Standing Yoga Sequence: A Full Body Stretch for Beginners
Do you feel like you need a break from sitting all day long? Are you looking for a simple full-body stretch that doesn’t require any extra equipment? Standing yoga is exactly what you need.
In this article, I will show you just how easy standing yoga can be and how this simple standing yoga sequence that only takes 5 minutes might just be your next favorite thing to do. I will also tell you all about standing yoga sequencing and give you a few teaching tips if you’re a yoga teacher!
What is standing yoga?
Standing yoga poses are great for improving your posture, especially if you usually sit all day, or have a desk job. It’s also the perfect way to get an energy boost and mental reset.
More than that, standing yoga poses are perfect if you want to practice on your own. If you want to build a strong yoga foundation without being overwhelmed with the names of different poses, you can start out with standing yoga.
The best thing about it is that you can do it at any time, on your own, without equipment! So go for it and sneak in a quick standing yoga break in your day!
Standing yoga benefits
Physically, standing yoga helps improve your balance. As you learn to find your balance, you will in turn have better posture, which is why I recommend this exercise for people with desk jobs.
This form of yoga also improves flexibility, coordination, strength and endurance. It mainly targets the large group of muscles in your lower body, strengthening and toning them.
In addition, standing yoga also has mental benefits. It eases muscle tension and relieve aches and pains, thereby helping you feel refreshed. That makes it the perfect set of movements to do if you ever need to calm your mind and eliminate stress.
Go read this article about ALLLLL the benefits of yoga next!
Teaching standing yoga
If you’re a teacher, your beginner students can benefit from standing poses, so they can challenge their lower body endurance. Beginner yogis tend to have limited awareness of their bodies and mobility, and standing poses can help fix that.
And just like chair yoga I’ve discussed in the previous article, you don’t need to get a special certification to be able to hold a standing yoga class.
A complete standing yoga sequence for beginners
I have created a 5-minute standing yoga sequence designed for beginners that is super easy to do.
Below are the poses that are part of this 5-minute standing yoga sequence and how each pose benefits your mind and body:
Arm circles - this super simple stretching exercise warms you up and improves blood circulation in the body. It also helps tone your upper body.
Cat cows - this pose helps to improve balance and posture as well as stretch your neck and spine, back, hips, and abdomen. It’s also a good pose to do to calm the mind.
Standing backbends - Sitting all day can make you feel stiff around your neck and shoulders. Release the tension with this pose
Standing forward fold - this stretch works out the abs, quads, and your calves, as well as your lower back, hip muscles, and hamstrings.
Standing side bend - Aside from stretching the spine and obliques, standing side-bends also promotes better posture.
Chest opener, fingers interlaced behind back - desk work for hours will make you hunch forward a lot, which can lead to bad posture. Combat this by doing this pose.
Wide-legged forward bend twist - this is another good stretch to lengthen the spine and open your shoulders and hips
Wide-legged forward bend with a side bend - stretch those hamstrings more after sitting all day with this stretch
You can watch the full video below, or head to my YouTube channel for more yoga sequences.
Why this sequence works: Standing yoga sequencing
Aside from the benefits of each posture mentioned above, this sequence gives you the quick boost of energy you need after long hours of sitting. Within five minutes, you are doing a complete stretch and this will give you a break in your day to feel more energized.
It starts with a warm-up to get into your body and become aware of your breath.
You will move your spine in many directions: side bends, twists, backbends and forward folds. This is ideal for spine and back health.
What do you need for standing yoga?
The great thing about practicing standing yoga is that you don’t need anything in particular, as far as accessories are concerned. Whatever you’re wearing at work, you can easily sneak the poses during your break.
If practicing at home, putting on appropriate workout clothing will help you feel more comfortable. I am a big fan of Athleta and highly recommend them. I love that they have a positive impact as they have a B Corp and are very active in the yoga community.
Final Thoughts
Taking a break and having a quick full-body stretch doesn’t have to be complicated. Start from where you are, listen to your body, and give your mind the reset it needs. Try this quick, no-props standing yoga sequence and make it a part of your daily routine.