Here are 3 more nice sweeteners for your yoga session to build heat, and your strength. 

  1. In Plank or upper push-up position, lift your right leg up 3 or 4 inches squeezing your butt, then bend the knee and press it into your chest.  Contract your abs as you do this, so you feel like you’re curling your lower torso, tucking in your tailbone.  Repeat 5 times with your breath, then change sides.  Go slow and focus on the extension with a full inhale and tuck in your knee tight with an exhale.
  2. Lunge your right foot forward.  Start with both arms up overhead to your left, then let them sweep down in front to the outside of your right leg turning your torso as you twist.  Hold for 3-5 breaths and change sides.  A variation with more balance challenge -  start with straight legs and arms up and then drop slowly into the lunge as you twist.  Repeat 3-5 times with your breath and then change sides. 
  3. Get into Goddess pose but make it active by straightening your legs as your straighten your arms up overhead and then sink back down into the posture.  Let your hips sink low with your exhales, keeping your knees pressed out over your ankles.  Do 5 of these, then bring the insides of your feet parallel and fold forward into Wide Leg Forward Bend to rest and stretch the muscles you were using.  Repeat the process if you want doing variations on Wide Leg Forward Bend (adding yoga mudra arms, holding your big toes with your elbows out etc.)

Make sure that your new year’s resolutions or whatever is motivating you to work harder on the mat is not just about abusing yourself or beating yourself up for indulging over the holidays.  Ahimsa starts with ourselves right?  I like to think it’s more about finding balance - rediscovering and using those muscles that I sat on during vacation :-)