- What's up, everyone?
Welcome to Yoga With Adriene.

I'm Adriene, 
Benji sleeps to my right,

and today we have a
20-minute practice,

perfect for the beginner,

so come with an open mind,

bring a little
blanket if you have one,

hop into something comfy

and let's get started.

(upbeat music)

Alright, welcome.

Let's begin at the top
of our mat standing today,

so, we'll head on up
to the top of the mat.

Pick a side, any side.

And when you get there,

bring your
awareness to your feet.

So we're gonna step
the feet hip width apart.

And you can take
your hands into fists

and bring them to
the hip points here,

just like this,

and from your hip points here,

like two headlights in
the front of the hips here,

front body,

you can imagine them,

you can even bend
your knees to do this,

tracing down to your knees

and then knees to your ankles.

So, we wanna bring the heels
right underneath the hip points

in this first posture,
Mountain Pose, Tadasana.

Then you can relax the
arms gently at your sides

and notice what's
happening with your toes.

So, maybe the toes
are turned out here,

if that's your pattern.

Maybe they're
slightly turned in.

That's a pattern.

Maybe one is turned out,

while the other
one's straight ahead.

And there's, 
just loving awareness here,

this is no judgment.

No right or wrong,
just use this practice

to heighten the
awareness of your patterns.

So, that starts
usually with the feet

from the ground up in
these standing postures.

So just take a look
down and I'm gonna point,

I'm gonna try to
point my toes forward.

And then after
you've played with that,

just notice where
you're carrying your weight

in your feet.
Forward, back, side in,

and we're gonna
try to lift our toes

and just spread
awareness through

all four corners of our feet.

Spreading the weight evenly

through the ball
of the big joint,

excuse me the
big toe ball joint.

The pinky toe ball joint

and then the back two
corners of the heels.

Then start to press
down into the earth

and away, as if you were
trying to tear your yoga mat

right down the middle

and notice how this
starts to engage your legs.

Lift your knee caps up a bit.

Feel your quadriceps,
these big thigh muscles tone,

and then slowly bend your elbows

and bring your
hands to your waist.

We're coming into this
like superhero posture.

This superhero
version of Mountain Pose.

And it really does work
a number on your brain,

makes you feel more
embodied at least for me.

Helps me to stand up tall here.

You might notice that
you just very naturally

start to lift up through
your chest a little more.

And we can honor the natural
curvature of the spine here,

but just be
awareness of what is going,

just be aware, excuse me

of what is going
on in your pelvis.

Maybe lengthening your
tailbone down just a bit

to feel some
support in the low back.

Alright, now drop
the fingertips down

send them forward, up and back
for a big full body stretch.

Volcano Pose, send energy up
and out through the fingertips.

Keep the grounding of the feet.

Strong legs, 
like a little kitty cat,

pushing a ball of yarn,

so keep the neck integrated
throughout this whole practice.

Press that ball of yarn forward
with your nose to look up.

So, if you're like, 
"What Adriene?"

we're wanting to create slow, 
steady, integrated movements

rather than just, okay now,

look up at your hands

and maybe crunch
the back of your neck.

We wanna do a slow
lift of the gaze up

and then let's
just let everything go

by bending the knees,

wiggling the fingertips 
and taking it slowly

into a Forward Fold 
with bent knees.

I'm gonna give Benji
the dog, a little pet,

'cause he's right here and
I'm going to invite all of us

to take it deep breath in

and a long breath out.

And as you exhale,
relax the weight of your head

and gently shake the
head a little no and yes,

back and forth.

Knees are bent here.

That awareness that
we gained in the feet,

all four corners of the feet,
still at play here.

And then lastly, we'll
grab the opposite elbow

with your opposite hand

and just take
three slow breaths here.

You can find stillness and
allow the breath to move you,

or you can softly sway
a little left to right.

Nice, then release the arms,

keep grounding through the feet.

Bring the hands back
up to the waistline,

press in all four
corners of the feet,

really press into the heels.

Ball joint of the big toe,

ball joint in the pinky toes.

You slowly come
up with bent knees,

rising back up to
that super Mountain Pose.

And this time, see if
you can pull the elbows back

just a little bit in space.

Shoulder blades coming together,

and maybe you can
imagine them melting down,

towards your heels.

So we're back in our power pose.

Take a deep breath in.

Exhale to release the hands,
Mountain Pose.

Inhale to Volcano,
reach the fingertips

lots of energy
up towards the sky.

And exhale, bend the knees,

wiggle the fingertips and
float it all the way down

back to that
standing Forward Fold.

Knees, nice and bent here.

Deepen your breath.

Feel that stretch
in the low back

and relax the
weight of the head.

Good, one more
deep breath in here.

And this time as you exhale,
bend the knees more,

bring your fingertips 
down to the mat,

or to two blocks and we're
gonna step the right foot back

and lower the right knee.

It's a big move.
Take your time.

Pad the knee with a
blanket if you like,

or you can even roll
your mat, double it up,

to create a little
padding for the knee.

Front knee over front ankle.

We're gonna just set that.

Spreading awareness

through all four corners
of the left foot, set that.

Then flip your right foot,

come onto the top
of your right foot

and press firmly into your
right foot to slowly rise up,

interlace the fingertips,

bring them to the
top of the left thigh.

Now, imagine
squeezing your inner thighs,

towards the center.

Towards the
midline of your yoga mat,

to find a little lift
up from the pelvic floor.

So we're not collapsing 
into the shape here,

but we're engaging
the body just enough,

to support the joints,

engage the muscles and
find this energetic lift

up through the chest.

Just like we did in
our super Mountain.

So, you have options here.

You can stay here with this
nice support of the left thigh,

hands on the left thigh.

Or, we can start to
bring the right hand

all the way up and back.

And then if you wanna
take it one step further,

we'll take both
hands all the way up.

Now, whatever stage you're at,

keep the engagement of the legs.

Maybe you start to
sink a little bit deeper,

into the posture

and maybe you pull 
the left hip crease back,

just a little bit in space.

Take one breath here.

Maybe lifting the heart,
maybe lifting the gaze

and then use
your exhale to slowly

bring it back down with control.

Great and then we're gonna
pull the left hip crease back

and straighten
the left leg here,

but you can keep a soft bend.

So we're just gonna find
extension rather than straighten.

And you're gonna
flex your left toes up

towards your face and breathe,
breathe, breathe here.

Right hip is
over the right knee.

And then from here,
we'll plant the palms,

walk it forward

and just bring that left knee
all the way back to the right.

So now we're in a
Tabletop Position.

Walk the wrists
underneath the shoulders.

Nice neutral spine.

Drop the belly,
open the chest,

look forward.

Exhale, round the spine.

Chin to chest, navel draws 
up towards the spine,

or towards the ceiling.

Again, Cow Pose.

We drop the belly,
open the chest,

look forward.

With your breath,
exhale slow and steady,

start at the tailbone and
travel all the way up the spine.

Finding that curvature,

'til the crown of the
head drops to ground.

One more like this.

Inhale, drop the belly, slow.

Open the chest.

Look forward,
tailbone up towards the sky.

And then exhale, reverse it.

Slow and steady.

We're moving the energy

that runs up and down the spine.

Beautiful. Inhale to 
a nice neutral spine.

Listen carefully.

You're gonna walk
the hands forward.

Curl the toes under.

Keep the knees bent

as you slowly lift the hips
up for a Downward Facing Dog.

Now take a breath here.

Make sure you're not
holding your breath.

Good and then slowly
lower the knees down and reset.

Spread the fingertips wide,

toes are curled under.

Take a deep breath in.
Let's just check it out

and here we go.

Hips up high knees,
slightly bent.

Don't worry about getting
your heels to the ground.

This time, melting the
heart closer towards the legs.

Just check it out.

We're shaking.
We're not holding our breath.

We're alive. We got this. 
Slow and steady knees

come all the way back down.

Good. Take a moment.

Reset.

If you need to
rotate the wrists one way

and then the other,
maybe we do that.

And last time here we go.

Lifting the hips up,

this time maybe
we start to anchor

through the heels a little more,

but do not worry about the heels
actually touching the ground.

It's more of the intention
of finding that extension,

that length through
the back of the leg.

Hips up high.

Heart melting.

The head is
below the heart here.

We're getting that
fresh blood flow going.

Breathe deep.

You're here for one more breath

in and out,

and slow descend
of the knees down.

Awesome.

From here, walk the hands
all the way up the thighs.

You're gonna to come
to sit on your heels

and lift your heart.

If this is too much,
bring your fists,

your knuckles to the
ground for a little support.

We're here for one 
big breath cycle in.

And out.

Beautiful.

Walk it back,

hands come forward.

We're gonna lift the
right knee this time

and send the right
foot all the way up,

left knee back
for our low lunge.

Press into all four
corners of the right foot,

always working
from the ground up.

Right knee is
over that right ankle.

We're feeling that
big stretch in the legs,

the hips, the groin.

Then flip the left foot down.

Root down through 
the top of this left foot,

squeeze the inner
thighs in the midline,

as you interlace the fingertips

and bring them to the
top of the right thigh.

Move nice and slow, 
with control.

Feel it out, get in the habit
of really feeling things out

in your practice.

Moving from a
place of connection.

And same thing as before,

we'll squeeze the 
inner thighs together,

lift up from the pelvic floor.

Right hand can stay on
the top of the right thigh

as we send the left
fingertips up towards the sky.

I said that very Southern. Sky.

(chuckles)

Or we can take both arms up.

So we have lots of options,

both hands down, 
one arm up, or both arms.

Inhale to lift the chest,

maybe pull the right hip 
crease back in space,

sink a little lower.

And exhale to
slowly bring it back down,

fingertips to the mat.

Now, send the hips,
send the buttocks back,

extend through the
right leg this time

and flex your right foot.

Should feel a deep,
deep stretch here,

towards your face.

So, that just means
you're really reaching

your toes back
towards your eyes here.

The right hip
crease is pulling back

and I'm pressing still
firmly into my left foot.

Just always kind of
staying curious about how

I'm stacking the bones, keeping
my home practice really safe

and sustainable,

so that you can 
get really, really strong.

And feel really, really good.

Alright, roll through 
that right foot,

plant the palms.

We're gonna come
back to all fours.

This time, we're
gonna widen the knees,

as wide as the mat and
bring the toes together to touch.

Inhale, drop the belly,
just like we did in Cow Pose.

Look forward.

Really feel like
you're just hang with me.

Your heart
energy's shooting forward.

So, you really have to bring
an awareness of your attitude

and your energy to
some of these shapes.

Send your heart energy forward.

Let it radiate.

Why not, give it a try?

And then exhale,
send the hips back.

Reach the arms forward,
Extended Child's Pose.

So, big opening
through the shoulders,

big opening through the hips.

If you have your blanket there,

you can roll it up, or fold
it up to create a little pillow

for your head.

Bring the earth up to you.

That is why these props
are here to support you.

Help you find what feels good.

If you feel comfortable,
close your eyes

and listen to the
sound of your breath here.

And the slowly,

carve a line
just with your nose,

forward, up and back.

Finding a little
integration in the neck.

So nice and slow

always aware of the neck.

Just be really mindful.

Don't want you to
hurt yourself here.

I want this to feel good.

We're looking forward.

We're breathing.

Upper arm bones
are relaxing down,

so away from the ears.

And then you're just
gonna take this forward gaze

and follow it through.

So, pull the
hands back in space.

Come forward.

You're gonna walk the
knees underneath the hips

and then just slowly melt
all the way to the belly.

So, hips come to the ground.

We come all the way through.

And I'm right here,
smelling Benji's paws.

My hands are
underneath the shoulders.

I'm gonna squeeze the
elbows into the side body here.

Press the tops of
the feet into the earth.

Press your pubic
bone into the mat.

Inhale, baby Cobra.

We open the chest and
we just look forward.

So, we're not
taking it all the way up.

Just forward.

Starting to check in
with the muscles of the back.

And the
flexibility of the spine.

Nice awareness of
our foundation here.

You guys are doing great.

Inhale in deeply, 
one last breath.

And then exhale to let it go.

Curl the toes under,
press up to all fours

inhale in,
spread the fingertips.

Exhale, lift the left knee.

Good.

Inhale in again.

Exhale, lift the right knee.

Feel your core engage.

We only have one Plank
Pose in this whole practice

and this is it.

Crown of the head is forward.

Think about that
length in the spine.

So your neck is an
extension of the spine here.

Nice and long.

Hug the front body.

So your belly draws up.

Hug the front body up
to meet the back body.

The shoulder blades
melt left to right.

Heels reach back.

We're here for three,
we're shaking.

We're building heat for two

and on the one the
knees slowly kiss the ground

and we walk them
all the way forward.

Swing the feet and
the ankles to one side,

and we come to a seat.

We finally come
off the wrists here.

Nice work.

We're gonna bring the
blanket if you have it,

perhaps back underneath the hips

for a little support,

so we can sit up tall.

Now, send the legs out long

and we're gonna bend the
knees just slightly here.

Now, inhale fingertips
reach forward, up and back.

Really pull the
thumbs back in space,

lift your chest, find length
through the side body.

And then slowly
as you breathe out,

we're gonna reach the fingertips
forward towards the feet.

Now, they may come to
the tops of the thighs here.

They may come to the knees.

Maybe you are able to get a
little closer to the ankles

and the feet is just,

it is giving us like a
place to reach towards.

So, don't get upset if
you can't touch your toes.

Maybe one day.

And then relax the 
weight of the head over

into this calming posture.

Seated Forward Fold,
Paschimottanasana.

Close your eyes, 
and we're gonna start to

slow down the breath.

And just notice how a
little bit of practice

can go a long way.

And take a second here to
just notice how you're feeling

and feel your breath.

The rise of the inhale.

And the fall of the exhale.

Using this practice

as an opportunity
not to master yoga,

but to start to
get to know yourself

and understand your 
mind-body connection

a little bit better.

Taking a moment at
the end of each practice

to get quiet

and integrate.

Nice. Then slowly 
begin to roll it up.

We're gonna bend one
knee and then the other

and just come to a
cross-legged seat.

Keep your eyes
closed here if you like,

or you can come to a soft gaze

and we'll just
bring the hands together

at the heart center to finish.

Sit up nice and tall.

Give thanks for this moment.

And if it was challenging,

that's the ticket.

The hardest part is
showing up and we did just that.

Thank you for sharing 
your valuable time

and energy with me.
Hope to see you again soon.

Let's take a deep breath in.

And exhale to seal the deal.

Take good care.
Namaste.

(upbeat music)