5 Spring Cleaning Yoga Poses. ~ Heidi Templeton

Source: blog.cleanprogram.com via Clean on Pinterest

Well, hello there, Spring. You’ve been missed.

Even for a Florida girl spring has been long awaited. If you’re like me and are getting around to that twice a year vacuum under the couch (don’t judge). Or maybe you’re cleaning out the closet to pull out the warm weather attire.
With all the household preparations, don’t forget about a little internal spring cleaning—those joints might feel a little cranky and let’s not even discuss how tight our hips are!

Here are five asanas to renew ourselves from be inside out:

Viparita Virabhadrasana, Reverse Warrior with a bind: From a Warrior 2, lean back over your back leg keeping your body directly open to the side. Wrap your back hand around reaching toward the inside of the front quad and reach past your ear to the back. Adding in the twist will help with detoxifying organs and releasing tension in the spine.
Pincha Mayurasana: Coming into your dolphin pose, take the crown of your head down on your mat. Slowly start to walk your feet closer and closer. That point might be enough and that’s OK, you’ll still get some great benefits. If you’d like to move further into the pose, lift one foot off the floor then the other bringing knees to chest. Hang out here for a few breaths; you’ll feel almost an instant calm throughout your body and mind.
Sarvangasana: We all have fun in a shoulder stand, but there are outstanding benefits! While you’re upside down toning your abs and stretching your spine, you’re also helping with lymphatic drainage, getting the thyroid gland to function more efficiently and increasing blood flow to the brain. If you have allergies, this helps headaches, congestion and sore throats.
Pavanmuktasana with a twist: Go ahead and lay on your back crossing right ankle over left. Start to pull knees toward chest as you reach to the outer edges of your feet. Inhale and exhale as long as you like. This pose is great for the internal organs, improving digestion and elimination. You’ll also get a great stretch in the lower spine.
Uttanasana: Who doesn’t love a good forward fold? Keep a little microbend in your knees for this one and grab hold of opposite elbows. Feel that fantastic stretch down the hips, hamstrings and calves? While that stretch is happening, you’re also reducing stress, anxiety, depression and fatigue which we all feel to some degree during the winter months. Breath deeply here and with every exhale know that you’re stimulating the kidneys, liver and the spleen leaving them rejuvenated.

After these asanas try my new favorite fruit blend! Combine about a half cup of coconut water, five strawberries, one kiwi and one peach. Blend until liquified and enjoy!

Heidi Templeton is a Tampa Bay Area yoga instructor specializing in vinyasa, hot and standup paddle board yoga. When she’s not practicing asana, you can find her in the kitchen cooking up vegetarian dishes. Heidi is sharing her love for all things health and wellness on www.facebook.com/HeidiFit.