(upbeat music)

- Hello, my dear friends.
Welcome to Yoga With Adriene.

Today we 
have a yoga quickie

for the quads.

So we're gonna start standing

and if you wanna do this with
a hand on a chair or a wall,

could be really helpful.

You're gonna shift 
your weight to your right foot

and we're gonna 
bend that left knee in,

yep, you guessed it,

going right in
for the quad stretch,

just checking in.
So if you're super sore,

obviously don't
push it here to start.

Just take a breath in.

Use the exhale to relax your
shoulders and lift your chest.

And then maybe you can start
to draw that left knee in.

Lengthen the tailbone down.

Breathe.

And then try to
release with control.

So try to control
the dismount here.

We're just gonna take
it to the other side.

So again, it can be helpful
to have a little something

to hold onto here.

Start by just checking in.

If you're really sore,
no need to force it.

But in time,
maybe we draw the right knee in.

Lengthen down
through the tailbone

and use your breath

to lengthen through the crown,

relax the shoulders down and

maybe find a gentle
lift in the sternum.

Nice, then we'll release that

and we'll walk to
the top of the mat.

Take a deep breath in to
reach the arms all the way up.

Big full body stretch.

As you exhale,
go ahead and take it all the

way down into a nice
standing Forward Fold.

And then from here,
we're just gonna bend

the right knee 
and then the left.

Stretching the hamstrings.

Just pedaling it
out a little bit here.

If the hands don't come down to

touch the ankles or
the feet or the earth,

you can allow the opposite
hands to clasp opposite elbows

here as you pedal the legs.

Breathe.

Nice, then release the hands.

You're gonna step
the right foot back,

just the right foot.

Lower the right knee 
to the ground.

If you wanna pad the knee
with a little pillow or a towel,

I mean a little blanket
or a towel or a pillow,

(chuckles) you can.

We're gonna walk the right knee
back here so we're getting a

deeper stretch
in the hip flexor.

Press into the top of
your right foot and inhale,

reach the fingertips
all the way up and overhead.

Big breath, big stretch
here for Crescent Lunge.

Good, then slowly release.

Bring the
fingertips to the ground.

Bring the right foot up and 
then you're just gonna switch.

You're gonna step
the right foot up,

left foot back, and 
we'll repeat that on this side.

Walk the left knee
back in your lunge.

When you're ready,
hug the inner thighs to

the midline and sweep
the fingertips forward.

Breathe in.

Breathe out,
releasing fingertips to the mat.

We'll lift the back knee up.

Step the left foot
up to meet the right.

Bend the knees,
hands come to the hips here.

Inhale in, exhale to rise up.

Excellent.

We're gonna do the same quad
stretch we started with so you

can bring your hands back
to the wall or a piece of

furniture or maybe you
try this one without because

we're gonna move into a
variation of Dancer Pose.

So you're gonna hug the

left knee up to the
chest to start this one.

Just to find your abs,
your core,

then we'll send it
back into the stretch,

the quad stretch.

Then keep the chest lifted here.

Oops.

As you slowly begin 
to send the heart forward,

knee back.

Great, stay here.

You might switch your hand to

clasp the inner arch
of your left foot.

Hug your left knee into center.

And then maybe to go in the
full variation of the pose,

you kick your left toes up
and your right fingertips out.

Breathe in.

And breathe out,
release, slow and steady.

We'll take it to the other side.

Shifting the weight,

hugging the right
knee up into the chest.

And then sending it
back into the quad stretch.

Slow and steady.

So instead of
thinking just forward,

think up first and then
forward with the sternum.

Kicking the right toes back.

Maybe you move the right
hand to the right inner arch.

And then pull the
right knee into center.

Maybe we send 
the left fingertips forward

and kick out 
through the right toes.

Think about kicking
your toes up and then out.

Beautiful, inhale in.

Exhale to slowly release.

Let it all go.

Inhale, reach the
fingertips up high.

Big full body stretch.

And then exhale,
Forward Fold all the way down.

Good, from here we're
gonna step the right foot back.

Once again, you're gonna lower
the right knee to the ground.

This time you're gonna 
bring your left hand

in towards the right hand.

So now you're in a
little Lizard variation.

Breathe in, look forward.

And breathe out.

Breathe in.

And breathe out.

Good, bring the left hand
back to frame the left foot.

And we're just gonna take a
little hamstring stretch here,

sending the hips back,

flexing the left toes 
towards the face.

You can relax the head.

And then roll it
all the way back up.

We'll walk the back
foot up to meet the front.

We're just gonna
switch from here.

Left foot steps back,
left knee lowers.

Right hand comes over to
meet the left side of the mat.

We're in this Lizard variation.

As you inhale, look forward.

Find extension
through the crown.

And exhale, draw the
shoulders away from the ears.

Walk the left knee back if
you need a little more there.

Breathing deep.

Now bring the right
hand to frame your foot.

Pull the right hip crease back,
straighten the front leg.

Flex your right toes.

Just a little counter stretch

and then roll it
all the way back up.

Send your back foot
back up to meet the front.

Forward Fold.

Let the head hang.

Maybe shake it a little yes,
a little no.

Alright, on your next inhale,

we're gonna step
the right foot back.

Once again,
lower the right knee.

Same thing as before,
bring the left hand around.

So you're in a Lizard variation,

but this time we're gonna turn

the left toes out towards the
front left corner of your mat.

Inhale in.
Again, if you ever want more,

you just walk that knee back.

Inhale in.

Exhale, you're gonna slowly

begin to send your 
left fingertips to reach behind

you towards the 
back edge of your mat.

Breathe, breathe, breathe.

Or option, to bend your
right knee, reach back.

Grab the top of your left toes

and you can kind of shift your
weight back to grab the toes.

And then you'll
sink back into Lizard,

opening up the chest,

finding extension
through the crown.

So you have this
deep quad stretch here.

Twist, hip opener,
spinal extension.

Abs are hugging in to
support the low back.

You got it all.

Alright, slowly release.

Come back through center.

And we'll come back to frame
the left foot with the fingertips.

Lift the back knee up.

And then we'll bring the

right foot back up
to Forward Fold.

Take a breath or two here.

You can interlace the
fingertips behind the calves

or clasp opposite elbow and
rock a little side to side.

Bend your knees as
much as you need to.

Find you nice, smooth,
calming breath here.

Then we'll release the
fingertips back down

and step the left foot back.

Lower the left knee.

Right hand comes to
the left side of the mat

with the left palm
and the right toes turn

towards the front
right corner of the mat.

Now again, you can walk that

left knee back if you're
craving just a little more.

We're gonna start to
spiral through the spine.

Send the right fingertips
all the way up and back.

You can just work here.

Careful not to collapse
into your left shoulder.

You can just work here

and then maybe one day or
today we bend the left knee,

we reach back,
we spiral the chest open here.

Breathing deep.

Lengthening through
the crown of the head.

Hugging those abs in to support.

Breathe.

Nice, and then slow and
with control, we release

and we come back 
down into the fold.

Now listen carefully,
this time plant the palms,

step it back to Plank.

Now reach the heels back

so you feel 
your quads turn on.

Turning the quads 
on in Plank is like

magic. (laughs)

It can be really, really
supportive in this posture.

So just play here
for three breaths.

You're like, "Three breaths!"
But you got it.

This is it.

We're here for two.

And one.

Slowly lower to the knees.

Bring them together,
really together.

And then send the hips back.

You're gonna
paint your yoga mat.

Drag your hands
all the way back

and melt your forehead down

for Child's Pose, Balasana.

And feel your belly press into
your quads as you breathe in.

And feel your shoulders
relax as you breathe out.

Inhale in deeply.

And exhale completely.

And slowly rise up.

So from here we're gonna come

to lie flat on our back
to close this baby out

but if you were feeling
like playing a little bit more,

you could work on a Hero Pose

or a reclined
Hero Pose, Vrasana.

You could also work in Camel.

That could be really fun.

So just some ideas for
some at-home yoga play.

But for now we'll all come onto

our backs unless you're
choosing to play without me.

(laughs)

Just wanted to give you 
guys some ideas to keep

exploring on your own.

And we're gonna 
send the fingertips down

and just hug both knees 
up into the chest.

And then rock your knees to
the right for a little twist.

And then through
center and to the left.

And back through center.

To the right.

And back through center,

massaging the low back,
sacrum area.

Awesome.
To the left.

Beautiful.

And then bring the
feet to the ground.

Press the palms into the earth.

Snuggle the shoulder
blades underneath the sternum.

And slowly on an inhale,

begin to peel the
tailbone up into a Bridge Pose.

Reach the shins forward.

And lift your
chest to your chin.

And then the chin to the sky,
lengthening through the neck.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Slowly begin to soften through
the collarbone, the sternum,

melting down the spine

one vertebra at a time.

Cool. We're gonna
windshield wiper the legs,

a little left to right,

until the legs
are all the way out,

long, extended on your mat.

You can take your hands
somewhere on your body if that

feels good or maybe they
rest gently at your side.

We're gonna take
three breaths here.

Inhale in.

And exhale.

Connecting to
what matters most here.

Inhale, lots of love in.

And exhale, lots of love out.

And on this last one,

option to bring
the palms together,

thumbs up to the third eye.

Breathe in.

And exhale, lots of love out.

Way to show up today.

Connect with your body and

your breath and the
spirit with a good stretch.

You guys are my heroes.

Hope to see you soon.

Namaste.

(upbeat music)