Simple yoga moves to boost wellness

Don't think yoga moves are just for the fitness studio. Even if you don't regularly attend classes, learning a few exercises to help ease stress and improve your balance and flexibility will help keep your body moving through days when you haven't got time for a full yoga session.

Jane Kersel, a yoga and wellbeing expert and member of the Venus ProTeam, has come up with a couple of simple moves that are easy to fit into a busy day, and will help you maintain the mind and body balance to help you cope better.

Check out the next page for morning and deskside yoga moves, and click through to watch Jane demonstrate the moves in the video here.

Jane says, 'Venus ProSkin is all about keeping your skin in balance and here I'll show you how yoga is great for not only looking good, but keeping you mentally balanced too.'

Morning yoga moves

This morning yoga practice takes five minutes to do and really helps to wake up your body, leaving you ready to start your day. It not only works the upper body and core, but helps you achieve great tone and definition in your legs.

1. Begin by standing in the centre of your mat. Inhale and stretch your arms all the way up, interlacing your fingers at the top.
2. Lean your hands and your head over towards one side and push your hips in the opposite direction. This really stretches your muscles around and through your ribcage.
3. Then release your hands down and focus on your breathing, inhaling as you reach up and exhaling as you come down. You should be able to feel your spine lengthen if you root your feet into the floor. Repeat five times.
4. On the sixth time, inhale in the same way but this time as you exhale bring your right knee up as you come down. The right leg should be lifted while the left is bent but firmly rooted in the floor to give you some balance. 
5. Repeat this movement three times and on the fourth bend the left leg closer to the ground and sweep the right leg out to the side. This is really great for stretching out your leg muscles and toning your thighs.
6. Wrap one hand underneath the other hand and look into a pretend mirror. Keep the balance, keep breathing and when you’re ready inhale and lift up and out of the position. Repeat this entire move on the other side.

Watch Jane Kersel demonstrate the moves in our video here.

Deskside yoga

This seated yoga practice is an easy way to give yourself a midday energy boost. It helps work the blood into the bottom half of your body and legs, breathing a bit of life into your muscles.

1. Sitting at your desk lift one leg and start circling your foot at the ankles.
2. Then join in with the other foot, you can do this as long as you need to, it’s quite fun to do!
3. Bring your feet back down and let’s work on your core a bit!
4. Lift up your knees with your hands firmly on either side of the chair for support.
5. Release your legs then pull them back up, continue to do this a few times. Really squeeze your belly muscles back with each lift in your legs.
6. Then open up the hips a bit, bringing one leg onto the other’s thigh and lean the upper body forward, feeling the stretch in your hips. Repeat for the opposite leg.
7. Next take the legs wide apart, interlace your hands behind your head and begin to slowly roll the body in big circles. Breathe nice and deeply.
8. When you exhale roll your body forward, then inhale and lift the chest.
9. From there we’re going to finish with a simple twist. Lift your spine and as you breathe out turn to one side. Inhale again, lift the spine and as you exhale turn to the opposite side.
10. Finally bring the feet gently back together and you’re ready to get on with your day.

For more tips from Jane Kersel and other Venus ProTeam members, see www.Facebook.com/GilletteVenusUK