“…and we’ll settle in for a few minutes of stillness.” — Charlie Follows

Photo by Dane Wetton on Unsplash

Good morning, Reader. It’s currently 8:11 as I write part of this article and I’m sitting on my purple, slightly worn-out yoga mat in the kitchen of my apartment.

Photo by Alejandro Cartagena 🇲🇽🏳‍🌈 on Unsplash

There is a cool breeze drifting in through the cracked window. Madrid is still half-asleep while I, desperate for solitude and stillness to start my day, have been practicing Yoga for around 25 minutes.

Halfway through my practice this morning, I felt a rush of joy that made me beam from ear to ear and I thought, This is why I do Yoga. This is the feeling—the entire reason I fell in love with it.

Here in the quiet with only the voice of my favorite instructor, Charlie Follows, to accompany me, I find it thrilling when I move from Wild Thing to Side Plank to Lizard Pose in only a few beats of time, the flow practically effortless after committing to this art of Yoga since late December of 2024.

Why I Practice

REAL peace of mind, severely flexible limbs, and five genuine (not on my knees!) pushups a day are the rewards for practicing Yoga for the past seven (eight-ish) months.

I am going to be completely honest about this—I have missed NO MORE than two days of Yoga and even then, I’ve made sure to keep up my daily stretches.

After Seven Months…

• I feel a sense of calm that a couple of months ago, I couldn’t have imagined!
• I’ve done the splits (both legs!)
• I’ve gotten comments from family and friends about the noticeable difference in muscle strength.
• This Yoga practice led to other healthy changes, such as less screen time and longer periods of silence and contemplation.

Photo by Christopher Sardegna on Unsplash

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It’s Time to Hit the Mat

If you’d like to begin your journey, check out my carefully created sample routine just for you, sure to bring you long-term benefits such as relaxation and toned arms.

Then, take a glance at three strong Yogis that have changed my life since I started. Through all of the pained grunting, wobbling over, and multiple failed Flying Lizard Poses (…or any variation of Lizard Pose), these ladies have slowly but surely turned me into a semi-advanced Yoga practitioner after seven months.

I also recommend that you invite a friend to join you—nothing is more delightful than looking over while you’re struggling in Downward Dog just to see your bestie looking at you like, “Are you about to collapse too??”

Photo by Kaylee Garrett on Unsplash

A Sample Routine (That I Have Actually Done)

Monday: Morning Mobility Yoga - Wake Up and Stretch!

Note: Adrienne is funny, cheerful, and will make you smile seconds upon starting the video.

Tuesday: 20 Minute Morning Flow

Verdict: This flow is relaxing and doesn’t require tons of flexibility.

Wednesday: Movement Medicine - 25 Minutes

Warning: You may be filled with a ridiculous amount of happiness around minute 6 when you start playing a “brain game” with your legs.

(You’ll know what I mean if you try this.)

Thursday: 20 Minute Morning Yoga Workout

Note: This blends Pilates with Yoga for a more challenging morning sequence.

Friday: 20 Full Body Flow

Warning: More challenging than I expected but I love working up a sweat in the morning.

Saturday: 20 Minute Morning Yoga Flow

Verdict: Super peaceful, super easy to stay connected mentally to my body. My advice is to focus as much as you can on your breath and each muscle as you move—get excited by your strength!

Sunday: Rest.

Advice: Try to have a screen-free day on Sunday. ABSOLUTELY NO Social Media. Try quieting your mind by reading a book, spending time with friends and family if you can, going outside and enjoying nature, or resting and recovering from your week.

Photo by Jade Stephens on Unsplash

3 Wise Yogis (Ft. Furry Friends)

1. Charlie Follows

My personal favorite Yogi and YouTube channel is Charlie Follows, a Yoga Teacher who also began practicing while enrolled in university. Like me, she picked up the practice in order to destress from the pressures of studying.

If you'd like to try a recent upload that had me sweating and left me ready for action, try out Follows' 20 Min Power Yoga Flow. Be warned—this flow is tougher than it looks!

2. Yoga with Adrienne

‘Sweet Benji!’, I think to myself, echoing the words of Adrienne, a Yogi with a dynamic channel that has made me laugh as much as she’s caused me physical pain.

The Yoga Teacher’s dog, Benji, an adorable black-and-white delight, has often joined Adrienne during her videos and has brought me joy in the early mornings. One of her videos which I will not spoil here made me laugh like crazy on a morning I felt less than energized for the day.

Try it!

3. Yoga with Kassandra

Last but certainly not least, Kassandra is the lovely lady who first greeted me on the cold winter morning I started my Yoga journey. To see her adorable kitty playing with the air and fighting imaginary warriors, look at minute 4:40 of this 30 Minute Sunrise Yoga.

With a warm smile, a soothing tone, and the gentle mannerisms of royalty from long ago, Kassandra made me feel comfortable through the beginner phases of my practice. This 30 Minute Intermediate Yoga Flow is a favorite of mine for when I have a little more time and crave more of an adventure.

Photo by Pasha Chusovitin on Unsplash

Loosen Your Limbs

Now, if you don’t want to do Yoga all the time and only want to stretch, below I will include some options.

These two videos are the ones I practiced and still continue to follow, though not as often now that my flexibility has increased. Something interesting about yoga— overall strength is more valuable than flexibility, and loose limbs will come in time.

I’m being serious.

I remember one day in either March or April where my hips suddenly unlocked and all of a sudden, I could do a Yogi Squat, could move into Skandsana like a pro, and I was both flabbergasted and thrilled by the discovery.

Also, if you’ve ever tried putting a sock or shoe on while standing, you may find you need to bend over. Don’t ask me which muscle strengthened specifically, but I don’t need to bend over to grab my foot to put on a shoe anymore.

Oh — and those fire hydrant drills we sometimes do in track? Sign me up for hurdles because my legs can go up.

20 Minute Full Body Stretch For Flexibility — Anna McNulty Stretches

Stretches to Get Your Splits in 28 Days — Rachel Gulotta Fitness

“…But What If [Insert Excuse]”

Now, not everyone has time and space (or the physical abilities, and trust me, I understand) to get up and complete their Yoga video of the day. I myself have to travel for school, so there are times when I can’t always roll out a mat.

(Like, Monday. Cough. Cough. I apologize profusely to the passengers who saw me forward-folding in the back of the plane during drink service.)

However, when you don’t have a moment to launch yourself gracefully into Revolved Side Angle or Happy Baby Pose, feel free to learn some basic stretches that can be done almost anywhere, anytime.

I’ve done the work for you guys so you don’t have to hunt YouTube.

You can do these standing up, while sitting on a chair, or in seat 31A if you’re me and you enjoy trying to see how bendy your limbs can become in a confined space.

10 Minute Standing Stretches — Improved Health

Chair Yoga — Yoga With Kassandra

Photo by Wesley Tingey on Unsplash

Final Thoughts from Me, Your Sister-in-Skandasana

If you would like to be able to grab your leg and yank it up to your ears like me, it’s time for you to commit to doing 20 minutes of yoga every (or almost every) day.

Trust me, if I can do it, so can you. It only takes 20 minutes, a bit of determination, and the willingness to wait for results. Remember everyone: the best and most consistent fitness results take time, dedication, and patience.

“Take in these next few moments just to thank yourself for putting in the work today and for showing up.” — Charlie Follows