Recovery workouts are an essential part of any fitness routine. They allow your body to repair, rebuild, and recharge. It also helps reduce muscle soreness, improve flexibility, and prevent overtraining, which can lead to burnout and injury, according to UC Health.
Yoga is a great option for recovery because it combines gentle movement, stretching, and mindfulness. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, it increases blood flow to tired muscles, increases mobility, reduces stress, and helps both body and mind recover. Plus, its low-impact nature makes it suitable for all fitness levels, allowing you to stay consistent while giving your body the care it deserves.
To help you unwind and unwind after a tough training session, Or Artzi, CPT, lead group fitness instructor at Equinox and creator of the fitness platform Orriors, offers this yoga-inspired recovery workout. Created.
join the club
If you’re participating in the January 2025 Good Moves Club Winter Challenge (if you haven’t already, sign up here!), this is your week 4, day 17 workout. You can follow the full-length training with Artzi. Training below.
training
A doorway is required to complete this routine. Perform each exercise for 30 to 60 seconds. Complete 1 round.
1. Stretching the doorway
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Stand about an arm’s length from the doorway. Step your right foot back. Bend your left leg slightly. Place the palm of your right hand on the door frame at waist height, grip the frame lightly, and bend your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Place your left hand on your left hip. Shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch in your right shoulder. Hold for the allotted time, then switch sides.
2. Standing quadriceps stretch (left side, then right side)
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Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms at your sides. Shift your balance onto your right foot, grab your left foot with your left hand, bend your knees and pull your left leg toward your butt. Make sure to keep your hips square and avoid twisting. Raise your right hand above your head or use your right hand to hold a chair or other stable surface for support. Hold for the allotted time and repeat on the other side.
3. Turn around
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Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent. Roll your shoulders back and extend your arms behind your back. Hinge your hips and lower your torso and arms forward toward your legs. Bend your knees as much as necessary. Grasp your left elbow with your right hand, and your right elbow with your left hand. Move it to the left, then to the right, then back to the center. Slowly raise your body to a standing position, then release your arms and return to the starting position. repeat.
4. Cat and Cow Pose (Marjaryasana Vitirasana)
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Get on all fours and place your hands and knees on the floor. Place your elbows and shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Slowly arch your spine and lower your stomach toward the floor. Look up while pulling your tailbone toward the ceiling (cow pose). Slowly transition into a rounded spine, tilting your pelvis forward and pulling your chin toward your spine (cat pose). Continue alternating between cow and cat poses.
5. Figure 4 stretch (one side)
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Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Cross your left ankle over your right knee. Press down on your left knee as far as you can comfortably. Grasp the back of your right thigh with both hands and lean your torso back so that it is flat on the floor. Hold for the allotted time, then switch sides.
6. Torsion of the spine
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Lie on your back with your left leg straight, your right foot flat on the floor, and your arms stretched out at your sides. Gently lower your right leg over your left leg and place it on the floor. Look to your right and press gently on your right knee with your left hand to deepen the stretch. Hold for the allotted time, then switch sides.
