An expert yoga teacher recommends doing this quick, four-pose yoga flow to get ready for the day

The days are finally getting longer and spring is around the corner, but you might find that your energy levels are still quite low thanks to cold weather and dark mornings. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to give yourself a boost. 

This grounding yoga flow will raise your energy levels and mentally prepare you for the day ahead. You can do it first thing in the morning or throughout the day whenever you need a refresher. 

"One of the benefits of yoga is that it can encourage sustained and focused movement that can help clear stagnation and boost your endorphins, helping you to feel more energized," explains Nick Higgins, co-founder and head of teaching at Hotpod Yoga. "This energizing flow helps to wake and freshen up the body and mind in the morning and early afternoon."

"Repeat this flow on each side, moving with your breath. It's a dynamic sequence that builds strength, balance, and flexibility while energizing the body. Tune inwards, observing your body, and the sensations, and breathe smoothly and steadily through your nose. Modify the poses as needed," advises Higgins.

Nick Higgins

Nick has been teaching yoga for over 10 years and is one half of Hotpod Yoga’s founding duo. Nick’s classes and teaching focus on the mental and physical aspects of yoga. In charge of developing and managing the quality of teaching across the Hotpod Yoga network, he has helped hundreds of teachers develop their teaching techniques and effectively bring their personalities to their classes.

How to do the flow

• Vinyasa
• Reverse warrior
• Extended side angle
• Half moon pose

The exercises

1. Vinyasa 

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• From your hands and knees, tuck your toes and lift your bottom to come into a down-facing dog, which looks much like a capital "A" shape. Gently pad your feet up and down, feeling the backs of your legs ease, warming up your ankles, and waking your toes. Roll your shoulders away from each other, and shake your head out a bit.
• Come forward to a high plank, then drop the knees, and tops of the feet, and hover down to the floor into a low plank position, 
• Push through the arms and lift up into a cobra pose, where you’re activating your back and opening your chest slightly. 
• Draw the bottom back and move through to a child’s pose, curling your toes and lifting back up to a down-facing dog.

2. Reverse warrior 

• From the down-facing dog position, step your right foot forward between your hands. Spin your back foot around at a 45-degree angle, aligning heel to arch. 
• Raise your arms up and then bring them parallel to the floor keeping your right knee bent directly over your ankle. Flip the front palm then draw the arm up, pointing toward the sky, and the back hand down, drawing to the back leg.
• Keep bending into your front leg. You should feel the inside of your back leg open up. Keep pressing through the back foot, activating the back leg, breathe, and focus on your breathing.

3. Extended side angle 

• From the reverse warrior pose, lower your right forearm to your right thigh. Extend your left arm overhead, reaching your fingertips toward the front of the room.
• Keep your torso open and extended, with your chest facing forward. You can stay here or reach your left arm over your head, parallel to the floor, creating a straight line from your left heel to your left fingertips.
• Breathe through your nose to help soften the body into position, and relax your face.

4. Half moon pose 

• From the extended side angle, shift your weight onto your right foot, and straighten your right leg. Lift your left leg parallel to the floor, keeping your left foot flexed. 
• Extend your left arm towards the ceiling, stacking your shoulders. Keep your hips and chest open as you find balance and length in the pose.
• Step your left foot back down, and bring your hands down to either side of your foot, stepping back into a plank pose. 
• Move through the Vinyasa again, hovering down through a plank pose, breathing in as you lift into a cobra. Draw your tummy in and lift back to a down-facing dog.

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