Work in an Office All Day? This Yoga Workout Is for You

Legs-on-Wall Pose

• Lie on your back with your back completely flat against the floor and your glutes up against a wall.
• Extend your legs up the wall. Try to keep your lower back flat on the ground. (This may require you to tilt your pelvis and draw your bellybutton in toward your spine.)
• Flex your feet and tilt your toes back toward your face. Hold this position for as long as you feel comfortable. Use a gentle breathing cadence that emphasizes breathing through the nose.

Bridge Pose

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted hip-width apart.
• Slowly exhale through your nose and raise your pelvis toward the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes firmly and hold for three to five seconds.
• Lower your hips slowly to the floor. As you feel comfortable, hold the pose for up to 30 seconds.

Cobra Pose

• Lie facedown with your thighs and tops of your feet touching the floor, hands under your shoulders.
• Press your trunk off the floor as you straighten your arms and lift your chest up in front of you. Roll your shoulders down and back to be in a relaxed position.
• Breathe through your nose. Hold this pose for 10 to 30 seconds at a time.

Camel Pose

• Kneel with the tops of your feet touching the floor.
• Reach both hands behind you to cup your heel bones with your palms.
• Lift your chest and tilt your head back to look to the ceiling. Breathe through your nose.
• Hold this pose for as long as you can. Feel free to reset before repeating it.
• Tip: You can begin with your toes curled under and gripping the floor and advance to placing the tops of your feet on the floor.

Gate Pose

• Kneel and extend your right leg out to the side, placing your right foot flat on the floor.
• Let the top of your left foot touch the floor behind you.
• Place your right hand on your extended leg and reach your left hand overhead as you slide your right hand down toward your foot. Let your gaze follow your lifted hand.
• Hold this pose as long as you can before switching sides. Remember to look at the ceiling as you breathe out your nose.

Warrior 1 Pose

• Stand tall and then take a wide step to the right. Keep your right toes pointing forward and rotate your left foot until it is perpendicular to your right foot. Sit into your left leg, bending your left knee until your thigh is parallel to the floor.
• Raise your arms perpendicular to the floor (and parallel to each other) and reach actively through the outside edges of your hands toward the ceiling.
• As you reach to the ceiling, imagine lengthening the tissues in your legs and hips. Breathe through your nose. Try to hold this position for 30 to 60 seconds.

Krista Jacobs is a personal trainer and Group X instructor at 24 Hour Fitness in Southern California. Jacobs, who teaches STRONG by Zumba, Zumba and Les Mills BODYPUMP, took time out of her busy schedule to answer these burning questions from 24Life.

24Life: Why did you become a group fitness instructor and personal trainer?

Krista Jacobs: I became a group fitness instructor because it’s what started my fitness journey. It’s what took me out of my comfort zone. And it’s the same thing that I want to do for someone else. I just recently become a personal trainer. It’s an exciting yet nerve-racking adventure.

But in my fitness journey, I didn’t have anyone to lead me to where I wanted to be. I had to make that journey by myself. And I feel like if I was led properly, I could have achieved my goals faster. I want to be that person for someone, because I know what the struggle is like, what the fight is like on your own. I want to be able to reach my hand out and help somebody else achieve their goals more quickly.

24Life: Favorite and least favorite workout move?

KJ: My favorite now has become push-ups, because of the journey from not being able to do push-ups to now I can. I don’t think that I have a least favorite, because I like the challenge of everything, and everything that I once didn’t like, I enjoy now.

24Life: Finish the sentence “When I’m not working out, I am…”

KJ: Hanging out with my kids.

24Life: Your favorite fit tip?

KJ: Just try it. Never underestimate yourself. You’ll never know how much you’re capable of doing something until you try it. No matter what—whether it’s nutrition or a workout move—start it and just grow from there. We always stop ourselves because we think we can’t, and then we never see how far we can go.

24Life: Favorite memory as an instructor or trainer, so far?

KJ: My most-memorable moment would be with a few students that I’ve had who started in the back of the class and now are instructors and hoping to audition soon for 24 Hour Fitness.

24Life: This summer, what’s one thing you wish every client knew?

KJ: Something that I would remind people would be to enjoy the summer. We’re so set on trying to look a certain way or to feel a certain way, we forget to enjoy it, and then summer is over, and you’re frustrated because maybe you didn’t get to where you wanted to be. So just enjoy the summer.