1. A Salute to the Sun
Sun salutation poses are the most common way to warm up for power yoga. Begin in mountain pose with your feet together and arms at your sides. Lift up through the spine as you anchor your feet into the ground and begin breathing deeply. On an inhale, lift your arms high overhead, stretching up and then exhale as you bend forward at the hips. Keep your legs and spine straight as you reach out with your hands, leaning into forward bend and touching your toes. Hold the forward bend for three to five full breaths and then lift your upper body while leaving your fingertips on your toes. Turn your head up, lifting through the spine, again holding for three to five full breaths.
2. Jump Right In
Continue the power yoga warm up by lowering back down into the forward bend as you exhale and inhale deeply. Place your hands flat on each side of your feet, bending the knees if necessary and as you exhale, jump or walk your feet behind you into high push up. In the high push up, you are resting on your toes and palms of your hands with your arms directly below your shoulders and your body in a straight line. Keep your neck relaxed, looking at the floor, and hold for three to five deep breaths. Gently lower your body towards the mat into low push up until your upper arms are horizontal to the ground with your body still lifted off the mat. Hold for three to five deep breaths, resting your knees on the ground if necessary.
3. Up-Down Dog
Continue warming up the body for power yoga by pushing into your hands as you exhale and lifting your upper body as high as possible into upward dog. If possible, keep your legs off of the mat; however, if this is too difficult, allow them to rest as you lift your chest and turn your head to the sky for three to five deep breaths. On an exhale, push into your hands and lift your hips to the sky to enter downward dog. Your legs should be straight with heels pressing towards the mat. Your arms should be straight as well, with the head dropped and chest pressing towards the knees. Hold for three to five deep breaths.
4. Moving on Up
On an exhale, jump or walk your feet forward and between your hands, entering the forward bend once again. Hold for three to five deep breaths and then roll your spine up slowly one vertebrae at a time to enter mountain pose. Repeat the sun salutation power yoga warm up three to six times before continuing with your routine.
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