Feel like getting into Downward Dog is the peak of your performance?

No worries, off days happen to the best of us. Plus, you don’t need to sweat it out in Warriors to get a fulfilling yoga practice.

This 25-minute easy lazy yoga routine is designed to get you out of bed and onto the mat on days when you have no energy. You’ll:

• Stay close to the floor
• Relieve stiffness & physical tension
• De-stress & revitalize through simple movements

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How To Use This Lazy Yoga Routine To Energize/Relax

As always, I’ve included a suggested hold time in the instructions below. But remember that it’s not carved in stone. You can modify the flow and hold times to best suit the time of your practice and goals.

Here’s what I mean.

Suppose you’re practicing in the morning/early afternoon. In that case, it’s probably not a very good idea to put yourself to sleep just yet. The yoga practice at this time of the day should get you out of your chair and moving (even if it’s close to the floor) as well as give you enough energy to live through the day.

Key rules to use the “Lazy Yoga Routine” to energize:

• Shorter holds
• Active, dynamic movement – for example, rather than holding Modified Side Plank for 5 breaths and then holding Gate Pose for 5 breaths, move between the poses.
• Strength element – for example, lift the top leg in Modified Side Plank (or even move into Full Side Plank if you will).

If you’re practicing in the late afternoon/evening, you’re more likely need some me-time to slow down and de-stress.

Key rules to use the “Lazy Yoga Routine” to relax:

• Longer holds – especially in restorative yoga poses such as Child’s Pose, Knees To Chest, etc.
• Slow, mindful movements – make every transition as smooth as possible
• Breath awareness – focus on extending your inhales and exhales.

Lazy Yoga Sequence For Low-Energy Days: Step-By-Step Instructions

1. Reclined Butterfly/Supta Baddha Konasana

• Start in a lying position.
• Bring the soles of your feet together and place your hands on your belly or beside your body. You can also bring the arms above your head if that’s comfortable.
• If the stretch in your inner thighs feels too much, place your knees on yoga blocks or bolsters for support.
• Hold for 10 long breaths.

 

2. Half Knees-to-Chest Pose/Ardha Apanasana

• Extend your left leg long on the mat and bend the right knee.
• Exhale as you gently draw it close to the chest using hands as leverage.
• Maintain a natural spinal curve in your lower back.
• Hold for 5-10 breaths.

 

3. Half Happy Baby/Ardha Ananda Balasana

• Draw the right knee to the right towards the armpit.
• Flex your right foot and grab your sole, big toe, or shin with the right hand.
• Start to straighten the right knee, so the shin is parallel with the mat.
• On an exhale, draw your right knee toward the armpit.
• Hold for 5-10 breaths.

 

4. Knees-to-Chest Pose/ Apanasana

• Bend both knees and bring them close to the chest. If possible, clasp the hands around your knees.
• Keep your lower back flat on the mat. You can gently rock side to side if that’s what you feel like doing.
• Alternatively, widen the knees to the sides of your torso to give space for your body.
• Hold for 5-10 breaths.

5. Extended Child's Pose/Balasana

• From lying position, rock your weight forward and come on all fours.
• Bring your big toes together and widen your knees to the edges of the mat.
• Send your hips back as you extend your arms long and draw your shoulder blades down your spine.
• If you need more room for your front body, curl your toes under and place your forehead on a yoga block/stacked fists.
• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths.

 

6. Cow – Downward Dog – Cow – Child’s Pose Flow/ Bitilasana - Adho Mukha Svanasana – Bitilasana – Balasana Flow

• Rise into a tabletop position with a neutral spine.
• Inhale as you come into Cow Pose: puff up through your chest and drop your belly, creating a U shape with your spine.
• Exhale as you curl your toes under, lift your knees off the mat, and transition into Downward-Facing Dog.
• Inhale in Downward-Facing Dog. Lengthen through your spine and keep a micro bend in your knees.
• Exhale as you lower your knees into a tabletop.
• Inhale into Cow pose.
• Exhale as you send your hips back into Child’s Pose.
• Flow through the sequence for about 5 times. Go slowly, matching your movements with your breath.

 

7. Balancing Table Pose/Dandayamana Bharmanasana

• From tabletop position, extend your left leg back.
• Inhale as you reach your right arm forward.
• If you feel balanced, raise your left foot off the mat.
• Stay strong through your belly – this will help you hold the balance.
• Exhale as you lower your arm and leg down to the mat.
• Switch sides.
• Repeat the movement with your breath 5 times on each side.

 

8. Balancing Table Pose With Hip Circles/ Dandayamana Bharmanasana W/Hip Circles

• From tabletop position, extend your left leg back.
• Inhale as you reach your right arm forward and left leg back off the mat.
• Bend your left knee and start tracing circles with your right knee. 
• Try to keep your upper body and core stable.
• Make 5 circles on each side.

 

9. Modified Side Plank/Vasisthasana Variation

• From tabletop position, extend your left leg behind you.
• Move your right foot and shin to the right and lift your left hand off the mat, opening your body to the right into a straight line.
• Lift your left arm to the sky.
• For an additional challenge, gaze up at your top arm and lift your leg foot off the floor.
• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths.

 

10. Gate Pose/Parighasana

• If you lifted your left foot off the mat in Modified Side Plank, lower it down.
• Press your left sole into the mat and make sure your left toes are pointing forward.
• Activate your glutes and left side of your abdominals as you lift your torso.
• Slide your left arm down your left leg and bend your torso to the left until you feel a stretch in your right side body.
• Lift your right arm up and over to the right.
• If it’s comfortable for the neck, gaze up at your top hand.
• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths.

 

11. Low Lunge/Anjaneyasana

• From tabletop position, exhale as you bring your right foot forward between your hands.
• Slide your left knee back until you feel a gentle stretch in your left thigh and hip.
• To progress, bring your hands onto the front knee and lift your torso.
• Keep your legs engaged as if you’re trying to scissor the thighs together.
• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths.

 

12. Half-Splits/Ardha Hanumanasana

• If you're resting your hands onto the right knee, lower them to the mat.
• Exhale and start shifting your weight back as you straighten your front leg. Flex the toes of the front foot towards you.
• Keep your hips level. This often means you have to slightly bump the hip of your front leg back and bring the hip of the back leg forward.
• If flexibility allows, slowly start folding over your front foot. Focus on lengthening the spine rather than rounding it.
• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths.

 

13. Revolved Low Lunge/Parivrtta Anjaneyasana

• Return to Low Lunge.
• Ground through your left palm.
• Inhale as you lift your right arm, twisting to your right.
• For an additional challenge, lift your back knee off the ground.
• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths.

 

14. Wide-Legged Forward Bend/Prasarita Padottanasana

• Return to Low Lunge and walk your hands to the left.
• Rotate your feet so that they’re parallel with each other and lift your hips into Wide-Legged Forward Bend.
• Keep a microbend in your knees.
• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths.

15. Hero Pose With A Twist/Parsva Virasana

• From tabletop position, bring your knees together and wider your feet.
• Walk your hands back and sit between your heels. You can sit on a block or a bolster if the stretch causes discomfort in your knees or front thighs. Alternatively, sit on your heels rather than between them.
• Inhale as you lengthen through the spine.
• Exhale as you bring the back of your left hand outside your right thigh and twist to your right. Rest your right hand behind you without dumping any weight into it.
• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths and switch sides.
• As you release, come to a tabletop position and alternate between extending your right and left legs out behind for a calf stretch.

 

16. Bridge Pose/Setu Bandha Sarvangasana

• Lie down on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the mat.
• Rest your arms beside your body.
• Firm up your buttocks and root through your feet as if you're trying to squeeze them back towards your body.
• Inhale as you slowly peel your spine off the floor. Start with your tail bone and move to the sacrum, lower back, middle back, upper back.
• As you lift your hips, lift your arm up and over.
• Exhale and slowly roll back down from the top to the bottom of your spine. Let the arms follow.
• Repeat the movement for 5 full breaths.

 

17. Reclined Pigeon/Supta Kapotasana

• Cross the right ankle over your left thigh. Keep the right foot flexed and the knee rotating outside to the right.
• If that's enough of a stretch, stay right here. Otherwise, lift your left foot off the mat and bring it closer to the chest. Make sure your right knee keeps opening to the side.
• Wrap your hands around the left thigh or a shin to help bring the leg closer to you.
• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths.

 

18. Reclined Twist/Supta Matsyendrasana

• Release your left leg back onto the mat if you brought it to the chest in Reclined Pigeon.
• Bring the arms into a goalpost position.
• Exhale as you release the legs to the left while gazing to the right.
• Hold the pose for 5-10 breaths.

19. Knees to Chest/Apanasana

• Bring your knees to your chest with your hands resting on the shins and feet flexed.
• Gently rock from side to side.

 

20. Corpse Pose/Savasana

• Release your legs long onto the mat and bring the hands alongside your body.
• Relax your whole body and breathe naturally.
• Stay for about 10 full breaths or as long as needed.