BeFiT Beginners Yoga - Beginners Yoga Stretching & Flexibility Workout _ Level 1- Kino MacGregor

Hi , everyone .

It's Tina mcgregor for Be Fit beginner's yoga series .

This segment is about beginner's yoga for flexibility .

Now , if you feel super stiff and inflexible , you're the perfect person to start yoga , you don't need to be really flexible in order to begin .

In fact , the more you are , the more stuck you feel , the more possibility for change and transformation .

I was in flexible when I started .

But yoga has made me flexible with many years of practice .

So if you feel frustrated or if you feel like you're not able to do the postures , remember you don't need to do it on your first go .

Yoga is a personal practice that you develop over your entire life .

So relax , be calm , practice a happy attitude of acceptance and then your body will open nice and easy throughout your daily practice , come to a comfortable seated position and we'll go ahead and begin , start off by firming your pelvic floor because that will support the core muscles of the body .

And when you find your strength in your core , then everything else is nice , easy and relaxed .

So inhale a nice long inhalation and then exhale , taking your hands in prayer , inhale and then exhale , easy fold forward and we're just gonna pivot through the hips .

Take your head on the ground .

This easy forward fold will help release your back .

If your head isn't on the ground or your hands aren't on the ground , no problem .

Just go as far as you can stay for a few breaths , then inhale and just come all the way up .

So we went forward , knock him your hands in prayer .

Inhale , easy , roll your spine , lift your chest , take your hands back behind you , lean back and straighten your arms and look up for an easy spinal extension .

Roll the shoulders forward to create the space for your neck .

Take a few breaths here and then drop your head forward , spin it all the way back and back to the center .

So we went forward and we went backward .

Now we're gonna go to the side .

So move over to the right side , take your right hand out , then inhale , lift your left arm above your head and then exhale .

Easy .

Go over to the side .

Nice and easy .

Try not to bend from your rib cage , but bend from deep inside of your pelvis .

Gaze towards your left fingers , hold it there , feel the whole side body releasing inhale and then exhale , twist it down and over to the side .

Keep gazing at your left fingers , hold it there for a moment and then inhale again .

Come to extension in hell , back to the center and relax .

Now , we're gonna go to the left side , inhale from the depths of your pelvic floor easily over .

Take your left hand on the ground .

Then in , he'll extend your arm .

Keep it nice and steady gazing at your right fingers and really lift from the center of your body , not from your rib cage but from deep within your pelvis .

Stay here for a few breaths .

Lean it easy and down and then he'll twist it over .

So you can begin to get the fluidity through your whole body .

Keep the belly sucked in and gaze towards your right little finger .

Stay for a few breaths , relax in the neck , no tension in your neck and he'll extend it up , inhale again all the way back up .

So with that little easy movement , we found the movement through , forward , backward and the whole body .

When your spine is flexible , you'll feel younger , there'll be more energy in your whole body .

Let's see if we can find that increased energy flow into some yoga postures .

So come on to your hands and knees easy for a moment .

Nice long inhalation .

And as you exhale lie all the way down on your stomach , lying down on the stomach , take your hands back beside your hips and rest your chin down .

Be sure not to twist your neck over to the side .

It's gonna be really tempting to watch me doing this .

So maybe have a look and then try yourself , but don't twist your neck , keep it nice and forward , then engage both of your quadri .

So your quads are nice and firm knee pops up then inhale , lift your right leg and we're gonna hold that for five breaths .

One , two , you should feel your iliac crest , your right hip bone pressing into the ground .

The back muscles are nice and firm and the pelvic floor is engaged three , your left leg is engaged to create foundation four and five .

Now , some little up and down .

Go down , inhale , take it up .

We're gonna do that five times .

Exhale down , inhale , take it up , exhale down three more times .

Inhale up , exhale down in , he'll engage your leg , lift it with your back .

Exhale down one more time and he'll take it up , exhale down .

Ok .

Now we're gonna do the left side , chin down , roll the shoulders forward , suck in the lower belly , press the left iliac crest , the left hip bone down and inhale leg up from your right thigh and hold it for 51 .

Don't care about how high your leg goes .

Just be with your body .

Two .

What you're beginning to understand right now is that flexibility is actually the strength to support the full range of motion in your body .

Four and five .

Exhale down , inhale , take it up , point your left toes , exhale down , inhale up , exhale down , inhale up a suit two more times easy .

Take it down , use your leg muscles all the way up , exhale down , inhale , take it up and all the way down .

Good job or relax everything down .

Now , come up onto your elbows , we're gonna move into a posture called cobra .

So , what I like to do whenever you're working with flexibility , start off from a happy place .

Don't get frustrated with yourself , don't push , just be happy .

Imagine yourself at the beach .

It's a beautiful day at the beach .

There's no care in the world .

Everything .

Ah , happy relax .

You're resting on your elbows because your view is beautiful .

Then in that happy space of relaxation , slowly start to engage your muscles , lift your kneecaps , press your elbows into the ground and lift the center of your chest forward and we will stay here for five breaths .

One , your butt muscles are soft .

So don't squeeze your butt .

Kneecaps are up off of the ground and the spine is elongating forward , then press your elbows into the ground and begin to drag your sternum forward .

33 , four .

And you should feel your middle back really engaging .

This is a great movement to help relieve any tension that comes from working , hunched over at your desk because we're beginning to extend the back and create elongation on all of the spinal joints through the whole back and through the whole body and then exhale release and then , then I'm gonna do it again again .

Happy place .

Of relaxation .

Everything is good .

Lift your knee caps from the pelvic floor press and lift from that happy space of relaxation .

All possible .

Then a little bit more activation , lean and drag it forward .

So if you can go a little bit deeper , engage your back muscles , just a little bit more , use your strength to support the full range of motion .

Inhale and lift .

Keep the belly sucked in like your belly's lifting , lifting , lifting , lifting in towards the center and then exhale all the way down .

Good .

Now , roll your hands back , lift your kneecaps again .

We're gonna combine these two motions , then bring your feet together and then inhale , lift both legs as both legs are lifted , keep your butt muscle soft .

So try not to squeeze your butt too much or you could compress your lower back , then inhale , extend the chest forward , pull your fingers back and just easily lift your chest .

Don't try to pop your legs super high .

Create length in the body .

I'm gonna hold this for 51 steady .

Two , keep your mind soft .

Three point your toes or , and five easy all the way down .

Good hands forward , bend your knees into your chest .

We just work the back muscles .

So we also need to release them easy .

Child's post , inhale , exhale down .

Now in child's post to help the back release , squeeze your knees together and come a little up , hold it there for a moment , then curl your toes under , inhale , exhale downward .

Basically , one long inhalation , one long exhalation settle in downward facing dog .

Then turn the right left foot out and inhale .

Sends your right foot forward as you send the right foot forward , send your right knee in alignment with your right ankle .

Then warrior one inhale , raise your arms above your head and press your palms and we're going to hold this for five breaths .

One , feel your foundation .

Two suck the belly in be steady and strong and lift up out of the space of your pelvis .

The re create space in your shoulders , use your strength to support your flexibility for and five hands in prayer .

Inhale , exhale hands down to the ground .

Now come down onto your left knee , pause for a moment and get comfortable in this lunging position .

Engage your quadri , press your feet into the ground , then suck the belly in .

Hold on to your right thigh .

Inhale , exhale inwardly , rotate your right hip joint to create space around your pelvic floor .

Then inhale and exhale , fold your body down and just fold easy and around .

Now , you might have a hard time reaching your hand to the ground .

You could take a block and rest your hand on the block or you could take your fingertips to the ground , getting your torso around your thighs a great movement to create detoxification of the inner organs and really build on your flexibility .

So , pause here , hang out here .

Then for those of you who are a little more flexible , you could put your hand on the ground .

That's all .

Just stay here for a moment and hang out in the hip joint .

Then inhale , take your hand up and then exhale extended over , nice , steady and strong .

It's as simple as a twisted lunge , then lean slowly forward and lift your whole body into that deep stretch .

Stay for a moment and feel the line from your right fingers all the way across to your left toes .

Then exhale , sink down all the way around , hands forward .

Then easy step back , downward , facing dog , breathe and downward , facing dog long inhalation , long inhalation , turn the right foot in inhale .

Step , the left foot forward , come down into that lunging position .

That's the foundation of where you want .

Now where you're one , press your right heel into the ground , get that right quad totally strong .

This is your foundation .

The foundation creates the base so that you can inhale and lift upward .

Feel the lang through the whole body and we will stay here for five breaths .

One , the stronger you are in this posture , posture , the easier the twist will become two , three , lift , use your power , find your strength , three , four and five hands in towards the center .

Inhale , exhale , take your hands down .

Now , step the right knee down .

Pause for a moment .

Come up in this lunging position .

Get your quad strong press .

Then inwardly rotate the left hip joint suck in from the interior space of your pelvis .

Draw in and wrap yourself around .

So if you can't get all the way around again , just go as far as you can even , only going this far is fine , just move , move around and then you'll begin to feel that detoxification of your inner organs .

That is the essence of why we do the practice of twisting , inhale and exhale , pivot through the hip joint .

Go as far as you can placing your hand on a block fingertips on the ground .

Or if you can your hand completely flat .

Hang out there for a moment .

Get comfortable , belly is sucked in , inhale , left arm up , exhale , extend it over nice and easy .

Get stable here .

If you're not comfortable here , don't push too hard .

Do this practice every day for six months and let it slowly build .

Then slowly when you're ready in hell , take it up , suck in the belly and reach from the left fingers all the way back through the right heel .

Then exhale easy , stick it down .

Come back to the center line .

Inhale , exhale downward , facing dog from downward facing dog , long inhalation , long exhalation , then inhale again , look forward , exhale , bend your knees and sit down , feel the equalization , the energy that comes from working with your body that deeply , that freely inside of yourself .

Now coming onto the knees , inhale , taking your hands to your waist .

We're moving into a very important and spinal extension .

This spinal extension posture will help open up your chest and correct any hunched over posture that you might have , particularly for your upper back back , bends bring energy and life into your body .

So breathe fully and freely .

This posture is called stross in a position which means camel posture , hands right on your hip joints , inhale , exhale , pivot your hips forward , then roll your hands back and press your thumbs into your safe room .

Squeeze the elbows towards each other and help lift your chest and then exhale , pivot your hips forward and look up to the ceiling .

Then nice and easy .

If you're challenged here , you want to stay right here .

You don't need to move any further .

This will bring that energy up the spot and keep your back muscles lifted , dangle your hands back behind you and then take the heels of the hands to the heels of your foot , drop your head back and we will stay here for five breaths .

Gaze at the tip of your nose .

And if you have any stress , breathing come all the way back up and just modify by going halfway down .

Relax yourself here , breathing steady and deep , control the movement , deep inside , soft but firm thighs , then take your hands right to your waist .

Inhale , squeeze your thighs come all the way up .

Inhale , exhale , rest in child's pose , knees together and child's pose hands forward .

Good .

You should feel the back muscles really elongating , giving you a sense of stretching , strengthening peace and relaxation , inhale , come all the way up .

We're gonna do it one more time .

This time , we're gonna add one little movement that will give you more energy , more vitality inside of your body .

Coming onto the knees .

Inhale , exhale , sends your hips forward , lifting your rib cage a little inhale and exhale , pivot back .

So remember if this is not comfortable , you're just gonna stay right here .

This should be an easy way to create length and flexibility in the spine .

So if you can't go any further , just stay right here .

It's a nice easy introduction .

Don't push yourself too hard too soon .

Then taking it a little deeper , moving forward , inhale , exhale , taking the hands down , roll it forward , get stable here .

Even if you're in the posture and you're not breathing fully .

Don't go on further .

Just hang out here for another five breaths .

For those of you who feel good , take your left hand and raise it up to the ceiling and we'll stay here for five breaths .

One , lift it up , 23 , four and five , place it down .

Then the heel of the left hand to the heel of the foot , right hand reaches up , inhale , one , reach up 23 , create space and length in your lower back .

Four and five all the way down .

Now it's important when it's time to come out .

But you come out with integrity and consciousness .

You're conscious in every step .

Fingers to your sarum , support , inhale , squeeze your thighs come all the way up and show you inhale steadily on the way up and then exhale , pivot through your hip joints .

Inhale , exhale down .

Pause here for a moment .

Squeeze your knees together .

Squeeze it easy .

Drawing it in , inhale , exhale , release .

Take your hands forward , step back , take the push up position .

So the shoulders over the palms , inhale , exhale , lower down .

If you're having a hard time building the strength for the push up , you can always place your chest on the ground .

But if you can keep it up , it's a little more powerful .

Inhale , roll forward to upward facing dog and then exhale , step back to downward facing dog .

Take a moment , find your center , inhale and exhale down the facing .

Then look forward .

We're gonna walk the feet forward .

Don't walk all the way between the hands this time .

Just walk near the hands .

Inhale , exhale , fold forward .

Don't worry about how far forward you go because we're just using this as a transition , then take your fingers a little bit forward .

Come up onto your fingertips .

Look forward and in how lift your back leg and we'll hold it here for five breaths .

One two , look forward , lifting both of your kneecaps in towards your pelvic floor and sending your chest forward .

Three , four and then exhale , sink your leg down .

We're gonna keep the chest forward and lift it .

Lift your back leg , one , two , engage both quadri seps .

So don't just hang in your hip joints , the steady and strong reach and release four and five .

Easy .

Take your foot down .

Inhale , exhale fold a little bit forward .

Go as far as you can as some of you may be able to fold .

If not , don't worry , you can give a little bend in your knees .

Inhale , look up and then exhale easy step back .

Take the shoulders over the palms , inhale , exhale , fold , bending the elbows , inhale upper face , exhale downward , facing from downward facing dog , step your right foot forward , bending your knee , step your left foot forward , bending your knee , sink down , taking the butt down and slowly straighten out your legs .

Pause for a moment here , feel the connection into your pelvic floor , engage the muscles of your core and take your hands by your side .

This is called in a position .

This is a neutral seated position that will help straighten the spine forward and help you find a sense of peace , relaxation and steadiness .

Now , we'll move into another twisting posture called Madrasa , which is named after the sage Marianna , the famous sage in the history of yoga .

Bend your left knee in and cross the right foot over .

Then pause here for a moment and feel the rotation of your hip joints , fill your sitting bones , rest into the ground , sucking in the low belly be nice and long .

If you're feeling challenged at all , I want you to stay right here and not go any further .

Then for those of you who may have a little bit of natural flexibility in your hips , we'll see if we can move into full twist in hell .

From the left side of the pelvis , that's , he'll wrap around the right hip .

So we're moving all the way around then taking the left hand out to the side , pausing here for a moment and lide down , holding onto your foot .

If you can't hold on to your foot , you might be able to hold on to your knee or your shin from wherever you are .

It's just important to keep length and extension through the left shoulder .

After you find that length and extension , come up onto the right fingertips and look over to the right sucking in the belly , finding a sense of relaxation , pointing your left toe .

If you feel stable , you can lift your right hand off the ground and continue the twisting motion .

But there's no reason to force that until you're nice and stable .

Inhale , exhale , release , taking your fingers on the ground from wherever you are , don't just pop out but engage your core and slowly wrap yourself all the way around .

Cross your feet , pull it in towards your body , then shoulders forward , step back , inhale , exhale Chama , inhale upward , facing and exhale downward facing from here .

Take the shoulders forward , step , the right foot , forward , step , the left foot forward , easy , sit straighten out your legs and we'll do the other side .

Pausing for a moment here is that in a position that gives you the equalization of the body and the mind to start off with , bend your right knee , threading the left over and inhale , exhale , sit up nice and tall .

So remember this is the foundation , this is the starting point .

This may be enough for you if you've never tried yoga before .

So just stay here and feel that foundation .

Feel the flexibility and the hip joints slowly opening .

The body needs time and space to open from the right side of the pelvis .

Inhale , exhale , wrap around and see if you can move the body over to the side .

So you can feel that movement all the way over for some of you .

This might be enough just to twist a little to the side .

But if you can wrap your right shoulder around the left knee , feel yourself moving through the inner space .

Left fingers press back for support if you feel good and it's possible .

Inhale , lift your left arm and exhale , ease , thread it around .

Staying just for a few moments .

Inhale and exhale .

Take your left hand down , wrap yourself all the way around , cross the feet nice , easy movement .

Just moving that through the body step all the way back , take the shoulders forward , inhale , exhale , move it down inhale upward , facing , exhale over your toes downward , facing from downward facing dog .

Again , step forward , sitting all the way down and your knees pull your spine to the floor .

Now , bending the knees a little wider than your hips with the part , take your fingers right next to your heels .

Simple bridge , inhale , lift your hips , rolling the thighs inward .

Don't make it too hard , too soon .

Just easy .

Lift your hips , then interlock your fingers underneath your pelvis .

Roll the shoulders under and lift your hips as high as you can .

Rolling the knees towards each other .

Keeping an inward rotation of the thighs .

Stay here for a few more breaths , lifted , high , pressing your hands into the ground .

We're releasing the shoulders , we're lifting ourselves into a deep spinal extension and then exhale all the way down from here , pull your knees into your chest .

Thank your spine for the movement point your toes give a little roll side to side , make it soft and easy .

Release your spine , release your back , then gently put your knees on the ground , tuck under the tailbone .

Rest for a moment .

Let your spine elongate , inhale and exhale , straighten out your legs and close your eye , long inhalation and long exhalation , soft , steady breathing .

A flexible body comes when the mind opens and the heart softens .

So don't hold on to anything too tightly .

Don't push yourself .

Don't fight with your body .

Just accept yourself as you are .

Be peaceful .

In every breath and every inhalation and every exhalation with a long inhalation and a few moments of peace , wiggle your fingers and toes , bend your knees and your elbows aligning yourself along the center .

Eyes gently open .

See the world refreshed as though you've put a filter called peace through your eyes and perhaps more importantly through your heart , then pull your knees into your chest .

Inhale , exhale , roll over to the side , come all the way back up to a comfortable seated position and gently take your hands into prayer with the sound .

We'll close our sacred space for today .

Beginning the lifelong practice that is the spiritual journey of yoga .

Inhale .

Let yourself experience your true power through your daily yoga practice .

Thank you so much for letting me be your guide into that inner journey .

I must .