5 Invigorating Yoga Poses For Energy

Heart openers are fantastic invigorating yoga poses for providing an energy boost as they get the blood pumping around the body, helping to battle fatigue and low mood. Wheel Pose is an intense back bend and front body opener getting into the chest, lungs, shoulders – and even the front of the legs and hip flexors. While stretching out the front of the body, the pose also builds strength in the back body, particularly in the shoulder and upper back – though do be careful you don’t crunch and strain your lower back in this pose as it could lead to injury.

How to get into the pose: 

1. Start lying on your back with your knees bent. Plant your feet firmly into the ground hip-width apart and directly under your knees. 
2. Reach your arms up and back, placing your palms on the ground alongside your ears, fingertips towards your shoulders. 
3. Inhale, then use your exhalation to lift your hips and torso off the floor enough to place the crown of your head on the mat. Make sure to keep the weight off your head. 
4. Inhale and press down with your hands and feet to lift yourself off the mat and into the back bend. Keep your knees and elbows drawing into your midline and not splaying out. 
5. Breathe deeply, rotate your inner thigh to the floor and reach your tailbone towards the back of your knees. 
6. Hold for 5-10 breaths. 
7. Tuck your chin into your chest to come out of the pose and lower your body to the floor.

A beginner-friendly balancing asana, Tree pose is great for cultivating strength in the lower body while working the mind to stay focused. Although a simple pose, a lot is happening. The legs, glutes, core and back all have to switch on to keep you balanced, while the hips and inner thigh benefit from the opening stretch – this all aids in improving posture and alignment. 

Tree pose is also a play in opposites. As your standing leg grounds down and feels rooted, your arms reach up high above, pulling away. The mental focus required in this pose provides an energy boost for your mind ensuring you stay present throughout your day.

How to get into the pose: 

1. Start in Mountain Pose, lift your sternum and shift your weight to your left foot. Press down through the base of the big toe and feel your inner thighs rotate in and towards the back of your mat. 
2. Find something to focus your gaze on, place your hands on your hips and bend your right knee towards your chest. 
3. Place your right foot high to the inside of your left thigh or shin. Do not place it on your knee, as you risk injury. 
4. Actively press your right foot and left leg into the midline. Avoid leaning your torso to the side, stay level and squared to the front. 
5. Inhale and bring your hands to the heart centre in Anjali Mudra, or if you feel steady, stretch them high overhead.
6. Hold for 5-10 breaths before releasing slowly and with control back to Mountain Pose. 
7. Repeat on the other side.

Also known as a ‘yogi squat,’ Garland pose is another deep hip opener linked to our root chakra. Stretching out the pelvis, ankles and back, Garland pose is one I’d encourage you to incorporate into your daily practice since it’s fantastic for correcting the tightness we develop when sitting at a desk all day. 

While Garland is mainly a grounding and calming pose, I still wanted to include it in this list of invigorating poses as it shows how we can harness our energy in a gentler way. Yoga doesn’t need to be physically taxing to be energising, sometimes our bodies need the opposite. By sitting quietly in this pose you can work on harnessing your inner strength.

How to get into the pose: 

1. Begin in Mountain Pose with your feet together and your weight evenly distributed. 
2. Exhale as you lower down into a deep squat, trying to keep your heels on the floor. If they don’t reach, try resting your heels on a block or folded-up mat. 
3. Spread your knees wide, so you can tuck your chest between your thighs. 
4. Bring your palms together in Anjali Mudra and press your elbows against the inside of your knees. 
5. Keep your chest lifted and avoid rounding the upper back. Look straight out in front rather than down to keep your chin lifted. 
6. Hold for 5-10 breaths.

Another heart opener, Upward Facing Dog is a classic yoga pose that’s included in many Vinyasa flows and a key part of many Sun Salutation variations. As mentioned above, backbends and heart openers are wonderfully invigorating yoga poses for an instant boost! Upward Facing Dog, in particular, is ideal if you’re working on improving your posture while strengthening your spine, shoulders, wrists and even your glutes since your legs are active.

How to get into the pose: 

1. Start laying on your front with your palms on the ground up by your lower ribs and legs stretched out with your feet hip-width apart. 
2. Make sure your ankles are aligned with your feet, then activate your legs by pressing down all ten toenails. 
3. Tuck your elbows in and press down with your hands and feet to raise yourself as you inhale. Your arms and legs should be completely straight, legs lifting off the floor.  
4. Draw your shoulders away from your ears to elongate the neck. 
5. Keep the core active to protect the lower back and avoid any painful pinching or crunching. 
6. Hold for 5-10 breaths.

As the name suggests, Warrior II is a powerfully invigorating yoga pose that’s great for beginner and advanced yogis alike. It’s a pose that requires great discipline to practise for any length of time. Warrior II forces us to come back to our breath and inner focus. As a fire starts to build, avoid the temptation to straighten the front leg and instead relish in the challenge. 

Warrior II is a fundamental pose that once you’re comfortable with you can build upon to practise other fun variations such as Humble Warrior, Reverse Warrior or Extended Warrior. Each variation has its own challenge bringing with it different energies you can cultivate in your practice. 

How to get into the pose: 

1. Face the front of your mat and take a big step back with your left leg. Turn your back foot, so the outside faces the short edge of the mat, and your toes point towards the upper left corner.
2. Keep your right foot and knee facing the front of the mat. 
3. Stretch your arms straight out from your shoulders, palms face down with your wrists approximately over your ankles. 
4. Exhale and take a deep bend into your right knee, stacking it over your right ankle. 
5. Keep your weight evenly distributed across both legs, pressing down through the outer edge of your back foot. 
6. Lift up from the crown of your head, keeping it stacked over your shoulders and hips in one long line. 
7. Reach through your fingertips and turn your head to look past your right arm, if that’s comfortable for your neck. 
8. Hold for 5-10 breaths before coming out of the pose. 
9. Repeat on the other side.