10-Minute Standing Yoga You Can Practice Anywhere (No Mat Required)

This 10-minute yoga practice is a little different than most. Each of us has probably been in a situation where we didn’t have a mat or props or a lot of room to practice but you still want to get in a few stretches and some movement. That’s what this 10-minute standing yoga sequence designed to do.

Everything in this class is done standing. This sequence was actually requested by someone who wanted a practice to do while they were traveling but they didn’t want to touch the carpet in the hotel room, although you can rely on it anywhere. At the office. Waiting in a parking lot. When you just don’t want to unroll your mat.

It also happens to be a good kind of class to do if you just need to give your wrists and your arms a break since there’s no weight-bearing poses. And you still experience a good mix of balancing, strengthening, and flexibility training. You won’t actually be getting down on the ground but you’ll still work your entire body. You’ll fit quite a lot into those 10 minutes. And there’s nothing required other than yourself.

10-Minute Standing Yoga You Can Practice Anywhere

This is an all-levels practice that requires no props. You don’t even need a lot of room to practice.

Standing Neck Rolls

Start standing with your feet hip-distance apart in Mountain Pose. Then roll your shoulders down and away from your ears and take a few neck rolls. So you can lower one ear toward one shoulder and roll your chin toward your chest until you get over to the other side. You can tilt your head slightly back so you’re stretching along the front of the throat but pause before tilting your head all the way back.

Then reverse your half circle, taking your chin toward your chest and back to the starting side. Continue doing this a few times, being mindful of your posture so you’re not slouching or rounding. Take a few more rounds and then reverse directions.

Standing Side Stretches

Slowly bring your head back to center and lift your chin. Reach your arms alongside your head, grab hold of your right wrist with your left hand, and lean your upper body toward the left as you find a little side bend. Think of almost pulling on your right arm to stretch a little more. Push your right hip out to the side.

Then slowly lift back up and switch sides. Come back to center.

Standing Cat and Cow With Cactus Arms

As you inhale, bend your elbows at about 90-degree angles, lift through the chest, and squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other in a slight backbend. As you exhale, round and contract. Try to isolate the movement in your upper back.

So inhale to lift, exhale to round. Take a few more rounds just like this, keeping your elbows high.

Chair Pose

Release your arms. Keep your feet hip-distance apart as you bend your knees, bring your weight into your heels, and extend your arms overhead in Chair Pose. Notice if your knees want to cave inward, toward one another, and keep them reaching forward. Sink down a little lower.

Standing Forward Bend

Let yourself fall forward in Rag Doll or a Standing Forward Bend although you don’t need to actually touch the floor. You can keep your fingertips on your shins and you can absolutely bend your knees.

Halfway Lift

Inhale as you lift yourself halfway and take your fingertips to your legs. Lengthen through your spine with a flat back in Halfway Lift.

Standing Forward Bend

Exhale as you fold forward again in a Standing Forward Bend. Let your head be heavy.

Find Chair Pose once more. Then exhale and fold forward. Lift halfway and press your fingertips to your shins with a flat back. Then exhale, release, and folding down. Return to Chair Pose. Then press up to standing.

Standing Balancing Pose

From standing, draw your right knee toward your chest and grab hold of it. We’re going to work a little on balance here. So focus your gaze straight ahead on something that isn’t moving. Try not to dig your left toes into the floor. Instead, lengthen through your left leg.

Standing Balancing Twist

Stay here or add a twist by keeping hold of your right knee with your left hand and reaching your right arm toward the back of the mat. Lengthen through the spine a little more and keep your hips facing forward while turning your chest toward the right.

Standing Quad Stretch

Find a quad stretch from here by keeping your right knee bent and releasing it toward the mat and grabbing hold of your right foot behind you, either with one or both hands. Think of lengthening your tailbone to the mat, pulling your lower belly in, and drawing your right heel toward you. Keep opening through your chest. Breathe here.

Slowly release and shake it out. Then practice the same thing on the other side. So stand tall in your Standing Balancing Pose and maybe add a twist. Then take a Standing Quad Stretch.

Warrior 2

Step your left leg back in a Warrior 2 stance, pointing your right knee directly forward and keeping your left foot parallel to what would be the short edge of the mat. Bend your front knee and reach your arms straight out from your shoulders. Think of pushing your right knee open.

Reverse Warrior

Reverse your Warrior by bringing your left hand down and your right arm up in a big side body stretch. Keep your front knee bent in Reverse Warrior.

Extended Side Angle

Come back through Warrior 2 and into Extended Side Angle by bringing your right forearm onto your front thigh. Reach your right arm overhead in a diagonal line from your left foot to your left fingertips.

Slowly come all the way back up, straighten your legs, and pivot your right toes in and turn your left foot out as you bend your left knee to take Warrior 2 on the other side. Then take Reverse Warrior and Extended Side Angle on the other side.

Goddess Pose

Come all the way back up to standing, straighten your legs, and bring both heels in and point your toes out. Circle your arms nice and wide, and as you exhale, bend your knees and find a deep squat with your hands at your heart. Think of pressing your knees open as you sink your hips down. Repeat several times, inhaling to lift, exhaling to lower. Keep your shoulders over your hips.

Goddess Twist

Hold Goddess Pose, place your hands on your thighs, and drop your right shoulder and draw your left shoulder back in a twist through the upper body. Switch sides.

Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend

Come back through to center, straighten your legs, and turn your toes in so your feet are parallel. Bring your hands toyour hips, inhale, and lift and lengthen through your spine. Exhale and hinge forward, finding your Wide-Legged Standing Forward Bend. Maybe you grab your ankles as you reach the crown of your head down toward the mat, bending your elbows away from each another, feeling a stretch through the hamstrings. Breathe here.

Standing Side Bend

Bring your hands back to your hips, engage your quads, and lift your kneecaps up as you slowly lift to standing. Bring your legs back together. Take one last side bend, grabbing hold of your right wrist with your left hand like at the beginning but this time also step your right foot behind your left and push your hips to the right. Come back through center and switch sides.

Release, roll your shoulders, and this is where I will leave you following your 10-minute yoga practice. Hopefully you feel better after that standing yoga flow.