If you’ve ever been to a yoga class, you might have left thinking a session only "counts” if it lasts at least 45 minutes, but that’s not the case. Just 15 minutes of yoga can be enough to release tension throughout the body and improve mobility. To prove it, Yoga & Mobility Coach Leanne Lent has designed a quick routine you can try at home.
“You don’t need to be flexible to do yoga,” says Lent. “This practice is here to build mobility, not assume you already have it. Focus on steady breathing and how your body feels, rather than how it looks.”
She also recommends using props to make the practice more accessible. “Grab a cushion or blocks if you need to bring the ground closer, the practice should meet you where you are. If something doesn’t feel good, skip it or modify it. That’s not cheating, that’s you listening to your body.”
15 minute full-body flow
You will find all of the moves below, including warm-up and cool-down exercises to ease you in and out of the flow. Aim to spend around 55-60 seconds on each move, but if you want to spend longer or shorter on a move, just aim for what feels right to your body.
Having tried out this routine myself, I'd recommend completing it on top of one of the best yoga mats, or at least some padding, to make things more comfortable and to protect your joints. Now let's take a look at the moves...
1. Easy seated breath awareness
2. Neck Rolls & Shoulder Rolls
3. Butterfly Fold
4. Cat-Cow
5. Thread the Needle
6. Low Lunge
7. Half Split
8. Downward Dog
9. Three-Legged Dog with Hip Opener
10. Warrior 2
11. Reverse Warrior
12. Tree Pose
13. Seated Twist
14. Happy Baby
15. Supine Figure 4 Stretch
16. Final Resting Pose
What are the main benefits of this routine
“This 15-minute sequence is a gentle way to guide yourself back into your body,” explains Lent. “It is designed to help you release physical tension, whether that is from sitting all day, stress or overtraining.” As you move through key areas like the spine, hips and shoulders, the flow gives your joints and muscles some well earned TLC without demanding a big time commitment.
“You will also be regulating your nervous system through breath and intentional movement,” she says. In practice, that means it is not only your mobility that improves, but also your ability to feel calmer and more present once the routine is finished.
“Expect to finish with a sense of grounded energy, more clarity and ease in both body and mind,” Lent adds.
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