Want to reap the benefits of yoga, but don’t have much time? Do these 5 powerfully simple yoga poses every day for just 10 minutes!

It seems we are all so busy these days… Between work, running the kids around, date night, household chores, and preparing meals, it’s a wonder we have any time at all to take care of ourselves even with little things like relaxing on our yoga mat for a few minutes! Fortunately, yoga provides an amazing number of benefits with just a little bit of regular practice.

If you’re short on time but still want to enjoy the many benefits that yoga can provide, these 5 simple yoga poses will help to improve your mobility, strength, balance, energy, and mood – all with just a few minutes of practice per day. Do these poses in the order shown below for best results, and hold each pose for 2 minutes total – or one minute per side, while focusing on your bodily sensations and breathing deeply and slowly through your nose. You’ll turn your whole day around in just 10 minutes!

Try this simple daily yoga sequence to experience for yourself the wonderful results of a daily yoga practice:

1. Cat pose / Majaryasana

This pose stretches the spine, back muscles and neck, stimulates blood flow in the wrists and increases the circulation of spinal fluid. Coupled with Cow pose (1b), it is a wonderful warm-up for the spine and, when synchronised with the breath, has a calming effect on the mind.

Tip: As you round the spine on an exhalation in Cat pose, try energetically pushing the heels of the hands away from you. As you inhale and dip the spine in Cow pose, draw the heels of the hands towards you.

2. Cow pose / Bitilasana

Cow pose stretches the front of the torso and throat area. Like Cat pose it stimulates the wrists and spine.

3. Low lunge / Anjaneyasana

Stretches the chest, hip flexors, quadriceps, sides of the waist and tops of the ankles and feet. Improves balance and mental focus. Great for runners, cyclists or if you spend a lot of the day sitting.

Tip: Energetically draw the front heel and the back knee together to create more stability in the hips /and groin.

4. Warrior 2 / Virabhadrasana II

Stretches the inner thighs, groin, chest, lungs and shoulders. Strengthens your legs, improves stamina and concentration.

Tip: To avoid creating tension in the shoulders, try rotating the palms upwards and then, keep the shoulders soft, slowly return the palms of the hands so they’re facing down.

5. Triangle / Trikonasana

Strengthens the legs, back and torso, lengthens the side of the body, stretches the inner thighs, hamstrings, calves, spine, shoulders, chest and hips.

Tip: To create more strength and tone in the waist and stability in the legs, try hovering the lower hand slightly away from the leg.

For 5 more simple yoga poses to do every day, visit EkhartYoga.com…