I regularly attend hot yoga classes, but on the days I struggle to get to an in-person class, I turn to good old YouTube instead for a short but efficient stretch and flow routine.
This particular routine was curated by Yoga With Bird, who drops accessible, beginner-friendly yoga routines to her YouTube channel. If you enjoy a more advanced practice and already know how to modify, the five-minute routine is scalable to your ability, so I recommend giving it a try regardless of your practice. I added a little flair myself as I flowed through it.
Watch Yoga With Bird’s full-body routine, and check out my verdict after trying it every morning for one week using one of the best yoga mats for home practice.
Watch Yoga With Bird’s 5-minute yoga routine:
“Do this quick 5-minute yoga class to help move and stretch the entire body any time of the day,” says Bird.
“This is more fast-paced, so…please adjust the speed in the video settings to better support you if needed.”
Personally, I found the pace just right to kick off my morning routine, and I left the yoga mat each time feeling more alert, energized and supple.
My morning routine already feels pretty healthy (to me); my non-negotiables include making the bed, splashing my face with water and brewing a hot cup of coffee before I contemplate going anywhere near my phone.
But quickly rolling out my mat and adding a few minutes of morning yoga provided a full-body stretch without becoming a stretch mentally. In fact, I credit the routine for helping me feel calmer in body and mind while helping my muscles feel more pliable.
“Online yoga classes are the perfect addition to your daily life,” Bird tells her followers.
“These accessible yoga classes make filling your cup each and every day a breeze, and it can be so enjoyable. You should feel good in your body and mind; filling your cup is the first step. So join me in the comfort of your own home for free online yoga practices!”
My verdict after one week of daily morning yoga
I found the yoga routine incredibly relaxing. Granted, the mornings are lighter and warmer and it’s easier to slide out of bed and onto my mat, but still, the voiceover for the video is soothing all the same. I even looked forward to my alarm going off (on some mornings, at least).
Bird encourages you to modify where you need to, providing options where she can. It’s all about softening, finding space to drop deeper and moving through flow with your breath — exactly as yoga “should” be, in my opinion.
You still have the freedom to flavor the session as you wish. My yoga instructor always says the job of a yoga class is to provide the outline of a practice so the student can do the coloring in. Although this particular routine is short, you can still color however you wish.
My yoga instructor always says the job of a yoga class is to provide the outline of a practice so the student can do the coloring in.
I enjoyed the rhythm of the class; many yoga instructors have ditched the traditional format of Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation), which follows 12 yoga postures (asanas) sequenced together in flow with coordinated breathing. But, Bird incorporates this into her short session, giving it a traditional feel, which I'm thankful for.
I've always found Surya Namaskar allows me to switch off and find the rhythm of my body without overthinking, so it was nice to revisit it here.
I cut down the child’s pose to bring the routine to three minutes, which felt about right for me. However, if you’d like to complete this in full, child’s pose is a brilliant way to incorporate breathing exercises or a short meditation and Bird holds you here for a good few rounds of breath.
Anyone suffering from tight hamstrings might benefit from adding a yoga block accessory.
Yoga blocks aren’t a sign of weakness or lack of ability; they can improve alignment and the quality of your postures, and in some cases, even boost muscle activation. For example, I like to position my hands on a block during child’s pose because it allows me to drop my shoulders deeper into the stretch.
Will I revisit this routine? A week was enough to get the full flavor of it, but I'll certainly keep it in mind if I have a few spare minutes to roll out my mat here and there.
More from Tom's Guide
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