How to Do P90X Yoga on the Carpet

The P90X workout series by Tom Horton is designed for the individual home practitioner and features a yoga workout section. Carpet may be the only option as a workout surface, which has its benefits and drawbacks. The added cushioning provides extra padding for sensitive areas such as your knees, while some movements may become extra challenging, such as standing balance poses.

Things You'll Need

  • Yoga mat
  • Blanket
  • Towel
  • Blocks
  • Chair
  • Wall
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Instructions

  1. Warm-Up

    • 1
      Lengthen your spine and engage your core in Mountain pose.

      Place a large towel on the carpet to absorb any sweat and prevent friction. Step onto the towel into your first Mountain pose. You should feel your weight evenly spread through all four corners of your feet.

    • 2

      Step into your Wide-Leg Hamstring stretch, keeping your feet parallel to one another. You may opt to turn your toes slightly in for extra support.

    • 3

      Spread your fingers wide as you place your hands on the floor for the Upward-Facing Dog and Downward-Facing Dog poses. Roll your elbows inward, and firmly place your feet on the ground about hip-distance apart. Carpeting adds extra strain on your wrist. You can modify the Downward-Facing Dog by coming down to your forearms instead.

    Standing Poses

    • 4
      Breathe evenly to find your balance.

      Distribute your weight evenly through all four corners of each foot standing on your towel. Standing balancing poses are extremely challenging on carpet. Lightly lean against a chair or wall if you fall out of the pose.

    • 5

      Spread your toes wide on the ground. Try not to grip them if you begin slipping on the carpet. Remember proper alignment for safe execution of the poses. If the pose is impossible to do on carpet, move to a wall and use it as a stopper for your toes. Breathe calmly to center yourself and to find your balance.

    • 6

      Place your hands on blocks to stabilize yourself, as you move into Runners-Lunge pose or Side-Angle pose. Your wrists may sink into the carpet cushioning, so blocks will help create a solid surface for your wrists to rest on.

    Arm Balance, Twists, Openers and Closing

    • 7
      Be mindful of hyperextending your wrists.

      Distribute your weight evenly through the palms of your hands and your fingers when attempting the Crane pose. Straighten your arms as much as you can. This is a challenging pose for a beginner. Carpeting helps cushion any falls. If your fingers keep sinking into the carpet, try balancing on your blocks instead.

    • 8
      Tuck your chin gently in Bridge pose.

      Root both your sit bones firmly on the ground for the Seated-Twist pose. Lengthen your spine and hinge from the hip before twisting. Modify this pose by sitting on a rolled-up blanket or towel to lift your pelvis slightly off the ground.

    • 9

      Straighten your elbows upward as you push into the backbend poses. Keep your elbows as close to your body as possible. Backbends are taxing on your wrists, as you might hyperextend them in this pose. Ensure that you have the strength and flexibility to do this pose safely. To modify the pose, move your hands against a wall or turn back onto your belly to do a Cobra pose, Bow pose and Upward-Facing Dog.

    • 10

      Slide a rolled-up towel underneath your thighs just below your hips before lying in your final Savasana -- or corpse -- pose. This will relieve stress on your lower back and will lower it toward the ground. Breathe evenly and surrender all muscles of your body to the earth below you.