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A 12-Minute Yoga Routine To Help Ease Into Backbends
Welcome to mbg moves! We've been working out at home more than ever—and we know our readers are, too. To help keep your fitness routine feeling fresh, we're releasing a new at-home workout to start your week off strong. Each month will feature routines from a different incredible trainer we adore. Now, let's get moving with our spotlight trainer: Tara Stiles.
Workout Summary
- Time: 12 minutes
- Equipment: Yoga mat
- Instructions: Follow along with the video, and move from one exercise to the next as indicated.
Backbends can be intimidating poses, particularly for anyone who's a beginner to practicing yoga. However, they're beautiful heart-opening postures that allow us to stretch and strengthen our spines, shoulders, and chest.
While various backbends can be met with tension and strain, just like in all the flows I'm sharing this month (check out my Hard Things With Ease and Balance With Ease), I encourage you to approach these poses with calm and softness.
Here, I'm thrilled to take you through a routine that's all about easing into backbends. During this flow, whenever you find yourself in a tense place, simply breathe deeply, allowing those tight points to release. Eventually, you'll find yourself in a more centered, balanced place.
We'll start slow, then begin to work our way up to more challenging backbends. After you complete this flow, notice how these poses make you feel. Perhaps you'll feel more open, energized, or some entirely different emotion. Whatever you experience, remember to take that vitality and ease into the rest of your day.
Tara Stiles is the founder of Strala Yoga, a revolutionary approach to healing through movement. She's also the author of Clean Mind, Clean Body. Thousands of guides are leading Strala classes around the globe in partner studios, gyms, and clubs. Strala has been illustrated in a case study by Harvard Business School, and its philosophy of ease and conservation of energy are incorporated by business leaders, entrepreneurs, and well-being professionals.
Stiles teamed up with W Hotels on Fit with Tara Stiles—a program bringing Strala Yoga classes and healthy recipes to W properties around the globe. She collaborated with Reebok, working closely with the design team on their yoga lifestyle range, as well as developed a line of knitwear and homeware with Wool and the Gang. Stiles has authored several books including Yoga Cures, Make Your Own Rules Cookbook, and Strala Yoga, all translated and published in several languages. She has been profiled by the New York Times, Times of India, The Times.