A 15 minute yoga routine for the nights between classes

Studio classes are where you learn new skills and get feedback from an instructor. In the evenings between them, stiffness can creep back in, particularly if you sit for work. A short routine at home helps carry the benefits of class through the rest of the week.

This sequence takes about 15 minutes. All you need is a mat or a patch of carpet. A folded towel and a wall are useful too. The poses are beginner friendly and suit most people. Move slowly and treat every position as an invitation. Breathe through your nose if that is comfortable.

Before you start

A few ground rules keep the routine comfortable and safe.

• Work within a range that feels like a stretch or gentle effort, never sharp pain.
• Bend your knees whenever your hamstrings or lower back complain. You still get plenty of benefit.
• Pad your knees with a folded towel in kneeling poses.
• Keep breathing. If your breath catches or stops, ease off.

Check with your GP or physio which positions suit you if you are pregnant or have a recent injury or joint replacement. The same applies to high blood pressure and glaucoma, since some poses with the head below the heart may need to be skipped or changed. Stop and seek advice if anything causes pain or dizziness.

The routine

1. Settling breath (1 minute)

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Place a hand on your belly. Breathe in through your nose and let the belly rise. Breathe out slowly as it falls. Let your shoulders and jaw relax. This minute shifts your attention from the day to your body.

2. Cat and cow (2 minutes)

Come onto all fours. Your hands sit under your shoulders, with your knees under your hips. On the inhale, let your belly lower while your chest and tailbone lift. Round your back and let your head drop as you breathe out. Move slowly between the two, matching the movement to the breath. This mobilises the whole spine after a day in a chair.

3. Child's pose (1 minute)

Start on all fours again. Take your knees wide and sit your hips back towards your heels. Rest your forehead on the floor or on a folded towel, with arms long in front. If your hips do not reach your heels, place a cushion between them. Breathe into your back and feel it widen.

4. Low lunge (1 minute each side)

Step your right foot forward between your hands, with the left knee down on a folded towel. Keep your right knee above your ankle. Shift your hips gently forward until you feel a stretch at the front of your left hip. Rest your hands on your front thigh or on the floor. Swap sides. This targets the hip flexors, which tighten with long periods of sitting.

5. Downward facing dog or puppy pose (1 minute)

Start on all fours once more. Tuck your toes and lift your hips up and back, making an upside down V shape. Bend your knees generously and let your heels float off the floor. If that is too much, try puppy pose instead. Keep your hips over your knees and walk your hands forward, letting your chest sink towards the floor. Either version stretches the shoulders and the back of the body. Skip both if you have been advised to avoid head down positions.

6. Seated forward fold (2 minutes)

Sit on the floor with legs out in front, sitting up on a folded towel if your lower back rounds. Bend your knees as much as you need. Lengthen your spine as you breathe in, and fold forward from the hips as you breathe out, resting your hands wherever they land. Your chest moving towards your thighs matters more than your hands reaching your toes.

7. Lying twist (1 minute each side)

Lie on your back and hug your knees in. Let them lower together to the right. Stretch your arms out to the sides and turn your head to the left if your neck is comfortable. Let gravity do the work. Breathe slowly, then bring your knees back to centre and repeat on the other side.

8. Legs up the wall and rest (3 minutes)

Sit side on to a wall, then swing your legs up as you lie back, so your legs rest against the wall and your back is on the floor. Shuffle your hips as close to the wall as feels comfortable. Rest your arms by your sides and let your breath slow down. If this position does not suit you, lie flat with a pillow under your knees instead. Finish with a minute of stillness before rolling to one side and sitting up slowly.

Making it fit your week

The routine works well in the evening, when it can help you wind down before bed. Doing it most nights between classes is ideal, but even a couple of sessions a week makes a difference to how stiff you feel.

Feel free to shorten it on busy nights. Cat and cow plus the lying twist take about 5 minutes on their own and cover the spine from top to bottom. On a night when your hips feel tight after a long drive or a day at the desk, give the low lunge an extra minute on each side.

Pay attention to how your body responds the following day. Many people notice they move a little more easily getting out of bed, and that the first few exercises in their next class feel smoother.

Common mistakes at home

Without a teacher in the room, a few habits creep in.

Rushing. It is easy to treat home practice as a checklist. Each pose works best when you stay long enough to breathe into it.

Forcing range. The aim is to feel a stretch you can breathe through. Pushing deeper usually makes muscles tighten in protest.

Skipping the rest. The final position is easy to cut short. Those last minutes are often when the body lets go the most.

Bringing it back to the studio

Home practice works best alongside regular classes. A teacher can check your alignment and offer variations as you progress. At The Pilates Workshop, Yoga classes blend mindful movement with breathwork, and at the time of writing they run on Tuesday evenings at both Wollongong and Shellharbour. Check the timetable for current times.

If you would like guided sessions at home as well, our on-demand video library has over 300 Reformer and mobility sessions you can work through at your own pace. And if you have never been to the studio, the 21 day trial gives you three weeks of unlimited classes at both locations for $65, which is a good way to try Yoga with a teacher before taking it home. You can start your trial online whenever you are ready.