Stretch your whole body and improve your mobility in just 15 minutes with this yoga instructor’s flow

Yoga is great for the mind and body, with physical benefits ranging from improved mobility and posture to pain management and stress reduction.

This flow, designed by instructor Melissa Jill Clark, founder of Alive with Melissa, has been created to help soothe an overwhelmed nervous system, as well as gently stretch your whole body and improve joint mobility.

Clark works with senior citizens, so this flow is low impact and easy on the joints, while also having an energizing effect.

“Whether you’re starting your day, resetting at lunchtime, or unwinding at night, these postures will help you feel open, awake and grounded in the present moment,” she says.

“This is a simple practice you can do anytime, anywhere, but if you’re able to take it outside, even better,” advises Clark. “Practicing outdoors offers the added benefits of fresh air, natural light for vitamin D, and grounding through your connection to the earth. The sights, sounds and rhythm of nature can also calm the nervous system and enhance your overall sense of wellbeing.”

Clark also explains the benefits of low-impact exercises to increase energy levels. “Unlike high-intensity workouts that leave you depleted, yoga builds energy through breath, circulation and mindful movement,” she says.

“It increases blood flow, opens the joints and enhances mobility, allowing fresh oxygen to nourish your cells and wake up your body. At the same time, it soothes the nervous system and brings clarity to the mind.”

Here are the 12 parts that make up Clark’s 15-minute flow to soothe your nervous system and improve your mobility. All you need is a yoga mat to get started. If you’re a beginner to yoga, practice the poses individually before attempting them as a flow.

1. Easy seated pose (Sukhasana) with gentle movement

Time: 1-2min

• Sit comfortably with your legs crossed and your hands resting on your knees or heart.
• Close your eyes and take three to five deep, grounding breaths.
• Gently circle your head in one direction, then the other.
• As you continue, slowly expand the movement down your body, taking your spine and waist in big, slow circles.

2. Table top pose (Bharmanasana) into cat-cow

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Time: 2min

• Get on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees.
• Inhale as you arch your back (this is cow pose), then exhale as you round your back (this cat pose).
• Add side bends while you do cat-cow, moving your hips and head gently from side to side, making a curve with your spine and moving with your breath.
• Flow into spinal waves: inhaling as you round forward into a coiled spine, then exhaling as you soften and arch, before moving back to child’s pose (below).

3. Child’s pose (Balasana)

Time: 1min

• From your hands and knees, bring your big toes together, move your knees wider than hip-width apart and sit your buttocks on your feet.
• Reach your arms forward, palms on the floor, and rest your forehead on the mat.
• Take five deep, slow breaths, imagining your body melting into the floor.

4. Downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) with spinal waves

Time: 2min

• From child’s pose, tuck your toes and lift your hips to move into downward dog, forming an inverted V shape with your body.
• Pedal your heels—lifting one heel as you lower the other—to warm the calves.
• Begin spinal waves: inhale as you move forward into a plank, so your shoulders are over your hands and your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Reverse the movement back into downward dog.
• Repeat for eight to 10 rounds with your breath—or until 2 minutes are done.

5. Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)

Time: 1min

• Lower yourself onto your belly and place your hands on the mat under your shoulders.
• Press into your palms to gently lift your chest off the floor into cobra pose.
• Keep your elbows slightly bent and shoulders relaxed.
• Slowly turn your head right and left to release neck tension.
• Carefully lower your upper body back to the floor when you’re done.

6. Downward-facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)

Time: 30sec

• Tuck your toes under and lift your hips to return to downward-facing dog.
• Feel the length through your spine and your breath through your whole body as you pause briefly in this pose.

7. Low lunge with twist (Anjaneyasana with Parivrtta Anjaneyasana)

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Time: 1min each side

• Step your right foot forward and place it between your hands, lower your left knee to the mat and lift your torso to come into low lunge pose.
• Carefully sink your hips forward and reach up, arching your back slightly.
• Add a twist by placing your left hand on the ground and reaching your right arm up towards the sky.
• Hold the pose and breathe, then switch sides after a minute.

8. Standing forward fold to mountain pose (Uttanasana to Tadasana)

Time: 1min

• From low lunge, place your hands either side of your front foot and step your back foot forward, so both feet meet at the front of the mat.
• Lift your hips and lean forward at the waist, keeping a slight bend in your knees and letting the weight of your head gently pull you down into a forward fold. Let your arms hang down.
• Slowly rise to standing, rolling up through your spine, one vertebrae at a time.
• Inhale as you sweep your arms overhead, and exhale to release into mountain pose with your big toes touching and your hands held to your heart.

9. Tree pose (Vrksasana)

Time: 30sec each side

• From mountain pose, shift your weight into your left foot and place the sole of your right foot on your left ankle, inner calf or thigh—depending on your level of flexibility.
• Bring your palms together at your heart, then reach your arms over your head to extend the branches of your tree pose.
• Find your breath, your balance and your calm.
• Switch sides and repeat.

10. Seated forward fold (Paschimottanasana)

Time: 1min

• Sit on your mat with your legs extended straight out in front of you.
• Inhale as you reach your arms up, then exhale as you fold forward from your hips—reaching for the feet or shins depending on your flexibility.
• Let your head and neck relax.
• Breathe into the backs of your legs and soften with each exhale.

11. Seated twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

Time: 30sec each side

• Sit tall with your legs extended in front of you, then bend your right knee and place your right foot on the left side of your left thigh.
• Place your right hand behind you for support and your left arm across the right knee.
• Inhale to lengthen your spine and exhale as you gently twist to the right—trying to look behind you if you can.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed and breathe steadily.
• Switch sides after 30 seconds.

12. Return to easy pose (Sukhasana)

Time: 1min

• Sit in a comfortable position. Lift your rib cage up from your waist, roll your shoulders back and down, and rest your hands at your heart.
• Close your eyes, take a few deep breaths.
• Release tension and feel your practice settle in.
• Set an intention for how you want to move through the rest of your day, and life—with clarity, peace, grace and ease.