Downward Facing Dog Split Knee-to-Nose
Tones: Core, shoulders, chest, hips and glutes
Place your feet together, bend your knees and plant your hands down to the ground. Step the right foot back, then the left foot back into plank position. Deep inhale. Exhale and lift the hips up and back into downward facing dog. Shift your weight toward your hips. Inhale and lift the right leg up to the sky, then exhale and bring the right knee to touch your nose. Repeat 12 times, then do the same with the left leg.
Bonus: Rockstar
With your right leg up in the sky, bend the knee, stack the hip towards the left side of your body and drop the ball of your right foot behind you. Lift the right hand up to the sky, lift the hips up and find a stretch in the lower back for a back bend. Three breaths here, then go back into downward facing dog. Switch sides.
Navasana Crunch
Tones: Core
Sit on your tailbone. Deep inhale, and lift legs straight up as you engage the core. Back is straight, spine is tall. Scoop your belly in to balance on the hipbones as you lift your chest up, feeling as if your rib cage is pulling up away from your hips. Lift the hands up by your sides and grab flexed feet. When you feel sta- ble, keep the feet flexed as you release your hands by your sides, and lower the chest and legs down, only slightly hovering over the floor. Then engage the core fully, and lift back up into start- ing position. Repeat 12 times, three reps.
Bridge
Tones: Glutes, back and core
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip width apart. Inhale and press the heels of your feet down as you squeeze your butt and lift your hips up off the ground. Come up as high as you can, holding this position for three full breaths in and out, pulling the rib cage in and down towards your belly as you breathe. Maintain a neutral spine as you slowly lower down back to the ground. Repeat eight times, three reps.
Bonus: Go into bicycle crunches at the end of your workout for a full minute, with 30-second double time count bicycle crunches to end.
Story by Sunina Young, @suninayoung
Photos by Andy Hur, @thewhelming
This story was originally published in our Summer 2015 issue. Get your copy here.
