Stress [1] can manifest as tension in the shoulders and back, but you can also experience tightness from sitting at a desk and hunching in front of a computer screen or from lack of regular exercise. If this sounds familiar, try this five-minute yoga class from 200-hour-certified yoga teacher Francine Cipollone, known as Yoga With Bird [2]. It includes six relaxing, spine-supporting poses such as seated side stretch, seated spinal twist [3], Cow and Cat [4], and Child's pose [5]. Bird spends a lot of time in each pose, so you can really feel the effects of a looser spine and a calmer mind.
She told POPSUGAR that her inspiration behind sharing this video was "to offer a gentle practice that can bring movement to a part of the body that's often neglected." In this pandemic with so many people working from home, she said, "it's nice to have a quick fix of movement and a moment of mental stillness along with presence."
Love trying new workouts? Want a community to share your fitness goals with? Come join our Facebook group POPSUGAR Workout Club [6]. There, you can find advice on making the best out of every sweat session and everything else you need to help you on your road to healthy living.
