Why Yoga Works (and Why It Feels So Different From “Exercise”)

Yoga isn’t just a workout. It’s a conversation between your breath, your body, and your nervous system, a way of moving that softens the edges instead of sharpening them.
Where most exercise pushes you outward (faster, harder, more reps), yoga pulls you inward. It invites you to notice: your breath, your posture, your mood, the micro-sensations happening under the surface.

At its heart, yoga is breath work in motion.
Every shape is linked to a breath, and every breath carries a subtle message to your brain: you’re safe, you’re here, you can relax now.

And then there’s the meditative layer, the slow unfurling that happens when you focus on one movement, one inhale, one exhale. It’s not about clearing the mind perfectly. It’s about giving your mind something gentle to land on, and letting the rest fall away.

This routine was designed to do exactly that: help you transition from the energy of your week into something calmer, slower, and more grounded, using movement as a bridge from one mood to another.

THE ROUTINE

I. Breath

Sit comfortably, with your spine long and your shoulders soft. Place one hand on your chest and one on your belly.
Inhale slowly through the nose and feel your lower hand rise first. Exhale gently and notice your body soften.
Stay here for 5–8 breaths, letting your mind settle into your body. This is your grounding point.

II. Cat–Cow

Come onto hands and knees.
As you inhale, drop your belly, lift your chest, and look slightly up, feeling the front of your body open.
As you exhale, round your spine and press the ground away, letting your head hang.
Move slowly for 6–8 rounds, letting the breath lead the movement.
This warms the spine and dissolves that “I’ve been at a desk all week” feeling.

III. Thread the Needle

From hands and knees, slide your right arm underneath your left, bringing your right shoulder and cheek towards the floor.
You should feel a gentle twist through your upper back. Keep your hips square.
Take 5 slow breaths, then repeat on the other side.
This helps dissolve tension in the neck, shoulders, and between the shoulder blades.

IV. Child’s Pose

Bring your knees wide, big toes touching, and sink your hips back towards your heels.
Reach your arms long in front of you and let your forehead rest on the floor or a pillow.
Stay for 5–10 breaths.
This position signals to the whole system: safe, calm, grounded.

V. Low Lunge (Right Foot Forward)

Step your right foot forward and lower your left knee to the ground.
Lift your chest slightly while keeping the shoulders soft and the front of the left thigh stretching.
Hold for 5 breaths, then switch sides.
This releases the hips, an area that tightens whenever we sit or feel stressed.

VI. Half Split (Ardha Hanumanasana)

Shift your weight back over the left knee and straighten your right leg, flexing the toes towards you.
Fold gently from the hips with a long spine, don’t force it.
Take 5 breaths, then switch legs.
This stretches your hamstrings and encourages slower, more conscious movement.

VII. Seated Twist

Sit tall, extend both legs forward, then bend your right knee and place the foot outside your left thigh.
Lift through the spine, twist gently to the right, and bring your left elbow outside the bent knee for support.
Stay for 5 breaths and repeat on the other side.
Twists help release tension held deep along the spine and support digestive ease.

VIII. Forward Fold

With both legs extended, hinge forward from the hips.
You can bend the knees slightly to soften the stretch.
Let your head drop and stay for 5–10 breaths.
A forward fold calms the mind and lengthens the whole back body.

IX. Supported Bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
Lift your hips gently and place a block or cushion under your lower back.
Let your weight settle into the support and soften your belly.
Stay for 6–10 breaths.
This opens the front body and resets the nervous system beautifully.

X. Legs Up The Wall

Bring your legs up the wall or straight up into the air if you don’t have a wall handy.
Relax your shoulders and let your arms rest wide.
Stay here for up to a minute.
It’s soothing, grounding, and fantastic for tired legs or overstimulated minds.

XI. Close (Standing)

Stand up slowly, let the arms fall by your sides, and take one slow breath in and out.
Feel your body a little lighter than before.
This is your “reset” moment, a small closing ritual to mark the transition into a different mood.

Final Thoughts

Movement is a bridge.
When your mind feels stuck, tense, restless or scattered, moving your body, especially slowly and consciously, can shift your emotional state in ways that are surprisingly powerful.

Yoga isn’t about flexibility or performing perfect shapes.
It’s about signalling to your body that it can slow down, letting the breath guide the experience, and using each position as a stepping stone from where you were to where you want to feel.

This little routine is simply a tool. A way to step out of the week and into yourself again.