I thought it’d be fun to share pieces of my practice in hopes that it’ll inspire you to roll out your mat and maybe provide you with some fresh ideas to incorporate into your own practice and/or teaching. And as much as we all would probably love to have an hour each day to dedicate to our asana/self-care practice, most of the time that’s not always the case. So my goal with these are to keep them short, sweet, and most importantly, effective.
If you’re interested, check out these two mini sequences below! The first is a pre-surf mobility routine that I’ve been loving to help me wake up and warm up before paddling out, cross training, or just beginning the day. The second is a post-surf recovery routine that’s a nice way to unravel and unwind after a long day of surfing, or just after a long day in general. Below each video there is text description of the poses + movements.
Roll out your mat and enjoy! And let me know your thoughts and if you gave it a go in a comment below ❤️
PRE-SURF MOBILITY ROUTINE
As always, listen to your body. Move mindfully with your breath and feel free to add on more repetitions to create a longer practice.
1. COW > CAT > CHILD’S (w/ toes tucked)
Try to move slowly and mindfully with your breath. Complete 5 rounds.
2. GECKO > EXTENDED GECKO > BIRDDOG
Keep the movements intentional and controlled. Imagine that you are trying to balance a book on your low back throughout the movements. Complete 6 rounds total (3 reps per side).
3. DOWNDOG > TURBO DOG
Keep the low belly hugging in and hands firmly grounding down. Complete 5 rounds.
4. TURBO DOG > LOW LUNGE
Don’t rush these. Again, let your breath lead you. Modify by taking Downdog or Table Top (all fours) instead of Turbo Dog. Complete 6 rounds (3 reps per side).
5. LOW LUNGE > ACTIVE ARM CIRCLES
Keep these arm circles active, imagine that you are ‘swimming’ through honey. Take 3 circles in one direction, then 3 circles in the other direction before switching sides.
6. MALASANA/DEEP SQUAT
Keep the knees tracking over the toes. Option to bring a yoga block (or something similar) under your seat for support. Try to keep the spine long and take 5 deep breaths.
POST-SURF RECOVERY ROUTINE
As always, listen to your body. Take what you need or string these poses together in a yummy sequence. Spend as much time in these shapes as you’d like — when it comes to recovery there is absolutely no need to rush. Also, you may want to have a beach towel nearby.
1. CHILD’S POSE
Begin in whatever variation of Child’s Pose you prefer. A folded towel behind the knees may be helpful. Drop in and take a couple of slow, deep breaths.
2. THREAD-THE-NEEDLE POSE
Try to get the shoulder (of the arm that’s threading thru) and head to the floor or some kind of support (blocks, pillows, towels...) so that you can really relax into it.
3. EXTENDED CHILD’S POSE
In this variation I like to bend my elbows to get more into my triceps and lats. You can also bring your elbows to the edges of a block to turn up the sensation.
4. SPHINX POSE
Anchor the pelvis by gently pressing the pubic bone into the floor and ground into your elbows as you broaden the collar bones. Explore gently moving the head + neck in a way that feels helpful for you.
5. PEC RELEASE
There are a few ways to set up this pec release, just keep in mind that you are turning away from the side that you are stretching.
6. PSOAS RELEASE
This is where you will want your towel! Let your hips rest on top of the rolled up towel (low back should be draping off). If it feels OK, hug one knee in while you stretch the other leg out long.
7. FIGURE 4 > FIGURE 4 TWIST
Spend a few breaths with the ankle crossed over the knee (option to hug legs closer into the body to turn up sensation). Then you’ll keep that same shape in the legs as you come into the twist.
8. PASSIVE HEART OPENER
You’ll want your beach towel again for this one and you’ll want to adjust the roll to best support you! The bottom tips of the shoulder blades will rest on the roll while the tops of shoulders and head rest on the floor. Take any shape that’s comfortable with your legs and arms. Let go, relax, and stay here for at least a few minutes.