something that is not moving. Try not to dig your left toes into the floor. Instead, extend through your left leg.

Standing balance twist

Stay here or add a twist by holding your right knee with your left hand and reaching your right arm toward the back of the mat. Lengthen your spine a little more and keep your hips pointed forward as you rotate your chest to the right.

Standing Quad Stretch

From here, find a quad stretch by keeping your right knee bent and releasing it toward the mat and grabbing your right foot behind you, with one or both hands. Think about lengthening your tailbone to the mat, pulling your lower abdomen in, and pulling your right heel toward you. Continue opening through your chest. Breathe here.

Release it slowly and shake it out. Then practice the same on the other side. So stand up straight in your Standing Balancing Pose and maybe add a twist. Then take a Standing Quad Stretch.

Warrior 2

Step your left leg back into a Warrior 2 position, point your right knee straight forward and keep your left foot parallel to what would be the short edge of the mat. Bend your front knee and extend your arms straight out from your shoulders. Remember to push your right knee open.

Reverse warrior

Invert your Warrior by bringing your left hand down and your right arm up in a big side body stretch. Keep your front knee bent in Reverse Warrior.

Extended side angle

Come back through Warrior 2 and into the Extended Side Angle by bringing your right forearm onto your front thigh. Reach your right arm above your head in a diagonal line from your left foot to your left fingertips.

Slowly come all the way back up, straighten your legs, turn your right toes in and turn your left foot out as you bend your left knee to take Warrior 2 on the other side. Then take Reverse Warrior and Extended Side Angle on the other side.

Goddess poses

Come back to a completely upright position, straighten your legs, bring both heels in and point your toes outward. Circle your arms nice and wide, and as you exhale, bend your knees and find a deep squat with your hands on your heart. Remember to press your knees open as you lower your hips down. Repeat several times, inhaling to lift, exhaling to lower. Keep your shoulders above your hips.

Goddess Turn

Holding the God hold, place your hands on your thighs, lower your right shoulder and pull your left shoulder back through the upper body in a twist. Switch sides.

Wide-legged standing forward bend

Return to center, straighten your legs and turn your toes in so that your feet are parallel. Bring your hands to your hips, inhale and lift and extend your spine. Exhale and bend forward, finding your wide-legged standing forward bend. Maybe grab your ankles as you reach the crown of your head toward the mat, bending your elbows away from each other and feeling a stretch through the hamstrings. Breathe here.

Standing side bend

Return your hands to your hips, engage your quads and lift your kneecaps as you slowly stand up. Bring your legs back together. Make one final side bend, grasp your right wrist with your left hand as in the beginning, but this time also step your right foot behind your left hand and push your hips to the right. Come back through the middle and switch sides.

Let go, roll your shoulders, and this is where I leave you after your 10 minute yoga excercise. Hopefully you feel better after that standing yoga flow.