A yoga teacher wants you to try this five-minute flow to reduce tension and improve mobility

You don’t need to practice yoga for an hour a day to feel the benefits. You can work through all parts of your body and relax your mind in just five minutes, according to yoga teacher and founder of Wellness With La Rue, Jack Bryant.

“If you’re short on time, a five-minute yoga practice can help improve mobility and also leave you feeling better mentally,” says Bryant.

That’s why Bryant has created this five-minute flow. It moves through a dozen poses relatively quickly, so it suits someone who’s familiar with yoga and is confident joining them together dynamically.

“These yoga poses can shift your energy and ease tight spots or physical tension. It’s perfect if you spend a lot of time sitting during the day,” says Bryant.

“If you want to start a long-term practice, it has to be a sustainable and stackable habit within your life already, so this is a great place to start and see the benefits,” he says.

So whether you develop your asana (postures) practice, need a quick reset from your desk or want to start the day feeling energized, give Bryant’s five-minute yoga flow for mobility a try.

How to do the five-minute yoga flow for mobility

The flow begins by warming up your spine with cat-cow and downward-facing dog poses, before focusing on your right side with low lunge, a forward fold and twisted low lunge.

You transition back to downward-facing dog by way of eight-limbed pose, cobra and child’s pose, then repeat the lunges on your left side. The sequence finishes with a relaxation pose to settle your body back to balance.

Remember to breathe mindfully and gently as you move through the sequence, syncing your breath with each movement.

Ready to try it? Here’s a follow-along video with Bryant, followed by the full sequence and explanations of each pose, in case you would like to flow at your own speed.

Video: Yoga flow for mobility

Warm-up:

• Cat-cow
• Downward-facing dog

Right side:

• Low lunge
• Forward fold
• Twisted low lunge

Transition:

• Eight-limbed pose
• Cobra
• Child’s pose
• Downward-facing dog

Left side:

• Low lunge
• Forward fold
• Twisted low lunge

Transition:

• Cat-cow
• Child’s pose

Cool-down:

• Corpse pose

How to do the poses

Cat-cow (Marjaryasana-Bitilasana)

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Inhale as you lower your belly, arch your back and lift your chest and chin.
• Exhale as you round your spine, tuck your chin and press your palms into the floor.

Benefit: Mobilizes your spine, improves posture, and gently stretches your back, chest and neck while warming up your core.

Downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

• From your hands and knees, with your feet hip-distance apart, press your palms into the floor and straighten your legs as you raise your hips.
• Pedal your feet, lowering one heel as you raise the other.
• Keep your spine extended and neck loose. Bend your knees as much as you need.

Benefit: Strengthens your shoulders and arms, while stretching your hamstrings, calves, spine and the back of your body.

Low lunge (Anjaneyasana)

• Bring your right foot forward and place it flat on the floor between your palms.
• Lower your left knee to rest on the floor—your toes can be tucked or you can rest the top of your foot on the floor.
• Raise your arms overhead, bring your palms together in front of your chest, or rest them on your front thigh.
• Hold for a few rounds of breath.
• Bring your back foot forward flat on the floor close to your front foot.
• Let your head hang with your back folding forward over your legs, keeping a soft bend in your knees.
• Place your palms on your shins, lengthen your spine, gaze forward and open your chest.

Benefit: Opens your hips and hip flexors, strengthens your legs, and improves balance and stability.

Forward fold (Uttanasana)

• Bring your left foot forward next to your right foot.
• Hold your elbows and gently rock from side to side.
• Inhale as you stand up and raise your arms above your head.
• Exhale as you fold forward, placing your palms on the floor.
• Inhale as you place your palms on your shins and lift your torso so it is parallel to the floor.
• Exhale as you place your palms back on the floor.

Twisted low lunge (Parivrtta Utthita Ashwa Sanchalanasana)

• Step your left foot back and bend both knees to lower.
• Place your left hand on the floor.
• Reach your right hand overhead, rotating your torso to face right.
• Hold for a few rounds of breath.

Benefit: Improves your spinal mobility, stretches the hips, and opens your chest and shoulders while engaging the core.

Eight-limbed pose to cobra (Ashtanga Namaskara to Bhujangasana)

• Place your right hand on the floor, so both arms are extended and your hands are under your shoulders.
• Step your right foot back so your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Bend your knees and lower them to rest on the floor, keeping your tailbone raised.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chin and chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
• Press your palms into the floor and move your shoulders forward and up, lifting your chest to face forward, and rolling your shoulders down your back and squeezing your glutes.
• Hold for a few rounds of breath.

Benefit: Strengthens your arms, shoulders and back while opening the chest, stretching the front body and improving spinal mobility.

Child’s pose (Balasana)

• Widen your knees and slide your hips back toward your heels.
• Rest your forehead on the floor and reach your arms forward.
• Hold for a few rounds of breath.

Corpse pose (Shavasana)

• Lie on your back in a comfortable position, with your legs extended or knees bent.
• Place a bolster or cushion beneath your thighs for more support.
• Rest here for 30 seconds (or longer if you have time).

Benefit: Allows the body to fully relax, absorb the benefits of the practice, and calm the nervous system.