Introduction to yoga

Building yoga practice into your daily life will reap benefits in terms of increased strength, stability, energy, and relaxation. You don’t need much equipment to begin with, just a yoga mat and clothes that allow you to move freely. This brief routine should take around 15 minutes. Each asana should be held for three breaths unless otherwise instructed and should flow naturally into the next pose.

Warming up

Sit cross-legged and breathe evenly through your nose for two minutes. Then, for 15 breaths, bend your body from side to side each time you exhale.

Your workout

• From the seated warm up pose, breathe out and move into the cat pose: On your hands and knees, lower your head, lift your belly, and round your back. Alternate the cat pose with the cow pose: Arch your back, raise your head, and press your shoulders out and down. These poses warm and stretch the abs, hips, spine, and shoulders.

• From the cat pose and on an exhaled breath, press your buttocks upwards to create an inverted V shape. This is the downward dog pose that strengthens the arm and leg muscles. Repeat five times.

• The extended side angle pose: Standing with your right leg lunged forward, lower your left heel to the ground with your toes at a 45-degree angle, and reach high with your left arm to create a straight line from hand to ankle. This stretches and strengthens the hips, thighs, shoulders, and back.

• Reverse these instructions (i.e. lunge with left leg forward and so on) to stretch the other side of the body.

• Finish your practice with the locust pose: Lie face down with your arms by your sides and raise your shoulders, head, and arms while taking two full breaths. Lower your head and arms, raise your feet and legs, hold for two breaths, and then lower. Finally, lie flat on your back and relax for two or three minutes.