All of us have experienced feeling drained and sluggish at one point or another, Some days I wake up feeling tired and in need of a boost but dont have any energy to do a work out or anything too dramatic. This is where I love some of the simplicity of yoga for its powerful response from some simple postures, sometimes less is more! Here’s my top tips and the best energising yoga poses to try.

The benefits of yoga

One of the many benefits of practising yoga is the opportunity to observe and notice how you are feeling physically, energetically and mentally at any given moment. I’ve rounded up some of my favourite yoga postures in this short sequence to help awaken and energise on those days you need an extra boost. Practising these energising yoga poses can actually increase blood flow to the skin, as well as benefiting the entire body. Some are reasonably simple, others might be more for the seasoned Yogi.

Plus, the natural improvement in your breathing, stress levels and immune system from your practice will also benefit your complexion and give you that rosy, refreshed glow. Rather than reaching for a coffee, give this sequence a go and let me know how you feel afterwards! 

Malasana (deep squat) 

What are the benefits?

Malasana is an all-round power pose, because it hits the spine, hips, ankles and feet all in one go. It requires a good degree of flexibility in the feet and ankles to get your heels down to the floor, it extends your hip flexors if they’ve become shortened and tight from sitting on a chair for hours, and it lengthens the spine and opens the upper back. 

Instructions: 

Start standing with your feet slightly wider than hips-width apart. Turn your heels in and toes out, and then drop down into a full squat. If your heels don’t touch the ground, try taking a wider stance or placing a block or two under your seat for support. Dip your chest down as you snuggle your shoulders into the inside of your thighs. Bring your palms together in front of your heart and press firmly as you broaden your upper chest. This action will open your hips and chest. Maintain the stance of your legs from the first pose. Tuck your thumbs into the centre of your palms and wrap your remaining fingers around your thumbs. Lift your fists up into the air, extending your arms straight and shoulder-width apart. Engage your core to draw your torso as long and straight as possible to keep your spine long.

Revolved Malasana

What are the benefits?

This is a great variation on Malasana that helps to open up the chest and the shoulders, while developing your upper back (T-spine) mobility, plus it has all the other benefits of Malasana above. 

Instructions: 

Drop your hands back to the ground and extend your right arm straight out in front of your right shin. Extend your left arm straight above you, following the same plane of alignment as your right arm, up and away from your base hand on the diagonal.

Revolve your chest open by pressing your right arm into your thigh, and continue extending the left arm actively. Gaze toward your top hand, or down at the ground if there’s strain in your neck. Stay here or if you’d like a deeper variation, proceed to the next energising yoga pose.

Twisted Downward Dog

What are the benefits?

Like traditional downward dog, but with a twist (literally). This pose works to twist the spine, stomach, shoulders and waist, which stimulates the digestive system and the circulation. Having the head lower than the legs also sends a rush of blood to the head which makes us feel energised. 

Instructions: 

From downward dog, take your right hand over to your left ankle. You might want to walk the feet a bit further towards your hands to make it easier to reach. Start to bend your right elbow and pull yourself deeper into the twist and look under your right arm. Stay here for 3 full breaths, then switch side. 

Wild Thing

What are the benefits?

Wild Thing is essentially a backbend, which are the most invigorating type of yoga poses because they open the entire spine and chest and energise the whole body, increasing the circulation to the heart. 

Instructions:

From Downward Dog, lift your right leg and arm and pivot on your left foot. Spin your torso and hips open to the ceiling, and lower your right foot down to the inside of your left foot. Reach your right arm toward the wall behind you. Keep your feet parallel to each other, pressing firmly into the floor. Return to Downward Dog and do Flip Dog on the other side.

High Crescent Lunge

What are the benefits?

This is one of my favourite energising yoga poses which lengthens the hip flexors and the spine, creating more space in the upper back and in the shoulders, opening the chest and strengthening the thighs. 

Instructions:

From Downward Facing Dog, inhale to look forward and as you exhale, step your right foot forward between your hands.  Align your right heel directly below your knee. Be sure that your feet are hip-width distance apart.

Inhale and lift your torso and arms high towards the sky. Fix your gaze on a point in front of you to help with your balance. Continue to take slow deep breaths here.

Anchor down through your front heel and simultaneously lift your lower belly in and up and lengthen your tailbone down towards the floor. Lift your chest towards the ceiling and soften your front ribs into your body. Reach up actively through your arms and fingertips while allowing the sides of your neck and tops of your shoulders to relax. Stay here for 5 full rounds of breath. Release your hands down, step back to downward facing dog and repeat on the left side.

Locust Pose

What are the benefits?

Locust pose is one of those great energising yoga poses for strengthening the muscles of the lower back and the glutes, as well as increasing the flexibility of the lower back. Being a backbend, it’s an energising pose as it stimulates the whole of the front body. 

Instructions:

Lie on your belly with your arms alongside your torso, palms facing the ceiling. Position your legs and feet hip-width distance apart. Rest your forehead on the floor and take a few deep breaths. Interlace your hands behind your back or hold a strap (or towel) between your hands. Roll your shoulder heads up and away from the floor and widen across your collar bones. Press your feet down into the mat as you reach your sternum forward and up until your head, chest and shoulders are lifting off of the floor. Keep your gaze slightly forward and down so the back of your neck stays long. On your inhale, lift your legs up away from the floor and reach strongly back through your toes. Stay here for 5 breaths. On an exhale, release the pose and rest your right cheek on the mat. Take a few breaths and repeat the pose two more times.

Bridge pose 

What are the benefits?

Bridge pose is a gentle backbend that energises the whole body, pushing the chest forwards and encouraging deeper breathing. It works to strengthen the glutes and quads, while increasing the flexibility of the entire middle and lower spine. 

Instructions:

Lie supine on the floor, and if necessary, place a thickly folded blanket under your shoulders to protect your neck. Bend your knees and set your feet on the floor, heels as close to the sitting bones as possible. Exhale and, pressing your inner feet and arms actively into the floor, push your tailbone upward toward the pubis, firming (but not hardening) the glutes, and lift the buttocks off the floor. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel. Clasp the hands below your pelvis and extend through the arms to help you stay on the tops of your shoulders. Lift your hips off the floor until the thighs are about parallel to the floor. Keep your knees directly over the heels, but push them forward, away from the hips, and lengthen the tailbone toward the backs of the knees. Lift the pubis toward the navel. Breathe deeply into the stomach and chest and hold for 4 breaths before lowering down. 

Full Wheel

What are the benefits?

Full wheel is a really challenging, energising yoga pose that helps to build glute, arm and shoulder strength, shoulder and spine flexibility. It helps to expand the chest, lungs and shoulders, while stretching the hip flexors, muscles of the stomach and the wrists. I used to find this simple to do but with age find this more challenging and will often opt to repeat a bridge pose or do a shoulder stand.

Instructions:

Bring your hands alongside your ears, palms down, fingers facing your feet. Press your hands and feet down as you lift your hips and torso up. Straighten your arms and relax your head down. Breathe deeply into your upper chest, open your heart, and hold for 3 full breaths. If you’re not comfortable practising full wheel, you can practice Bridge pose again instead. 

I hope you enjoyed my energising yoga poses.

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