I tried this seven-minute yoga routine and it immediately reduced tension in my hips and shoulders

There are a few areas of my body, such as my shoulder, lower back, and hips, which are stiff and achy almost all of the time, especially during the working day when I spend a lot of time sitting down.

Francine Cipollone, better known online as Yoga With Bird, recently shared a yoga routine that piqued my interest because it only takes seven minutes, but promises to immediately relieve muscle tension.

I find it hard to make the time to stretch properly, but seven minutes of yoga feels very doable, so I decided to give it a go during my lunch break. 

Plus, the routine is completely equipment-free, so it's easy to do at home with a yoga mat or a towel.

Watch Yoga With Bird's seven-minute yoga routine

One of the many benefits of yoga is that it can help with your mobility and flexibility, and that's certainly what I found with this routine. 

The routine starts with a 'happy baby' pose, which felt great in my hips, opening up the joint and taking some pressure off my lower back. We then moved on to some cat-cow movements, which are ideal for flexing and extending the spine, followed by one of my favorite stretches: thread the needle. This is a stretch I go back to whenever my upper body feels stiff as it's a fantastic way to mobilize the shoulder joints and open up the chest.

The routine ended with a downward dog, followed by a child's pose. My muscles still felt tight during these, but the longer I held them, the more I felt my body relax. By the time I finished the routine, I noticed I was feeling less stiff, particularly in my shoulders and hips.

I'd recommend this yoga routine as a quick way to mobilize joints like the hips and shoulders, as well as stretching out some of the major muscles for quick relief.

However, I did notice later in the day that my stiffness returned, which is probably due to an overall lack of mobility, so I know it's important to incorporate routines like this one into my life regularly to change how my body feels day-to-day.

Want more routines like this one? Try doing these beginner yoga stretches, or have a go at this short 15-minute yoga routine