A 10-Minute Morning Yoga Practice for a Full-Body Stretch

Not long after I started sharing yoga practices on YouTube, students started asking for specific types of practices. What seemed like 90 percent of the requests were for 10-minute morning yoga classes. Clearly, many of us understand how much of an effect even a short full-body stretch routine can have on the day.

Even a quick 10-minute morning yoga practice can help you work out any aches and kinks you might have accumulated during the night. But morning yoga is more than moving your spine, stretching your muscles, and caring for your joints. Taking even a few minutes for yourself reminds you to put your needs first. As a mindfulness practice, yoga is a way to hold a mirror to yourself and dive deeper into your emotional body so you can ask “How am I feeling?” and “Where am I feeling really vibrant and good?” or even, “Where could I use a little more care?”

A 10-Minute Morning Yoga Practice and Full-Body Stretching Routine

It’s amazing how just a little yoga can make such a big difference. I hope this 10-minute morning yoga practice helps you feel better prepared to tackle the day ahead. Think of these full-body stretches as part of your routine, just like brushing your teeth.

Neck Stretch

Begin in a comfortable seated position, whatever that looks like for you. Sit up tall through your spine, drop your shoulders away from your ears, and start with your chin parallel to the floor. Drop your left ear toward your left shoulder, stretching through the right side of your neck. Let your head be heavy. If you’d like to go further, you can crawl your right fingertips away from you and out to the side. Take 3-5 breaths here, softening your jaw and connecting to your breath. Release and lift your head back to center. Switch sides as you drop your right ear toward your right shoulder.

Come back to center and lengthen through your spine. Set your intention for the day ahead.

Cat-Cow

From seated, come to your hands and knees to a Tabletop position with your knees underneath your hips. Spread your fingertips wide with your middle and index fingers pointing toward the top of the mat. As you inhale, drop your belly and lift your gaze in Cow Pose.

Exhale and round your spine, bringing your chin to your chest in Cat. Take 3 more rounds of Cat and Cow.

Thread the Needle With Gate Pose Variation

From Tabletop, extend your right leg straight out to the side so your ankle, knee, and hip are all in one line. Press all four corners of your right foot against the floor. Reach your left arm toward the sky and then exhale and thread your left arm underneath you, bringing your left shoulder and your ear to the mat.

If it’s within grabbing distance, you can catch hold of your right big toe with your left peace fingers. Your right hand can push into the mat, you can come onto your fingertips, or you can bend your right elbow and bring your right hand behind you against your low back for a nice spinal rotation. Try to relax your neck. This Thread the Needle with a Gate Pose variation is one of my favorite things to do first thing in the morning.

Side Body Stretch

From Thread the Needle, push your right hand into the mat and reach your left arm toward the sky again before lowering it to the mat. Sweep your right leg behind you and cross your right foot over your left foot, taking it as far as you can to the left. Try to look over your left shoulder and take a side body stretch.

Lizard Pose

From Side Body Stretch, bring your right leg straight behind you and step your right foot forward beside  the outer edge of your right hand in Lizard Pose. Lower your back knee to the mat. Pad your left knee and place blocks beneath your palms if that’s more comfortable. Focus on lifting your heart and dropping your hips.

Low Lunge Twist

From Lizard, tuck your back toes, lift your back knee off the mat, and keep your left hand planted on the mat as you reach your right arm up. Look up only if it’s comfortable. Push into your left big left toe so you’re not rolling to the outer edge of your back foot. Inhale into your twist.

Downward-Facing Dog

From Low Lunge Twist, exhale as you bring your right hand down to the mat and lift your hips into your first Downward-Facing Dog. First thing in the morning, it might feel better to have your feet wider than hip-width distance apart. Peddle your feet, bending one leg and straightening the other while drawing your low belly toward your low back. Gently shake your head and get rid of any kinks in your neck. Take deep breaths, in and out, through your nose.

Bring your knees back to the mat in Tabletop. And find your Thread the Needle and Gate Pose on the other side. Continue with Side Body Stretch, Lizard, Low Lunge Twist, and Down Dog.

Standing Forward Bend

From Down Dog, walk your hands to the back of the mat and take a rag doll fold as you come into Standing Forward Bend. Your knees can bend generously and you can let your belly rest against your thighs, maybe holding onto opposite elbows and swaying a little side to side. This part of your full-body stretching routine can be helpful if your hamstrings are super tight first thing in the morning. Keep in mind, you can practice it anytime during the day.

Squat

From your forward bend, bring your fingertips to the mat. Turn your toes slightly out, bend your knees, drop your hips, and come into a Squat. Bring your hands together at your heart, using your elbows to push your knees a little wider. Lengthen through your spine.

Plank Pose

Release your palms to the mat. Walk your hands forward and straighten your legs to come into Plank Pose. Draw your shoulder blades down your back. Inhale and exhale into your lower belly and stay strong through your core.

Sphinx Pose

From Plank, lower yourself to the mat, come onto your forearms, and point your toes straight back as you come into Sphinx Pose. Bring your elbows slightly in front of your shoulders, push your upper arms back, and squeeze your shoulder blades together to lift your chest a little higher. Take a big breath into the heart and exhale to release.

Child’s Pose

From Sphinx Pose, press your hips back into Child’s Pose. Bring your big toes together and your knees as wide as you would like. Walk your hands forward and fold your chest toward the mat. Take 5 deep breaths.

Comfortable Seat

From Child’s Pose, walk your hands toward your chest and bring your knees together. Take a comfortable seat, either kneeling or sitting cross-legged, and close your eyes.

From this space of clarity, notice how you feel now as opposed to when you first came onto your mat at the beginning of your 10-minute morning yoga practice. Scan your body, your thoughts, and your feelings. Let that be a baseline that you come back to throughout your day.

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This article has been updated. Originally published June 30, 2023.