You don't need an hour to feel the difference. Ten minutes of these eight shapes, done most mornings, beats a long practice you manage twice a month.

Before you start

Roll out your mat where the morning light hits if you can — it makes showing up easier. Move slowly for the first few breaths; the body is stiffer first thing, so let the early poses be a warm-up rather than a stretch test. There's no need to push: you're waking the body, not testing it. If a pose doesn't feel right this early, skip it and move on.

The sequence

  1. Mountain Pose — start standing in Tadasana, feet rooted, a few slow breaths to arrive.
  2. Cat-Cow — on hands and knees, arch and round the spine with the breath, 5 rounds, to wake the back.
  3. Downward Dog — press back into Adho Mukha Svanasana, pedalling the heels to ease open the calves and hamstrings.
  4. Low Lunge — step one foot forward into Anjaneyasana to open the front of the hips after a night's sleep. Swap sides.
  5. Tree Pose — find your balance in Vrksasana, one side then the other, to switch the focus on.
  6. Cobra — lie down and lift the chest in Bhujangasana, a gentle backbend to undo the curl of sleep.
  7. Child's Pose — rest back into Balasana for a few breaths.
  8. One minute of stillness — sit or stand tall, eyes soft, and breathe before the day starts.
Low Lunge yoga art print by SpicyEditions

Low Lunge opens the hips after sleep. Our Anjaneyasana print.

Make it shorter or longer

Pushed for time? Three rounds of Cat-Cow, one Downward Dog and a minute of breathing is a real practice — two minutes, start to finish. Got longer? Hold each pose for a few extra breaths, add a Warrior II after the lunge, and finish lying down rather than standing. The frame stays the same; you just stretch or shrink it to fit the morning.

Keep it honest

Bend the knees in Downward Dog, skip Tree if you're not awake enough to balance, and never force a morning body into a deep stretch. Consistency does the work here — the same short flow most days changes more than the occasional long one.

Pro Tip: Lay your mat out the night before, in view. Half the battle of a morning practice is friction — if the mat's already down, you're far more likely to step onto it.

Make it a habit

Pin the sequence somewhere you'll see it, or hang the poses you're working on where you practise. Browse the full asana series if you'd like the shapes on your wall as well as on your mat.

Is it good to do yoga first thing in the morning?

For many people, yes — gentle movement eases overnight stiffness, wakes the body and sets a calm tone for the day. Keep the early poses slow, since the body is at its stiffest first thing.

How long should a morning yoga routine be?

Ten minutes is plenty to feel the benefit, and short enough to keep up daily. Consistency matters more than length — a brief flow most mornings beats a long session now and then.