BGG: What are a few yoga poses we can practice at home?

Michelle: Start with these three --

Forward Fold (Uttanasana)

How to: Start with your feet parallel and hip-distance apart . Fold at the hips and bring your torso and upper body down over your legs. Bend your knees if your back is rounding or feels tight. For a neck and shoulder release, interlace your fingers behind your back and stretch your arms upward with elbows slightly bent, gently shaking your head and lifting your shoulders away from your ears.

Benefit: This pose gives a quick boost of energy by reversing the bloodflow and helps clear the mind, while opening up your back body – spine, hamstrings, and calves.

Butterfly (Baddha Konasana)

How to: Sit on the ground or on a pillow with your knees bent apart and soles of your feet together. You can gently flutter your knees up and down to loosen your hips or fold forward with an elongated spine to deepen the stretch into your low back and outer hips.

Benefit: This posture helps to alleviate menstrual cramps and releases tension in the low back, hips, and groins, opening the root chakra.

Plank Pose

How to: Place your hands on the ground with your fingers spread and wrists beneath each shoulder. Either place your knees on the ground directly beneath your hips or straighten the legs back and balance on the balls of your feet hip distance apart. Press your palms into the ground while lifting the belly and broadening across the chest to lengthen your spine. Look slightly forward on the ground and breathe steadily and fully.

Benefit: This posture strengthens your upper body and core if held in proper alignment. You might hold it for 3-5 breaths or longer to build strength and endurance.