Combat cold weather posture with yoga poses

Walking quickly and rounding forward from the cold underneath a winter jacket can wreak havoc on your posture. Tight hips, tight shoulders and a slouched upper body are just a few results of this cold weather posture. That’s why we’ve got a couple of yoga poses to help remedy this.

As a certified yoga instructor, I recommend going to a yoga class or striking a few specific poses throughout your day. The below poses open up the shoulders, back, hips and chest. Breathe in and out through your nose as you perform these poses.

Bright Goddess Pose

Brian Ernst/Sun-Times

Stand with your feet wider than your hips and your toes turned out slightly. Reach your arms up into a star shape.

Bend your knees out to the sides and sink down low so that your upper thighs are parallel to the ground.

Bend the elbows into a goal post position with your upper arms parallel to the ground.

From here, arch your upper back and open up your chest as you bring the arms back. Breathe in here, and then exhale and return to the starting position. Repeat this 5 times.

Humble Warrior

Brian Ernst/Sun-Times

Before going into Humble Warrior, practice clasping your hands behind your back and bringing your shoulders back. Relax your neck and stretch your chest. Then, release this and move into Warrior 1.

Step your left foot back and your right foot forward, and keep the feet as wide as the hips.

Bend the right knee over the right ankle, and keep the left leg straight.

Turn the left foot onto a diagonal so that it’s pointing towards the left front corner of your mat.

From this position, clasp your hands behind your back. Hinge forward at your hips and bow your chest down inside of your right thigh.

Hold this for a few breaths, and then slowly come back up.

Both of these poses open up the chest and hips, and can be done a few times throughout the day!

Stephanie Mansour wants you to ‘“step up” your fitness regimen. Mansour coaches private clients in weight loss, provides fitness/health/lifestyles advice on national TV shows, and offers her free 21 Day Challenge online. Check out her fitness tips every Sunday in the Well section of the Chicago Sun-Times. And visit her website at stepitupwithsteph.com.