After you've dominated your workout, you should take some time to cool your body down with practices like stretching and foam rolling. If that's a rarity for you, you're probably reading this with extremely tight shoulders and hamstrings. To perform at a high level and reach your goals, you've got to do more than just lift heavy; you've got to allow your body to rest and recover.
To help keep your body in tip-top shape, POPSUGAR enlisted Kajuan Douglas, founder of Merge New York, certified yoga instructor for a flow that will help ease your tight muscles.
Begin 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 three breaths.
Lie on your belly with your legs hips-width distance apart. Extend your arms straight out in front of you.
As you lift your head up off the ground, begin to slowly walk your hands in, keeping your hips and thighs on the ground, but gently arching your lower back. Walk them in as far as you can, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
Actively relax, keeping your gaze forward or lowering your head back between your shoulder blades. Stay here for five breaths, opening through the chest and abs, and then lower your torso back to the mat.
Begin 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 one breath.
Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Step your right foot forward between your hands, coming into Warrior 1. Then open hips, arms, and chest into Warrior 2.
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 eight 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.
Begin 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 one breath.
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8Upward Dog Down Dog Flow
Begin in Downward Facing Dog with equal weight on the hands and feet. Flare the heels slightly wider than the toes so the outside edges of the feet are parallel with the outside edges of your mat. Spread the fingers wide, and press into the palms to push the hips away from you. Work on lowering the heels to the floor without rounding the spine. Relax the shoulders and head, and gaze at your navel as you breathe for five breaths.
On your next inhale, shift weight forward into your hands as you scoop the chest between the hands, coming into Upward Facing Dog with the toes tucked.
Exhale to lift the hips up, and press the chest back, returning to Down Dog.
Flow between these postures three times, pausing in either pose to spend a little more time opening areas that are tight for you.
