Everyone holds stress and tension in different parts of their body, but the quadriceps can be a tricky situation for active people. While everyone will appreciate this sequence, runners and cycling enthusiasts will definitely feel the heat and benefit from spending time in these yoga postures. Get ready to loosen up, and show your quads the love they deserve with this sequence.
Source: Louisa Larson Photography [1]
Hero Pose
Hero Pose is a contemplative posture that provides a wonderful stretch. If your quads are really tight, don't be concerned about taking the full expression of the pose lying down on your back. Keep your tush on your heels with your core engaged, and breathe deep.
- Kneel on a mat or carpet with your knees together. Separate your feet so you can sit down on the ground in between them. Use your hands to pull your calves out of the way.
- Take a look at your feet, and curl the arches around the curve of your bum, so your toes are pointing behind you and slightly toward one another.
- From here, shift your weight back, and bring one hand behind you and then the other.
- Stay here and sit, or come to lie all the way down, flat on your back. Try to keep your knees as close together as possible to feel a deeper stretch in your quads, and bring your hands to rest on the soles of your ankles.
- If you love it, hold for five breaths or longer, and when you're ready to come out, lean into your elbows and press yourself back up to a seated position.
Source: Laughing River Yoga
Downward Facing Dog
Downward Facing Dog lays a strong, active foundation for the rest of your practice.
- From Hero Pose [2], come on your hands and knees. Your wrists should be underneath your shoulders, and your knees should be underneath your hips.
- Inhale as you tuck your toes under your heels. Then exhale to lift your hips, coming into an upside-down "V" shape called Downward Facing Dog.
- Spread your fingers wide, and create a straight line between your middle fingers and elbows. Work on straightening your legs and lowering your heels toward the ground. Relax your head between your arms, and direct your gaze through your legs or up toward your belly button. Hold for five breaths.
Source: Louisa Larson Photography [3]
Warrior 1 Pose
Warrior 1 Pose starts bringing heat to your whole body. Keep your core and legs engaged and your hips facing the front of your mat. Equally sharing the weight of your body between your front and back legs will make this pose feel much more comfortable.
- From Downward Facing Dog, move through a Vinyasa (Four-Limbed Staff [4] to Up Dog [5] to Down Dog [6]).
- Once you're in Downward Facing Dog, step your right foot forward between your hands. Turn your left heel in, press into your feet, and lift your torso up. You want your right foot to be slightly to the right of the center of your mat (not directly in front of your left heel). With this positioning, your hips can be parallel with the front of your mat. You can place your hands on your hips, and gently direct your right hip back and your left hip forward. This is called squaring your hips.
- Once your hips are square, lift your arms up, and press your palms together. Draw your shoulder blades down toward your hips, and gaze up toward your hands.
- Stay here for five breaths. Then come back to Downward Facing Dog, step your left foot forward, and do Warrior 1 on the other side.
Source: Louisa Larson Photography [7]
Warrior 2 Pose
Don't bail from Warrior 2! Stick with it to strengthen and stretch out tight quads.
- From Warrior 1 [8], extend your arms out in T-position as you rotate your torso to the left, coming into Warrior 2. Ideally you want your front thigh to be parallel to the ground and your right knee directly over your right ankle. Press into the outside edge of your left foot to prevent from collapsing into your arch. Make sure your shoulders are stacked directly above your pelvis.
- Once you've checked yourself for correct alignment, gaze past your right fingertips.
- Hold for five breaths. Step your left foot forward, and do this pose on the other side.
Source: Laughing River Yoga
Reverse Warrior Pose
Take the edge off your back and stretch your side body with Reverse Warrior.
- From Warrior 2 [9], gently arch back and rest your left hand on the back of your left leg. Raise your right arm overhead, feeling the stretch through the right side of the body. Make sure you continue to lower your hips and press your front knee forward so it's directly over your right ankle.
- Remain here for five breaths. Lift your torso up, place your hands on the floor, and move back into Down Dog. Step your left foot forward, and do this pose on the left side.
Source: Louisa Larson Photography [10]
Fierce Pose
Fierce Pose is one people either love or loathe, but this pose works your whole body — especially your core and legs. Pretend you're sitting back in a chair while keeping your chest open toward the front of your mat.
- After Reverse Warrior [11], cartwheel your hands to the top of your mat. Jump back through a Vinyasa (Four-Limbed Staff [12] to Up Dog [13] to Down Dog [14]).
- Once you're in Downward Facing Dog, step or hop your feet together at the top of your mat.
- Gaze slightly forward before rolling up vertebrae by vertebrae until you're in Mountain Pose [15].
- Bend your knees and lower your hips as you raise your arms overhead.
- Focus on sitting back onto your heels. Tuck your tailbone in and engage your abs, keeping your spine straight. Relax the shoulders as you gaze up toward the ceiling. Stay like this for five breaths.
Photo: Jenny Sugar
Double Pigeon Pose
Double Pigeon will definitely bring the heat to your legs and hips. No wonder it's also known as Fire Log Pose.
- From Fierce Pose [16], jump back through a Vinyasa (Four-Limbed Staff [17] to Up Dog [18] to Down Dog [19]).
- Once you're in Downward Facing Dog, drop your knees to the mat. Sit on your bottom with both legs in front of you.
- Bend your left knee, so your shin is parallel with your body. Bend your right leg, and stack your right knee on top of your left ankle and your right ankle above your left knee. The shins should be parallel. Flex both feet.
- Sit up tall, or fold forward to increase the stretch. Hold Double Pigeon for five breaths on this side, and then repeat this stretch with your left shin on top.
Source: Laughing River Yoga
Bow Pose
Don't lead this pose with your neck! To get the most out of this posture, focus on kicking back your legs and lifting your chest simultaneously.
- After Double Pigeon Pose [20], release your legs and shake them out in front of you. Come to lie on your belly, and take a few deep breaths.
- Once you're ready, bend your knees, and hold onto the outside edge of your right ankle and then your left. Once you have a firm hold of each ankle, try to keep your toes together, either pointing or flexing your feet. Lift your feet up as high as you can, and shift your weight forward so you're resting on your navel instead of on your pubic bone.
- Hold for five deep breaths, and then slowly release.
Source: Laughing River Yoga
Downward Facing Dog
After so many active poses, repeating Downward Facing Dog will feel like a nice rest. Breathe deep, and take stock of where your body is feeling more freedom and where tightness remains.
- After releasing Bow Pose [21], come on your hands and knees. Your wrists should be underneath your shoulders, and your knees should be underneath your hips.
- Inhale as you tuck your toes under your heels. Then exhale to lift your hips into Downward Dog.
- Spread your fingers wide, and create a straight line between your middle fingers and elbows. Work on straightening your legs and lowering your heels toward the ground. Relax your head between your arms, and direct your gaze through your legs or up toward your belly button. Hold for five breaths.
Source: Louisa Larson Photography [22]
Kneeling Quad Stretch
Now that you've built plenty of internal heat and warmed up your legs, your quads are ready for the deepest stretch of the sequence!
- From Downward Facing Dog, step your right foot forward and place your hands on your mat on either side of your foot for a low lunge. Slowly lower your right knee to the floor.
- Using your right hand, pull the foot in toward your right hip, holding the top of the foot with your right hand.
- Rest your left forearm on your left thigh, staying here for five breaths.
- After five breaths, drop your hands to the mat, and step your right leg back to Downward Facing Dog. Then step your left foot forward, and repeat this stretch on the other side.
Source: Louisa Larson Photography [23]
Wide Child's Pose
Relax, breathe deep, and come back to a calm and centered mind in Child's Pose. Stay here for as long as you want before you move on with the rest of your day.
- Kneel on your mat with your knees hips-width distance apart and your big toes touching behind you. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, lie your torso over your thighs. Try to lengthen your neck and spine by drawing your ribs away from your tailbone and the crown of your head away from your shoulders.
- Rest your arms beside your legs, with palms facing up, or try extending your arms out in front of you.
- Stay here for five breaths.
Source: Laughing River Yoga