Before kids, I loved power yoga. Not Bikram or anything, but just some good, warm vinyasa flow. I did yoga all throughout my first pregnancy, but completely lost my mojo when I found myself pregnant with my second child 6 months after giving birth to my first. Now that my youngest is two years old, I’ve started attending yoga classes again. Getting back into the swing of things is a little slow, but I am really enjoying coming back to my practice.
If you are just coming back an awareness of your body, have recently started working out again, or just want to infuse a little energy into your day, stopping to do a few yoga poses might be just what you need. I am not a certified adult yoga instructor (I am certified to teach kids!), but I thought I’d just pass on to you some of my favorite yoga poses — from one mom to another!
Cat/Cow
Other than Easy Pose, I find this one of the most useful poses for slowing down breath and creating calmness. It also has, shall we say, gastrointestinal benefits. The kind you might need if you had too many beans. I did this one a lot during pregnancy for those sharp trapped-air pains. I think you get the idea.
Start on your hands and knees, hands over wrists and hips over knees. Your back should be in a flat, neutral position. Take a deep breath and on your exhale, arch your back up into a curved spine, dropping your head for Cat. On the next inhale, slowly unbend your spine and take your tailbone up for Cow. When we teach kids to do this move, we tell them to say the word “lovely” as they go from Cat to Cow. You can use any word you like if you choose to speak at all. I highly recommend something positive and encouraging, if you do!
Downward Dog
Probably the most popular yoga pose, and for good reason. It really actively stretches every major muscle. Start on your hands and knees. Lift your bottom up and straighten your legs as much as you can with your arms also straightening. You’ll look like an upside-down “V”. Drop your head and really deepen your breathing here, sending breath and relaxation down your knees so they will loosen and unbend, bringing the heels of your feet to the ground. Your heels might not fully touch the ground, and that’s OK.
Plank
You can come into plank from Downward Dog by lifting your head and shoulders and shifting your weight forward. You’ll recognize this position as the “up” portion of a push-up. Plank is a fabulous position to hold as long as you can because it really engages your abs and strengthens your core. Press back into your heels. Your arms are also being challenged. Make sure you pull your shoulders back and away from your ears.
After you’ve done a little stretching, it’s always good to end with a little Child’s Pose. The hardest part is not falling asleep on the floor!
Namasté to you all, mamas!
Do you have any favorite yoga poses you’d like to share?
