28 Days of Yoga Exercises

A dedicated month of Hatha yoga practice will give you a strong sense of the changes that are possible in your life when you make a commitment. Yoga helps you achieve a flexible, strong body, but also works on deeper levels of self: emotional, psychological and spiritual. Richard Hittleman, a yoga teacher and author, explains how important a flexible spine is by quoting a famous yogic adage, “You are as young as your spine is flexible.” With a strong physical spine, you will also discover your symbolic or metaphorical spine strengthening as you become more flexible in your mind and spirit.

  1. Preparation

    • You can purchase a yoga sticky mat at any sporting goods store.

      Setting your intentions and making manageable goals for yourself should be your first yoga exercise. Choose the time of day you will practice and how much time you can dedicate daily. It is better to do a little bit every day than overdo it on day one and not return to your mat for a week. Practice on an empty stomach and wear comfortable clothes and no shoes or socks. Go at your own pace and end every practice with a final relaxation for a few minutes.

    Week One

    • Always start your yoga with some mindful breathing in a comfortable seated position.

      Day one begins with sitting in a comfortable cross-legged position, closing your eyes and following your breath for a few minutes of meditation, followed by an easy warm-up routine of Cat and Cow poses followed by one round of Sun Salutation. Day two, add one more round of Sun Salutation and day three, work up to three rounds. For the rest of week one, continue with this routine and focus extra time each day on the following poses that are in Sun Salutation: Mountain, Standing Forward Bend, Lunge, Downward-Facing Dog and Cobra.

    Week Two

    • Use your hand to help position your foot against your thigh.

      Moving forward from the base of asanas you have worked with in week one, you will add in more variety this week. Beginning with the yoga routine you have been practicing, add in the following poses to round out your practice. Balancing poses are beneficial for focus and a sense of calm. Tree pose is the classic balance -- begin in Mountain, lift one leg and press the foot on the inside of the opposite thigh and then inhale your arms up like the branches of a tree. Add in a more intense backbend such as Upward-Facing Dog followed by a forward bend such as Seated Forward bend.

    Week Three

    • Twists are a great way to unwind before your final relaxation.

      Keep the sense of discovery and fun alive this week as you add in more poses to your routine. Add in a strength builder, Warrior I, Within your rounds of Sun Salutations, add in Warrior I, which strengthens the legs and opens up the hips. Also, add in a simple reclining twist pose this week -- after your backward and forward bends, lie down on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Inhale as you pull the knees into your chest and on an exhale lower your knees to one side with your arms outstretched in a T-position. Repeat on the opposite side.

    Week Four

    • Keep your practice fresh with challenging new poses.

      This may be the time for you to add in more challenge to your practice. You can include more standing strength-builders in your Sun Salutations such as Warrior II and III. You may also wish to add in a more challenging balancing pose like Dancer’s pose. Toward the end of this week, you can also complement your practice with an inversion -- Shoulder Stand, which should be practiced after your forward bend and before your twist. Take time this week for self-reflection about your yoga experience, noticing where and how you have experienced change and the new strengths developing in all areas of your being and life.