Physical activity for adults

Hi, my name's Zoe and I'm a yoga teacher. This video is a Vinyasa style yoga practice. It's a flowing practice of movement connected to breath. It's great for building strength, fluidity and mobility within the body and mind.

At any point that you feel you need to rest, please feel free to pause the video, join back in when you can.

There'll be options and variations as you go through, so please just listen to your body as we move through the practice today.

So we're going to start by coming into all fours. Take the hands underneath the shoulders and the knees underneath the hips and just take a little moment here, just to rock the body side to side.

Feel the weight coming into the hands, feel the knees underneath the hips, and then finding that central point, working into a little cat curl, we inhale, lift the sitting bones up towards the ceiling, move the chest through the arms as you gaze forward gently, and exhale, round, tuck the tailbone under, push up in between the shoulder blades and draw the chin in towards the chest.

We'll do that two more times. Inhale, think of the movement, hips, waist, shoulders, head, as you arch, then exhale, round, tucking the tailbone under, pushing up in between the shoulder blades and drawing the chin in towards the chest.

Once more, inhale, hips, waist, shoulders, head, as you arch, exhale, hips, waist, shoulders, head, as you round.

Coming back to all fours, tucking the toes under. Inhale, exhale, round, pushing the upper back away from you like an angry cat, take a deep breath into the upper back here, then as you exhale, push the floor away from you and reach your buttocks back towards your heels, just as far as you can go, comfortable on the knees.

Inhale, lift back to all fours, exhale, stay. Inhale, exhale, round, pushing the upper back away from you as you round into an angry cat.

Take a deep breath into the upper back. Exhale, push the floor away from you as you take buttocks back towards the heels, and then inhale, lift back to all fours.

Untuck the toes, release the hips back towards the heels as you reach the arms forward, allowing the forehead to move down towards the floor. Spread the fingers nice and wide.

Inhale, lift up through all fours. Bring your pubic bone up towards your navel as you shift forward into a kneeling plank position.

One long line from the shoulders, hips and knees. Exhale, bend the elbows and lower down to the floor.

Take the hands out to the side, come onto your fingertips, forehead down to the floor.

Stretch the legs back, tops of the feet press into the floor.

Inhale, slide the shoulder blades down the back, as you peel the chest up, just as high as you feel is comfortable for you. Then exhale, slowly soften that down.

Let's do that two more times. Belly to spine, inhale, peeling the chest up, just as high as it feels comfortable.

Exhale, lower down. Once more, inhale, peeling up, exhale and lower.

Take the hands underneath the shoulders, lift back to all fours.

Tuck your toes under, lift the hips away from the floor, as you find downward dog, creating this inverted v-shape.

Take a little walk with the legs, bending one knee, and then the other, nice deep breaths here, and then finding the downward dog, keeping the knees bent as much as you need, finding length out of the lower back.

If you can, maybe extending out through the legs. No force, or stress, just as far as it feels comfortable for you.

Press the hands into the floor, slowly walk your feet forward. Take the hands to the shins, inhale, lengthen long spine, from tail to head, reach the chest forward.

Hinge at the hips, bending the knees, chest towards the thighs, and fold, soften the neck.

Two more here, inhale, lengthen long spine. Exhale, fold chest towards the thighs, bending the knees as much as you need.

Once more, inhale, lengthen, exhale and fold. You can keep the hands to the shins, hands can dangle down to the floor, or, if it feels comfortable, take hold of the elbows.

Maybe take a little rock and a sway here, from side to side. Coming back through centre.

Releasing the hands, press through the feet as we inhale, roll up to standing, reaching the arms up and overhead.

Exhale, hands down through heart centre. Take the feet just a little bit wider than hip width apart. Soft bend into the knees.

Interlace the fingers, press the palms away from you, inhale, reach the arms high, exhale as you fold, hinging at the hips, bending the knees, chest towards the thighs, hands towards the floor.

Big circle out to the right, windmill the arms to the right and up as you inhale, keep that circle going around to the left and down as you exhale.

Changing directions, inhale, to the left and up, circle the arms around, exhale, to the right and down, soft bend into the knees.

One more each side, inhale, to the right and up, exhale, to the left and down.

Inhale, to the left and up, exhale, to the right and down. Press the feet into the floor, inhale, reach the arms high, reaching up and back, and exhale, hands down by your sides.

Working into our sun salutations, standing feet either hip width apart, if it feels comfortable, feet can come together.

Press down through the feet, inhale, reach the arms high. Exhale, hinging at the hips, soft bend to the knees, chest towards the thighs.

Hands to the shins, inhale, lengthen long spine, exhale, hands to the floor, step the left foot back.

Left knee can come down to the floor.

If you need, you can place something underneath the knee for a little bit extra cushioning.

Back toes can be tucked or untucked, whatever feels comfortable for you.

Inhale, reach the arms side and up. Exhale, hands come down to the floor.

Step the right foot back, knees to the floor, finding that kneeling plank, as we exhale, lower down to the floor.

Roll the shoulders away from the ears. Inhale, lift the chest up, just as high as you can if the hands were away from the floor.

Hands come down, press back to all fours, tuck your toes under, lifting up, downward dog.

Inhale, extend the right leg up towards the ceiling. Exhale, step the right foot forward in between the hands.

If it gets stuck halfway, left knee comes down to the floor, grab hold of the right ankle, bring the right foot forward.

Inhale to rise, bring the arms up, exhale, the hands down to the floor, press the right foot into the floor, step your left foot forward.

Inhale, lengthen halfway, exhale, fold. Inhale to rise, arms up, exhale, hands down.

Left side, inhale, the arms up, exhale as you fold, hands to the shins.

Inhale to lengthen long spine, exhale, hands to the floor, step the right leg back. right knee comes down to the floor.

Inhale, reach the arms up. Exhale, the hands down to the floor.

Step the left foot back, coming on to your knees. Exhale, lower down to the floor.

Inhale, peel the chest up, just as high as you can without the hands. Hands come down, press it back, tuck your toes under, downward dog.

Inhale, the left leg up. Exhale, step it in between the hands. Help it forward, if you need.

Right knee down to the floor. Inhale, the arms up. Exhale, hands come down, step your right foot forward.

Inhale, lengthen halfway. Exhale, fold chest towards the thighs.

Round down through the legs. Inhale, rise, arms up. Exhale, hands down.

Inhale, the arms up. Exhale, hinge at the hips as you fold forward, hands to the shins.

Inhale, lengthen long spine.

Exhale, hands come down, step both feet back.

Onto your knees or toes, lower all the way down to the floor.

Inhale, peel the chest up, bhujangasana, or you can press the tops of the feet into the floor, lift the thighs away from the floor, upward dog.

Exhale, press it back, downward dog. Inhale, extend the right leg up. Exhale, step it through in between the hands, help it forward if you need.

Left knee can come to the floor as we just did, or keep the left knee lifted.

Inhale, the arms high. Exhale, elbows open, cactus arms. Slide the shoulder blades down the back.

Inhale, the arms reach higher. Exhale, the hands to the floor, step the right foot back, knees or toes, lower, chaturanga.

Inhale, bhujangasana, or upward facing dog, your choice. Exhale, press it back, downward dog.

Inhale, the left leg up. Exhale, step it through in between the hands.

Right knee can come to the floor or stay onto the right toes.

Inhale, rise, deep lunge. Exhale, open the elbows out.

Inhale, the arms reach up. Exhale, hands to the floor, step the left foot back, knees or toes, chaturanga.

Inhale, bhujangasana, or upward facing dog. Exhale, pressing back, downward facing dog. Take a deep breath in.

Take a deep breath in, exhale.

Inhale, extend the right leg up towards the ceiling. Exhale, roll through, right knee to nose, as you shift your weight forward over your hands.

Inhale, press it back, reach the right leg up and back. Exhale, roll through, tiger curl, knee to nose.

Once more, inhale, reach up and back with that right leg. Exhale, tiger curl.

Place the right foot to the floor, in between the hands. Bring the left knee down to the floor.

Inhale, as we lunge deep, reach the chest forward. Exhale, press back and work to extend the right leg.

Inhale to lunge deep. You can stay with the left knee to the floor, or lift the left knee. Exhale, press back, extend both legs.

Inhale to lunge deep. Exhale, press back and hold. For five, nice long spine.

Four, that right knee might be slightly bent, that is absolutely fine.

Three. Relax the shoulders, relax the jaw, two. One.

Inhale to lunge deep. Bring the left knee down to the floor. Wriggle the right foot out to the side slightly, and turn the toes out.

Take the left hand out to the side, bring the right hand onto your right knee.

Inhale, turn the chest up towards the right leg. Exhale, press the right knee away from you as you turn the right shoulder towards the floor.

Two more times, there.

Inhale, turn the chest up. Exhale, turn the chest down.

Once more, inhale, turn the chest up. Exhale, turn the chest down.

Inhale, turn the chest up and hold. Pressing the right knee away from you. You can stay here, or maybe bend the left leg, reach around, grab hold of the left foot with the right hand.

For three, nice deep breaths, two, wherever you're at just let yourself breathe.

Exhale, the hands to the floor. Step the right foot back, knees or toes, hug the elbows in as you lower down to the floor.

Inhale, peel the chest up, bhujangasana or upward dog. Exhale, pressing back, downward dog.

Left leg, inhale, the left leg up. Tiger curl, exhale, roll through, knee towards your nose.

Inhale, press back, three legged dog. Exhale, tiger curl.

Once more, inhale, reach it back. Exhale, tiger curl.

Placing the left foot in between the hands. If it didn't quite get there, help it forward.

Right knee down to the floor, inhale, lunge deep, reach the chest forward, left knee above left ankle.

Exhale, press back and extend the left leg. You can stay here, moving into this position again, inhale, lunge deep, or lift the right knee away from the floor. Exhale, extend the left leg back.

Once more, inhale, lunge deep. Exhale, press back and hold.

Inhale, lengthen long spine. Exhale and stay, that left leg might be slightly bent, that is absolutely fine. Think of the hips reaching back and the chest reaching forward for three. Just extending as much as you can.

Two. One, inhale to lunge deep.

Bring the right knee down to the floor. If you need, you can place something underneath the right knee.

Wriggle the left foot out to the side. Turn the toes out and sink the hips down nice and deep.

Right hand comes out the side, left hand to the inside of the knee.

Inhale, turn the chest up towards the ceiling. Exhale, turn the chest down and away, pressing the left knee away from you.

Two more, inhale, turning up. Exhale, turn down. Once more, inhale, turn up. Exhale, turn down.

Inhale, turning the chest up and hold. Absolutely fine to stay here. If you feel you've got a little bit more space in the right leg, you can the right leg, reach around, grab hold of the right foot with your left hand.

For three. Two. Exhale, the left hand back down to the floor. Step the left foot back, knees or toes.

You can go through that little vinyasa, or press it back to downward dog, holding for three. Two. One.

Inhale, the right leg up. Exhale, step it through in between the hands. Again, if it doesn't get all the way, help it forward.

Cup the the left foot down to the floor. Inhale, windmill up into a nice deep side lunge, warrior two.

Reach the right shin forward, as you press the left thigh back.

Inhale, reaching the right arm up. Exhale, right forearm to the thigh. Windmill the left arm down and forward, bend the elbow, open the chest, big circle around.

Two more there, inhale, windmill forward, then the elbow, open the chest.

Once more, inhale, windmill forward, exhale to open. Inhale, windmilling that left arm forward, reaching out from the little finger through to the left little toe for three.

You can stay with that right forearm to the thigh. If you want to explore a little bit of strength, you can hover that right forearm off, or wrap it in front of the waist.

Two. Exhale, looking down to the floor. Inhale, lift back up to warrior two. Exhale, extend both legs, turn the right toes in, ake the hands to the hips.

Take a deep breath into the chest, inhale. Exhale, bend your left knee, turn the left toes out slightly, bring the hands down to the floor underneath your shoulders.

Take your left hand to your left knee. Inhale, turn the chest towards the left leg, and hold for three.

You can stay with your left hand to your knee, or, if it feels comfortable, left arm can extend up towards the ceiling.

Two, wherever you're at, not creating any unnecessary tension or stress. exhale, inhale, exhale, the left hand back down to the floor.

Inhale, lengthen the spine, turn both toes in, extend both legs, and exhale, forward, reaching the weight back into your heels, you can start to walk your hands forward.

Take a deep breath in. Exhale, inhale, lengthen, walk the hands back underneath your shoulders.

Turn yourself back to the front of your mat, to your right foot. Step your right foot back. You can press it back to downward dog or flow with me.

Exhale, lower, chaturanga, inhale, bhujangasana or upward dog. Exhale, pressing back, downward dog.

Inhale, the left leg up. Exhale, step it through in between the hands. up the right foot down to the floor.

Inhale, windmill up. Exhale, landing, warrior two. Reach the left shin forward, press the right thigh back.

Inhale, left arm up, right arm down, revolve warrior. Exhale, left forearm to thigh. Windmill the right arm forward, big circle, bend the elbow as you open the chest.

Two more there, inhale, windmill open. Exhale, bend the elbow.

Once more, inhale, bending the elbow, open the chest. Inhale, windmill the arm forward. Exhale and stay.

Press down through the little toe side of your right foot as you reach out through your right fingers. You can stay with the left forearm onto the thigh, or hover it just off of the thigh, arm can wrap in front of the waist, for three.

Wherever you're at, find your breath, two. Exhale to look down. Inhale, lift up, warrior two, nice deep lunge, exhale.

Inhale, extend the legs, turn the toes in and the heels out, hands to your hips. Take a deep breath in to the chest, inhale.

Turn your right toes out slightly, exhale, bend the right knee, hands come down to the floor underneath your shoulders.

Take your right hand to the inside of the right knee. Inhale, turn the chest towards the right. Lunging out to that right leg for three.

Stay with the right hand to your knee, or, if it feels comfortable, extend the arm up, for two.

Exhale, the hands to the floor. Inhale, extend the right leg, turn the toes in and the heels out, exhale, stay.

Inhale, lengthen, exhale and fold. You may be walking the fingertips in line with the toes.

You can maybe reach out, grab hold of the ankles or the calves. Take a deep breath in, exhale.

Hands to the floor, inhale, reach the chest forward. Turn the feet forward, back to the front of the mat, reaching the left foot forward, step it back, downward dog or flowing, exhale, lower, chaturanga.

Inhale, peeling up, bhujangasana or upward dog. Exhale, pressing back, downward dog.

Inhale, extend the right leg up. Exhale, step it through in between the hands.

Inhale, rise, nice deep lunge. Left knee can be to the floor, or left knee lifted.

Exhale, bring the hands down to heart centre.

Inhale, exhale, reach the chest forward, bringing the left hand down to the floor, right hand to the knee.

Inhale, turn the right shoulder up towards the ceiling, reach your right shin forward, press your left heel back if you're on the toes.

Left knee can come down to the floor, for a supported variation. You can stay with the right hand to the knee, or extending the right arm up towards the ceiling for three. Two.

Exhale, the right hand back down to the floor. Step the right foot back.

Press it back to downward dog or flowing, exhale, lower, chaturanga, hug the elbows into the waist. Inhale, bhujangasana, or upward dog. Exhale, pressing back, downward dog.

Left side, inhale the left leg up. Exhale, step it in between the hands. Inhale, rise, nice deep lunge.

Exhale, hands through heart centre.

Right knee can be to the floor, inhale. Exhale, tilt the chest forward, think of one long line from the heel of your right foot out through the crown of the head.

Then exhale, the right hand down to the floor, left hand to the knee, lunging deep into your left leg, push back through your right thigh. Right knee can be to the floor for a supported variation.

Inhale, turn the left shoulder up towards the ceiling. Exhale, stay. You can stay with the left hand to your thigh, or extending the left arm up for three. Two.

Exhale, the left hand down to the floor, step the left foot back, downward dog, or through your flow, exhale, chaturanga, inhale, bhujangasana, or upward dog. Exhale, pressing back, downward dog.

Take a deep breath in. Sigh it out. Deep breath in. Let it go.

Slowly bringing the knees to the floor, taking the buttocks back towards the heels into your child's pose. And keep the arms extending forwards, or just let the hands rest down by your sides.

Take a deep breath in, and out. Bring the hands back underneath the shoulders as you inhale, lift up, and slowly making your way to a seated position.

Extend the left leg out in front of you, hug the right knee in towards your chest. Hug the arms around your right shin.

Sit up nice and tall as you inhale, lengthen the spine, and hug your right leg with your left arm as you exhale.

Take your right hand behind you, going onto your fingertips. Hug your left arm into your right knee and push your right knee into your left arm at the same time.

Again, inhale, lift and lengthen up through the spine. Exhale, as you rotate.

If it feels comfortable on the neck, you can gaze over the right shoulder, for four. Three. Two. One, inhale to look forward and gently releasing the right leg.

Changing legs, bending the left leg in. Hug that right arm around your left shin.

Inhale, lifting up nice and tall. So you exhale, rotate, taking the left hand down behind you, putting onto the finger tips, if you can.

Inhale, lift up nice and tall, and exhale, turning the chest. if it's comfortable on the neck, gazing over the left shoulder, for four.

Pressing the arm and leg into each other, for three. Breathing into the rib cage, two. One, inhale, looking forward, releasing the legs.

Bring the legs in, creating a diamond shape with the legs. Feet together, knees out wide. Nice little diamond shape with the thighs.

You keep the hands behind you and just work on lifting the chest up nice and tall. If it feels comfortable for you, bringing the hands onto the shins.

If you take the hands onto the shins, just being mindful not to round through the upper back, but lift up and over the pelvis.

Keep the hands to the shins, if you feel you've got a little bit more space, starting to move the belly and the chest forward.

For four. Three. Two. One, inhale, lifting back up, take the hands underneath the knees, draw the legs together.

Shuffle yourself forward and then slowly, using the hands for support as you make your way onto your backs.

Take a hug of the right knee, in towards the chest, then the left knee in towards the chest, a little rock side to side, little circles one way, and the other way.

You can either keep hold of the knees, bringing the knees alongside the waist.

If you can, you can reach up to grab hold of your ankles. Grab hold of the little toe sides of the feet, coming into our happy baby pose.

You can take a little rock, side to side, here.

Think of drawing the shoulder blades down the back as the chest reaches up through the arms, pressing the hips backdown into the floor.

For three. Two. One. Gently releasing, placing the feet to the floor, slightly wider than hip width apart.

Take the arms out to the sides, palms facing down. A little windshield wiper legs, gently rocking the knees to the right, lifting back up to centre, rocking the knees to the left, lifting back up to centre, and just taking a couple more rounds, side to side.

Coming back up to centre, give the hips a little wriggle. Let the hands rest down by your sides, with the palms facing up.

You can let the knees draw in towards each other. If it feels comfortable for the lower back, maybe extending the legs out.

Softly closing the eyes, and just allowing your body to settle here. Letting yourself sink into the floor.

Taking a body scan from the toes to the crown of the head, notice if there's any unnecessary tension, and with the exhalation.

You can stay here for as long as you can.

If you're ready to move on, a little wriggle of the fingers and the toes.

Gently rolling to one side, making your way back up to sitting.

I hope you enjoyed your practice.