A ten-minute daily practice
The shortest sequence on this site that still covers every direction the spine moves. Built to be done, not admired.
The best practice is the one that survives a bad week. This one is ten minutes, needs no props, and touches flexion, extension, rotation, side bending and a balance — which is the whole job of a general practice. Do it before the day starts and nothing can take it away later.
The sequence
Every pose name links to its full page — steps, muscles worked, common mistakes and who should skip it.
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1
Cat Pose Mārjaryāsana
8 rounds
Cat and cow, moving with the breath.
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2
Downward-Facing Dog Pose Adho Mukha Śvānāsana
45 seconds
Downward dog, pedalling the heels.
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3
Equestrian Pose Aśva Sañcālanāsana
30 seconds each side
Lunge on each side for the hip flexors.
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4
Standing Forward Bend Uttānāsana
45 seconds
Standing fold, knees soft.
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5
Chair Pose Utkaṭāsana
30 seconds
Chair pose.
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6
Tree Pose Vṛkṣāsana
30 seconds each side
Tree pose on each side.
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7
Bridge Pose Setu Bandha Sarvāṅgāsana
30 seconds, twice
One backbend — bridge or cobra.
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8
Supine Spinal Twist Supta Matsyendrāsana
45 seconds each side
Supine twist on each side.
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9
Corpse Pose Śavāsana
2 minutes
Two minutes flat. Not optional.
Before you start this sequence
- Read the cautions on the individual pose pages. Between them, the poses here rule themselves out for pregnancy, high blood pressure, glaucoma, and neck, knee, shoulder and wrist injuries — the details differ pose by pose.
- A sequence is an order, not a prescription. Leave out anything that hurts and the rest still works.
- If you are pregnant, recently post-surgical, or managing a health condition, get your doctor's view before starting, and learn from a qualified teacher in person.
General information only — not medical advice. Some asanas are unsuitable during pregnancy, injury or specific conditions. Learn from a qualified teacher and stop if anything hurts.
Notes on practising it
If ten minutes is still too long on a given day, do the first four poses. A short practice done daily beats a long one done occasionally by a margin that is not close.
The energy figure above uses the standard ACSM relationship — MET × 3.5 × body mass in kilograms ÷ 200 kcal per minute — with the MET value taken from the nearest published code in the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. The full working is on the method page, and the wider activity dataset is at BurnLab.
Questions
How long does the Ten minutes, every day sequence take?
About 10 minutes for 9 poses at the stay times listed. Suggested volume: once through. At 2.5 MET — the nearest published code in the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities — that is roughly 31 kcal for a 70 kg adult.
Do I have to do the poses in this order?
The order is the point. Sequences are arranged so that each pose prepares the next one and answers the one before it — a backbend followed by a forward bend, a long hold followed by something that unloads it. Reordering them is fine once you know why they sit where they do.
Is the Ten minutes, every day sequence suitable for beginners?
Yes. Every pose in it is a beginner-level shape with an accessible version, though you should still read each pose's own cautions — a beginner pose can still be wrong for a specific pregnancy, knee or neck.
What do I need for it?
A mat, and for several poses a block and a strap — a folded blanket and a belt do the same job. Nothing here needs a studio.
Other sequences
Asana names are traditional. Every step, benefit and caution on this page is written for YogaPath rather than reproduced from any book, studio or other library — see how this site is written. Energy figures derive from the 2024 Adult Compendium of Physical Activities. General information only — not medical advice. Some asanas are unsuitable during pregnancy, injury or specific conditions. Learn from a qualified teacher and stop if anything hurts.