A few stretches go a long way

The Bridge yoga pose is a great front hip joint opener, it also strengthens your spine, opens the chest, and improves your spinal flexibility in addition to stimulating your thyroid. This pose brings many benefits to your body, such as relief from stress, anxiety, insomnia and it can help with depression.

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Child Pose – Balasana

The Child Pose is a resting pose useful to relieve neck, back and hip strain. While in the posture you should have slow regulated breath, extended arms, resting hips and your forehead should be touching the mat. You can always return to this pose as it is one of the most restorative and calming poses.

Step by step instructions:

Kneel on your yoga mat, resting your buttocks against your heels. Place your palms on your thighs and bring your feet close together. Inhale and exhale slowly, allowing your shoulders to relax.

In your own time, lower your upper body onto your thighs on an exhale. Extend your arms out in front of you with your palms face down on the mat. Keep your big toes touching and spread your knees wide enough for your torso to lower between your thighs. If pregnant, be sure to spread your knees wide enough to avoid putting pressure on your abdomen.

Rest your forehead on your yoga mat and relax your neck. For added comfort, consider placing a blanket, bolster, pillow, or your hands beneath your forehead. Close your eyes and relax your jaw. If you experience a headache during child’s pose, slowly lift your back and shoulders, keeping your neck relaxed, and sit up to take a break.

If your hip joints are tight, consider keeping your knees together and lowering your torso on top of your thighs. For a more passive pose, let your arms relax behind you along your thighs with palms facing up. Place a rolled towel below your shins to take the pressure off your ankles. Use caution when doing the child’s pose if you’ve suffered a knee injury.

Allow your muscles to loosen while you rest against your mat. For added support, place a folded blanket or pillow between your calves and the bottom of your thighs. Keep your eyes closed and focus on your body, staying mindful of any physical sensations.

Explore different breathing exercises while practising child’s pose. Inhale slowly, feeling your lungs expand against your back body. While exhaling, concentrate on releasing tension from your back and stomach. Continue this breathing exercise for one to three minutes.

Bridge – Bandha Sarvangasana

The Bridge yoga pose is a great front hip joint opener, it also strengthens your spine, opens the chest, and improves your spinal flexibility in addition to stimulating your thyroid. This pose brings many benefits to your body, such as relief from stress, anxiety, insomnia and it can help with depression.

Step by step instructions:

Lie on your back in the centre of your mat with your knees bent, your legs and feet parallel and hip-distance apart.

Move your feet closer to your buttocks. Press down firmly through both of your feet and inhale to raise your hips, lifting from the pubic bone rather than the navel.

Clasp your hands under your back on the floor. Broaden your collarbones and get on top of your shoulders. Firm the outer shins and roll your upper thighs inward. Press down firmly through your heels and lift the back of your thighs and the bottom of your buttocks even higher while keeping the thighs parallel.

To finish, exhale, release your hands, and lower to the floor. Allow your back to rest in a neutral state as you observe the spaciousness within your chest.