Yoga Stretches: AM Wake-Up Workout!

Hi Everyone! I can't wait to share my all new Yoga Stretches: AM Wake-Up Workout with you! It's no secret that I love yoga - it's so good for you, and is a great way to balance out the cardio and strength training that is so vital for overall health. That balance is the core of my LifeFit 360 10-Week Whole Body Plan: a mix of workouts to keep your heart healthy, your muscles strong, and your body toned and lean and flexible. If you haven't yet, give it a try today - start your 7-day free trial!

And make sure to try this Yoga Stretches: AM Wake-Up Workout this week - it is only 10 minutes, and is a GREAT way to start the day! This workout is a combination of yoga and Pilates, and will wake you up! It includes a variety of yoga stretches and poses, such as Plank, Down Dog, Chaturanga, and one of my favorites, the Pigeon Pose. I think you will love this combination, so join me!

Let's get fitter together - inside and out!

Denise

P.S. If you want more yoga and yoga stretches, try my 7-Day Yoga Refresh Challenge, available to my LifeFit 360 Members!

Yoga Stretches: AM Wake-Up Workout

Yoga Stretches Video Transcript:

It's Denise Austin. This is my favorite am stretch, a little combination of yoga and Pilates. This is something I do the first thing when I wake up in the morning. It will get you energized and let you feel so relaxed. Let's begin by lifting the chest. Open up. Inhale. Good morning. That's it. And exhale, stretch forward again. Inhale, open up your chest. Oh, it feels so good, and release, and then let your legs flow side to side, getting the energy to flow through the body. Oxygen equals energy. Inhale, exhale. What a great way to warm up that body, feeling good. Wake up workout. That's it. It's only 10 minutes, but you will feel so ready for the day. Give you a positive energy, great attitude. Last one, and now we stretch. Lift up and over, stretch it out. That's it. Elongate the spine. Beautiful spine stretch. Wake it up.

That's it. And to the other side where you'll wake up, happy every morning with our 10 minute am stretching, yoga and Pilates, that's it stretched to the other side. Now keeping your back flat, trying to stretch out through the back and your legs. Hold it down and do a little spinal twist. That's it. Stomach is in, back is straight and strong. That's beautiful. Stretching your legs, great circulation to your legs. Hold that stretch, and now slowly bend both knees. Let me see that smiling face beautiful and turn to the side, and let's begin stretching through a beautiful Warrior Pose. Bring your arms up if you're ready, stretch and elongate the spine. The spine is your lifeline. Keep it healthy. Keep it strong, and now slowly bringing your hands all the way to the floor and stretch out through the legs. So good for your thighs, your buttocks, your back.

Okay, and let's drop that back knee, sitting up nice and tall. Stretch your spine and release. Beautiful. Let's go to the other side. Walk yourself all the way to the other side. Bend that front knee slowly come all the way up. Stretch it out to Crescent Pose. That's it. Lift through the chest. If you're not ready quite yet, you could place your hands on your thighs for extra support. Lifting your arms up, pulling your abs up in, in, keeping your back nice and strong for the day, and bring your hands down and stretch it out. That's it. And now drop the back knee and slowly sit up, nice and tall. This is so great for our hip flexors, so important for the day to keep them healthy. That's it. And take it all the way down. Sitting up nice and tall. We're going to stretch the body all the way to the side.

Lift up and out, stretch and tone. That's it. And release. And now let's begin with a little Pilates move. Place your back nice and straight and strong. And let's do little baby leg lifts. Simple but so effective. Working the sides of the waistline, accent as well as your outer thighs. Lift and lower. Beautiful. Trying to pull your stomach in. That's it. Rib cage in, lift and lower. Last one. Hold it. That's beautiful. And now bring it forward and stretch it back. Little Pilates, but so important for the whole body. Circulation is what helps heal your body. Giving you a beautiful day, working your legs, your abs, your arms, the whole body. Getting the energy to flow to every cell of the body to feel good for the whole day. We got one more. Last one. Squeeze the buttocks. Tighten that tushie! Perfect. Okay. To the other side.

Thinking about good posture again. Stretch up, lift up. Beautiful. Hold it up there. Great and stretch it out. Lift it up how low, long can you stretch? Lift and release. Bring your legs together. Lift the top leg and release. That's it. Just little baby lifts. Always think about the sides of your waistline too, right here. Don't let it droop down, you're thinking tall. You're thinking good posture for the day. That's it. Start it now in the morning and it carries you through the whole day. Have a good attitude, positive energy, feeling good. Got one more. Lift up and pull it forward and take it back. Squeeze the buttocks. That's it. This has really tightened up the tushie area. We all need right? Look great from behind. Really squeeze in Pilates and think about good posture. That's it. We got two more. Last one. Take it back and squeeze the buttocks tighten the tushie, lift up, up, up, up.

Perfect. Okay. Sitting up nice and tall. We're going to first start with the deep breath in and out, and now placing your hands forward for they'll lift your hips up. If you can, lift up up, hold it up there. Beautiful strong arms and bodies. You are worth it! And take it back down. Great. Inhale up, take a deep breath. Exhale out. Place your hands forward, lifting up your hips, hold, hold. That's it, and slowly release. Now it's time to work on the back of the body to open up your chest. First exercise is Superman, bringing your hands out to the sides were squeezing our buttocks and we're lifting up. Squeeze the buttocks. Lift your chest, hold it up. They're great for your back. Great for your spine. Takes you strong throughout the day and release. Let's do it one more time.

Ready now, lift it up, lift it up, hands behind you. Great. Pull your tummy in. That's it. Squeeze your buttocks. Lift your chest and improve your posture and release. Push yourself all the way up to a down dog. Now. First plank, and then the hips rise up, stretch out, and just bicycle and outburst. Just reach your heels down, heels. down, that's it. Stretch your back. Stretch through the strong arms and hamstrings. Beautiful. Now can you hold it there? Hold it, hold it, hold it hips up. You can bend your knees if you just feel like you can't this morning. Every is different, and come on back down to our beautiful plank. Squeeze the tummy tight up the tushy. Hold it here. Now slowly, if you're a beginner, go down to your knees, slowly Chaturanga and push up all the way up. Beautiful. Let's come all the way up again to our tippy toes.

Again, plank pose to Down Dog. Hold that stretch. Hips up. Elongate your legs. Go for it. If you're going to wear heels today, get them ready and slowly come back down. Plank Pose. Squeeze the buttocks and Chaturanga. Notice my elbow. Stay close to the body, that's it, and push up to Up Dog. And now slowly release that. Stretch out the spine. And now we're in beautiful pose right here to relax the low back, Child's Pose. Hold it and relax, and slowly come up, sitting up nice and tall. Lift your chest up and let's work on this spot. Lift up, inhale and exhale lift up, feel the buttock stretch. Bring yourself all the way around and spinal twist. Beautiful. Stretch up your spine, this lifting up. That's it. Really stretch good posture and take with you throughout the day. It's beautiful feeling stretched, but yet energized. And release, let's switch sides.

Bring your other foot in front and bring your elbow in front of you can use that strength to twist better. That's it. Twist, great strapped twist. That's it. Feel the length through the spine. Tummy is in, relax your back. Twist. That's it. Beautiful. You got it. One last stretch, my favorite, such a ball. It's called Pigeon, so bring your leg in front of you like this and stretch it out and finish with a nice stretch in front. Feel it opens up your hips for the day, gives you energy, and switch legs. These are all the best exercise to do every morning when you wake up. I do this each morning and you will feel so good. That's it, and let me see your beautiful smiling face. Take a great deep cleansing breath together. Inhale and exhale out. Beautiful. Have a wonderful day. You can do it.