Hi everyone. Welcome to Yoga With Susana. I’m Susana, here’s Jay.
We’re gonna jump right in with this five minute full body stretch. Take a deep breath in. And wherever you are, as you exhale, relax the shoulders.
Meaning wherever you are mentally, however you’re feeling physically, take another deep breath in. And exhale again. Relax your shoulders.
Feel them dropping away down from the ears. And one more time, deep breath in. And this time, draw the shoulder blades together. Imagine them melting down the back as you lift the chest. Beautiful.
This is a simple five-minute routine, but it brings surprising relief to the entire body.
It’s the kind of stretch you can do right when you wake up, during a work break, or at the end of a long day when your muscles feel tight or your mind feels scattered.
The combination of slow breathing and gentle movement helps you reconnect with your body, release tension that builds up in the shoulders, back, and hips, and bring calmness into your space.
It’s also beginner-friendly, requires no equipment, and works for any level of flexibility.
What makes this routine even more grounding is the pace. Nothing is rushed. Every movement follows your breath, keeping you present and aware of how your body feels.
Adriene guides each step with slow, intentional instructions, allowing you to stretch deeply without forcing anything.
By the end of these five minutes, your spine feels longer, your shoulders feel lighter, and your mind feels clearer.
Below is a full breakdown of the entire sequence so you can follow along anytime you need a quick reset.
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Step 1: Cat-Cow Stretch
We’re gonna come to all fours for Cat-Cow. Here, you want to keep the breathing slow and steady as you move through each part of the stretch.
This is one of the best ways to wake up the spine and prepare the whole body for deeper stretching.
Inhale and drop the belly as you open the chest. This allows the front body to stretch while the back muscles gently contract.
Exhale and round through the spine. Move slowly, really paying attention to the shift between the front and back body.
Inhale again as the belly drops and the crown of your head extends. Exhale as the spine rounds.
The chin comes toward the chest and the navel draws up toward the spine. One more time, exaggerate the movement to feel a deeper release.
Cat-Cow improves spinal mobility, warms the core, loosens the shoulders, and brings fresh circulation to the back.
It also helps calm the nervous system, especially when paired with slow breathing.
Step 2: Wide-Knee Child’s Pose With Shoulder Stretch
From Cat-Cow, widen the knees as wide as your yoga mat. Send the hips back and reach the fingertips forward.
Keep the arms active. Lift the center of your palms so only your fingerprints press into the mat. Let the wrists reach toward the ceiling. This small adjustment increases the stretch through the forearms, wrists, and shoulders.
Slowly melt the chest and shoulders down. Maybe even let the head gently rest toward the mat. You should feel traction along the arms, upper back, and shoulders.
Breathe deeply and feel the expansion through all four sides of the torso with every inhale. On the exhale, hug the lower ribs in and feel the stretch deepen.
This variation of Child’s Pose opens the spine, relieves tension in the shoulders and upper back, and helps the breath move more freely through the body.
Step 3: Bird-Dog Stretch (Right Side)
Come back to all fours, Tabletop Position. Inhale and reach the right arm forward and the left leg back.
Imagine someone gently pulling your right wrist forward and your left ankle back. This helps lengthen the entire body and wakes up the stabilizing muscles around your core. Keep a slight bend in your left elbow so it’s not locked, and draw your lower ribs up and in.
Drop your left hip in line with the right hip as you breathe in. On the exhale, round everything in, like a Cat Pose.
Inhale back into extension and stretch fully. Exhale as you round, feeling the movement through the low back and core. One more time: inhale, reach, spread the fingers and toes, and exhale, round through.
This strengthens the glutes, core, and shoulders while improving balance and coordination.
Step 4: Bird-Dog Stretch (Left Side)
Switch to the other side. Reach the left fingertips forward and the right toes back. Take a deep breath.
Exhale and round through the spine, drawing your knee and elbow toward each other. Inhale and stretch again, reaching as long as you can.
As you hug everything in, focus on bringing the low ribs toward the spine. This creates a deep stretch through the back and activates the abdominals. Inhale again and reach it forward. Exhale and bring it in.
This side completes the cross-body activation, helping build stability along your entire midsection.
Step 5: Downward Dog With Alternating Leg Stretch
Walk both hands out and curl your toes under. Take a deep breath in. Keep the knees bent as you peel the tailbone up toward the sky. Then slowly drop the heels down toward the ground.
Bend your right knee while pressing your left heel into the floor. Feel the stretch through the back of the left leg. Switch sides: right heel down, left knee bent.
Now bend both knees and think about lifting your hip points higher toward the ceiling. This deepens the stretch through the hamstrings, calves, and lower back. Let the heart melt toward the knees.
Bring both heels down again, inhale, and slowly exhale as you bring the knees back to the earth. Come into a seated position.
This sequence improves flexibility in the legs, opens the back, and lengthens the entire posterior chain.
Step 6: Seated Forward Fold (Paschimottanasana)
Extend your legs out in front of you. Inhale and reach your arms overhead toward the sky. Exhale and fold forward. You can bend the knees if needed or keep them straight to deepen the stretch.
Rounding forward, take a deep breath in. Stretch the calves by flexing the toes up toward your head. You’ll feel the stretch along the hamstrings and the back of the knees.
If your low back is tight, bend the knees slightly for support. Take an extra breath here to give the lower back some love as you inhale.
This pose calms the mind, lengthens the spine, stretches the hamstrings, and helps release tightness from long hours of sitting.
Step 7: Closing and Gentle Breath
To release the stretch, exhale and slowly roll up to a seated position. Bring one ankle in, then the other, letting the legs fold naturally.
Draw the hands to the heart space. Inhale and bring the thumbs up to the third eye.
May we continue to stretch throughout our day, keeping an open mind and an open heart.
Exhale to bow. Namaste.
This simple five-minute routine gently wakes up the entire body, improves flexibility, and helps you feel more grounded.
It’s a great practice to return to any time you want to reconnect with your breath and release tension.
