Prevent poor posture and release tension from sitting down with these four simple stretches from a yoga instructor

Woman on an exercise mat in a downward-facing dog yoga pose with a grey sofa behind her in a living room. .

Fitting movement into your day can be a struggle, especially if a 6am gym session fills you with dread.

But you don't have to make huge adjustments to your routine to reap the benefits of movement.

According to yoga instructor Rick Shugarman, four simple stretches are all you need to deliver big benefits.

“This routine can be done in five minutes or as little as three,” says Shugarman.

Consistency is the most important thing for improving physical health, he says, which is why a short routine is ideal—longer, more demanding workout programs are often hard to stick to.

“I'm not that interested in moves and routines that we're going to be doing for a couple of days, or even a couple of months. My focus is on things we can imagine ourselves doing 20 years from now,” he says.

How to do the four-move morning routine

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The four yoga poses Shugarman never skips are:

• Child's pose
• Cobra
• Downward-facing dog
• Warrior two

He recommends holding each pose for 30 to 60 seconds, depending on what your body needs.

The benefits of this routine

Each move targets different areas of the body and offsets some of the bad habits we might fall into in our daily lives—like slouching at a desk or spending hours sitting.

Child's pose
This is a fantastic way to check in with your body. “Child's pose helps release tension in the back, shoulders and neck, plus it calms the mind,” he says.

Cobra
This is a spinal extension great for your spinal health. "[Extension is] one of the fundamental movements of the spine," Shugarman explains. Cobra helps reverse poor posture, like slouched shoulders and a hunched back when working, driving or scrolling. For a gentler version, try staying on your forearms.

Downward-facing dog
This stronger, more energizing pose stretches the entire body. “In downward-facing dog, we are lengthening the spine, engaging the shoulders, wrists and hips,“ Shugarman says.

Warrior II
This pose is ideal for opening up the hips—especially helpful if you spend a lot of time sitting. “This will also help you develop some balance,” says Shugarman. Use a wall for support if your balance is wobbly.

Shugarman recommends doing this short sequence daily, whether in the morning or at another time of day. Move with intention and awareness and you’ll start to notice improvements in your mobility.

If you want to extend your practice, try these other yoga stretches for beginners.