Simple yoga exercise to stretch and strengthen

***Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

In a yoga context, however, there is a lot going on in this position. The heels root down, the muscles of the legs are engaged, the bones are stacked with the shoulders directly over the hips, the shoulder blades slide down the back, and the crown of the head rises. Don't forget to breathe.

***Raised Arms Pose (Urdhva Hastansana)

Stay grounded in the heels and keep your shoulders moving away from your ears at the same time that you reach up through your fingertips. Your gaze can come up to the hands, which can be shoulder's width apart or palms touching.

 ****Lunge Pose

Straighten your legs and move your feet back under your hip before stepping your left leg to the back of your mat and bending your right knee for a deep lunge. Try to bring your bent knee directly over your ankle so your right thigh is parallel to the floor.

Keep the left leg straight and strong with your heel reaching back. If this is too intense, you can drop your left knee to the mat instead. Stay five breaths before returning the left foot to the front of your mat next to the right one. Then repeat the lunge with the left foot forward and the right leg back.

***Plank Pose

After your second lunge, step the left foot back so that it is next to the right foot at the back of your mat. This is the classic preparation for a pushup. Stay here for five breaths while making sure that your hips do not drop too low or rise too high.

If your elbows tend to hyperextend, micro-bend them. Bring your knees down if necessary. After five breaths, release your knees to the mat and come back to sit on your heels, resting for a moment.

***Head to Knee Pose (Janu Sirsasana)

 Come back up to sit and bend your left leg, bringing the sole of the left foot inside your right thigh. Use the same technique described above to deepen the pose using your breath. After five breaths, sit up and switch legs.