Hip hop and yoga fans, rejoice. In this video, certified yoga instructor Jaimee Ratliff shows us a flow which get you ready for the weekend or workday. Together with your favorite music in the background, this routine takes under Twenty minutes to accomplish. And while it motivates you, this practice also takes you via a stretching, relaxing movement that concentrates on your hips, hamstrings, and core. If you have 16 minutes to spare, you’ll love moving through that one. You are able to stick to the flow with a description from the moves below.
Warm up by placing the feet towards the top of your yoga mat, blanket, or towel. With feet hips-width apart and palms facing forward, have a few inhales through your nose and raise your shoulders up. Exhale as you bring shoulders down, and repeat about three times. Try keeping the eyes closed and hang your intention with this workout.
Reaching your arms into the sky, exhale and go into a forward fold, letting your head hang heavy. Shake your head “yes” or “no.” On the next inhale, bend your left knee and twist the body right, looking up toward heaven to feel a hamstring stretch. If searching for is uncomfortable, you can adjust by moving your gaze downward. Do this same movement on the opposite side.
Next, straighten your legs before stepping back into downward dog and letting your face hang heavy. Here, you can pedal your legs by bending your left, then right knees. After a couple big inhales and exhales, reach your right leg in mid-air and bend your knee. Move your knee in a circular motion after which reverse it. Extend your right leg into the sky so that as you exhale, swing your right leg in between both hands. Moving your knee forward and back, you should start to feel your hips “wake up.” Drop your left knee onto the ground, shift your butt to stretch your right hamstring and lean over your leg. As Ratliff says, remember to keep breathing.
Plant your right foot around the mat and get into a lizard pose by bringing your right hand to the inside your right foot. Then, transfer to a lunge. If it’s much more comfortable, you can look at your forearms. Have a big inhale, come back to deal with and heel-toe your right foot towards the inside of your left hand. Bringing your bent right leg into a pigeon pose, bend down and forward, and lean to your hips. After a couple of breaths, go back on your hands, tuck your left toes, and lift your right knee up. Within the same movement, swing your right leg into the sky and return to downward dog. Do this on the other side, starting with your left foot.
Are you feeling it yet? “Your hips might be screaming to you, but we’re gonna send some love back,” says Ratliff.
Once you’ve completed the flow in your left side, have a big inhale in downward dog and exhale. In your next inhale, shift your body forward into plank pose or lower to your knees. Reduce by hugging your elbows into your midline. Return to high plank after which downward dog. Do that 3 times.
When you’re in downward dog, reach your right leg to the sky, exhale, and swing it in between both of your hands. You’ll then shift right into a crescent lunge, lifting both hands towards the sky acquire the best up. Step your right foot back into downward dog and finish the routine on your left side, ensuring you retain knees stacked directly over your ankle.
From downward dog, bring the knees towards the mat, shift onto your butt, and swing your legs around in a cross-legged seated position. Get into boat pose by bringing your bent knees up. Crunches tall and if you are able to, lift up your arms into the sky. Bring your pointer and middle finger and put them around your big toe before stretches your legs. Exhale and slowly bring the feet back down onto the mat. Do the same position, after which extend your legs and lean back so you’re in a half-boat pose. Flutter-kick legs for 15 seconds and go back to your seated position. Return into the half-boat pose and scissor-kick legs for Ten seconds.
If you have made it this far, you’re nearing the end of the routine. Crunches tall with legs crossed, make sure the crown of the head is lifted toward the sky, and place one hand on your belly and also the other on your heart. At this point, Ratliff wants you to definitely check in together with your body.
“See how you feel now,” she says. “Feel this souped up that you just cultivated, return to your intention, have a big inhale with the nose, open the mouth thoroughly, another inhale and let it go.”
End with your palms facing up or down and resting on your legs. Seal your practice in a savasana-or however you’d like to celebrate the end of this regenerative hip hop practice.
