10 Dorm Friendly Yoga Poses
January 24, 2020
Written By Crystal Conway, Yoga Instructor
If you’re anything like me, attending a yoga class can, at times, be the highlight of your day. Knowing that a time is coming up for you to move dynamically, breathe deeply, and challenge yourself toward achieving poses is invigorating and can keep you coming back for more. Below are some of my favorite poses to do throughout the day when I just need a little extra mobility and stability in my life outside of the classroom. Feel free to practice these as a morning routine, study break, or pampering evening with your roommates to create more balance in your day.
Thunderbolt (Vajrasana) with Arms Reaching
Reaching your arms up overhead is great way to wake up in the morning! I recommend coming into kneeling pose where you sit on your heels with your knees bent underneath you. Then, you reach your arms up over head and lengthen the spine and arms. Inhale as you reach your arms up to the ceiling and exhale as you bring them back down. Try adding a side bend here with one arm reaching up and over your ear at a time. You can practice this first thing when you wake up before getting out of bed to get you energized for the day!
Cat/Cow (Marjarvasana/Bitilasana)
Cat and Cow pose is another great morning stretch or can be implemented any time of the day! Come onto your hands and knees into a tabletop position. Inhale as you dip your belly toward the floor turning your gaze upward and opening up your chest for the front of the room finding cow pose. Exhale as you press into the hands pulling the belly button in toward your spine as your back rounds and gaze goes toward your belly for cat pose. Continue moving with your breath for as many rounds as you would like.
Downward Facing Dog (Adho Muhka Svanasana)
You will need some space on the floor for this pose. A great way to get into downward facing dog is to go from a plank on your hands and feet to sending your hips up and back toward the wall behind you. You are working on keeping a downward slope from your tailbone to the crown of your head. Relax the ears by your biceps and breathe deeply. Work on lowering your heels toward the floor or press one heel down at a time pedaling through the feet. An inversion like this one improves blood circulation and helps release tension from muscles around the spine.
Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
Stand with your legs wide apart, front toes are facing the front of the room, and back toes are facing the side wall. Start to bend into the front knee working to create a 90-degree angle with the front leg. Arms are held out straight over the legs as you engage the core and breathe.
Lizard Pose (Utthan Pristhasana)
Lizard pose is a great hip opener so here are some steps to take to find the pose at your desired stretch. Come into a low lunge bringing your hands on the floor to the inside of the front leg. If you would like to lower the back knee down, you can. Next, if you would like to lower your forearms to the mat you can do so as well. Whatever variation you take of this pose hold it to release tension at your hips while taking full breaths.
Boat Pose (Paripurna Navasana)
Boat pose is a great way to activate your core and find balance. Sitting down with your feet planted on the floor begin to reach your arms for the front of the room. Slowly lean back at an angle while keeping a proud chest. Lift and straighten one leg and then the other up into the air creating a “v” shape. You have the option to bend your knees here keeping your shins in line with the floor. Hold here and breathe and you will feel your core working as you stabilize the body.
Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose (Viparita Karani)
If your bed is up against a wall this is a great pose to do in your room on your bed. Sit as close as you can to the wall and lengthen your legs up straight on the wall as you lie down. Relax the eyes as you breathe allowing gravity to pull the blood flow from your lower extremities back to the heart for improved circulation.
Rabbit Pose (Sasakasana)
Rabbit pose is a great way to stretch your back and strengthen your abdomen. Come back into a kneeling pose and lower your forehead to the floor in front of your knees. Reach by your sides for your heels and lift your hips up to the ceiling as you come onto the top of your head. Breathe here and work on rounding the back to feel the stretch along your back and between the shoulder blades.
Child’s Pose (Balasana)
Starting in kneeling pose reach your arms on the floor in front of you and rest your head on the floor. Child’s pose is a great way to wing down from your day and check in with your breath and stress levels.
Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Lie on your back on your bed or the floor with your hands by your side palms face upward. Here, you may begin to slow down the breath as you deepen your inhales and exhales.
Interested in yoga but don’t even know where to begin? Sign up for our free Fundamentals of Yoga workshop this Saturday, January 25 from 10 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. here.