Twelve Days of Christmas Yoga
Kick start 2022 with the Babacool Twelve Days of Christmas yoga program. Twelve exercises, twelve days to turbo boost those New Year resolutions and give you every chance of succeeding.
The New Year is a great time for a fresh start, to throw away toxic habits and replace them with new healthy choices. However picking yourself up after a season of feasting and watching telly is now always easy. You need energy to make your resolutions stick, willpower, commitment and clarity.
This is where the Babacool Twelve Days of Christmas comes in. Designed to build energy, strength, confidence and persistence, start the program on Boxing Day with a 10 day session. This builds to 20 minutes on Day 4, and increases to 30 minutes on New Years Day when you will also start a new habit of keeping a journal. The routines are designed to build your core strength, boost energy, develop strength for commitment & confidence, and enhance your breath. Don’t push – if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Build slowly – better to half the times than injure yourself.
You will need a yoga mat, a cushion to sit on, a stop watch, a notebook and pen (from December 31st) and comfortable clothes. There are twelve exercises only, listed below, which are repeated and built upon. Any questions about any of the exercises please get in touch. There is a PDF printable option at the bottom of the article. These are charging exercises so much better suited for the morning (unless you have to pull an all-nighter!).
(Legal Disclaimer – your participation in this program is at your own risk, and subject to & governed by English Law and the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of England and Wales. Please practice in a suitable environment and spacious area. If you have any concerns about your health and the suitability of these practices for you then please get in touch with us before you start. This program is not suitable for under 16s unless supervised by a guardian. It is also not suitable if you are pregnant.)
The Exercises:
1/ Breath of Fire – a rapid light breath, done through the nose. No deeper than sniffing – for more instruction check out the video online.
2/ Downward Facing Dog – from an all 4s position, press down into your hands, lift your hips up and back to lengthen your spine. Legs may be bent or you might try to bring your heels to the ground.
3/ Stretch Pose – on your back, hands under your hips, palms down. Tuck your chin to your chest and lift your head & shoulders until you can see your feet. Point your feet and lift them 6 inches. Keep the middle of your back pressed into the floor (you can do one leg at a time when starting out)
4/ Plank Pose – from all 4s, step your feet back and bring the body into a straight line. Lift the front of your thighs and belly up and away from the floor. (When starting out you can rest your knees on the floor and step your hands forward)
5/ Dolphin Plank – as above but rather than resting on your hands, rest on your forearms, interlace your hands together.
6/ Bells of Heaven – in a seated position, tip your head back a little and bend your elbows, hands in front of shoulder. Inhale and raise your left arm straight up, palm open, exhale close the hand and bring the arm down. Repeat with the right arm. Once you get the hang of it, move as quickly as you can.
7/ Piston Legs – on your back, hands under hips, palms down. Draw both knees into your chest. Inhale and straighten the left leg, point the toes (the closer your leg to the floor the harder this is – aim to be 6 inches above the floor). As you exhale the left knee comes in and the right leg straightens. Continue.
8/ Yoga Crunch – on your back, bend your knees and have your feet in line with your hips. Interlace your fingers and rest your head in your hands lightly (don’t pull the head). Lift your head and shoulders up just a little. As you exhale curl up, lifting your head and shoulders higher, inhale back (head stays off the floor). Keep your middle back pressed into the floor.
9/ Lions Claws – sit comfortably. Open your fingers then curl them into claws, your fingers should be tense. Take your arms straight out to the side, parallel to the floor. Inhale and cross your arms overhead (elbows slightly bent), exhale back to start then inhale and cross arms overhead again but with the other arm in front, exhale to start. Continue.
10/ Chair – stand and take your feet to about shoulder width (adjust according to what works for you). Feet can be straight or turned out slightly. Sit your bum back as though you were sitting in a chair – reach your hands between your legs and hold your heels, or ankles or backs of the legs. Your back should be a straight as possible.
11/ Pelvic Lift – on your back, bend your legs and place your feet at hip distance. Tuck your tailbone under and flatten your lower back into the floor (squeeze your pelvic floor and glutes). Press into your feet and raise your hips as high as you feel comfortable. Hold, keep your head facing up to the ceiling, keep engaging the back of the body.
12/ Moving cobra (no arms) – lie on your belly, hands by your hips, forehead on the floor. Keeping your feet, legs and arms on the floor, lift your head and chest as high as you can as you inhale. Exhale down. Keep length in your body and use the strength of your lower back and glutes to lift you up.
The Program
Day 1 (Boxing Day) – 10 minutes
Breath of Fire 3 minutes
Plank 1 minute
Stretch Pose 1 minute
Downward Facing Dog 1 minute
Yoga Crunch 1 minute
Pelvic Lift 1 minute
Lions Claws 2 minutes
Day 2 (27th Dec) – 10 Minutes
Bells of Heaven 3 minutes
Chair 1 minute
Downward Facing Dog 1 minute
Piston Legs 1 minute
Moving Cobra 1 minute
Stretch Pose with Breath of Fire 1 minute
Breath of Fire 2 minutes
Day 3 (28th Dec) – 10 Minutes
Breath of Fire 3 minutes
Plank with Breath of Fire 1 minute
Yoga Crunch 1 minute
Moving Cobra 1 minute
Piston Legs 1 minute
Downward Facing Dog 1 minute
Lions Claws 2 minutes
Day 4 (29th Dec) – 20 Minutes
Breath of Fire 3 minutes
Plank with Breath of Fire 1 minute
Stretch Pose with Breath of Fire 1 minute
Moving Cobra 1 minute
Plank with Breath of Fire 1 minute
Stretch Pose with Breath of Fire 1 minute
Moving Cobra 1 minute
Piston Legs 2 minutes
Yoga Crunch 2 minutes
Pelvic Lift 1 minute
Downward Facing Dog 2 minutes
Lions Claws 3 minutes
Meditate 1 minute plus
Day 5 (30th Dec) – 20 Minutes
Breath of Fire 5 minutes
Chair with breath of fire 1 minute
Downward Facing Dog 2 minutes
Piston Legs 2 minutes
Moving Cobra 2 minutes
Yoga Crunch 2 minutes
Plank with breath of fire 1 minute
Stretch Pose with breath of fire 1 minute
Bells of Heaven 3 minutes
Meditate 1 minute plus
Day 6 (New Years Eve) – 20 Minutes
Breath of Fire 3 minutes
Plank with Breath of Fire 1 minute
Stretch Pose with Breath of Fire 1 minute
Moving Cobra 2 minutes
Piston Legs 2 minutes
Yoga Crunch 2 minutes
Downward Facing Dog 2 minutes
Lions Claws 3 minutes
Meditate 1 minute plus
Journal – what habits or behaviours do you want to leave behind in 2021?
Day 7 (New Years Day) – 30 Minutes
Breath of Fire 5 minutes
Downward Facing Dog 1.5 minutes
Chair with Breath of Fire 1 minute
Downward Facing Dog 1.5 minutes
Stretch Pose with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Pelvic Lift 2 minutes
Piston Legs 2.5 Minutes
Plank with breath of fire 1 minute
Yoga Crunch 2 minutes
Moving Cobra 2 minutes
Downward Facing Dog 1 minute
Lions Claws 3 Minutes
Meditate 2 minutes plus
Journal – what new habits and behaviours are you ready to commit to in 2022?
Day 8 (2nd Jan) – 30 Minutes
Breath of Fire 7 Minutes (3 minutes both nostrils, 1.5 minutes left nostril, 1.5 minutes right nostril, 1 minute both nostrils)
Downward Facing Dog, lift alternate legs up as high as you can – 2 minutes
Chair with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Stretch Pose with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Piston Legs 2 minutes
Yoga Crunch 2 minutes
Moving Cobra 3 minutes
Plank with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Bells of Heaven 4 minutes
Meditate 3 minutes
Journal – what things usually trip you up when you try to stick to new habits?
Day 9 (3rd Jan) – 30 Minutes
Bells of Heaven 4 minutes
Stretch Pose with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Piston Legs 2.5 minutes
Moving Cobra 2 minutes
Rest on knees, hands interlaced behind head, open elbows, breath of fire 2 minutes
Plank with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Rest on knees, interlace fingers, arms up, palms towards ceiling, breath of fire 2 minutes
Downward Facing Dog with alternate leg raises 2 minutes
Chair with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Dolphin Plank 1 minute
Piston Legs 2 minutes
Pelvic Lift 2 minutes
Lions Claws 3 minutes
Meditate 3 minutes plus
Journal if you feel inspired
Day 10 (4th Jan) – 30 Minutes
Breath of Fire 7 Minutes (3 minutes both nostrils, 1.5 minutes left nostril, 1.5 minutes right nostril, 1 minute both nostrils)
Stretch Pose with breath of fire 1 minute
Moving Cobra 1.5 minutes
Stretch Pose with breath of fire 1 minute
Moving Cobra 1.5 minutes
Piston Legs 3 minutes
Yoga Crunch 3 minutes
Downward facing Dog with alternate leg lifts 2 minutes
Chair with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Plank with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Pelvic Lift 2 minutes
Meditate 3 minutes
Journal – what challenges are you finding with your new habits?
Day 11 (5th Jan) – 30 Minutes
Bells of Heaven 5 minutes
Piston Legs 3 minutes
Moving Cobra 3 minutes
Downward Facing Dog 3 minutes
Stretch Pose with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Plank with breath of fore 1.5 minutes
Yoga Crunch 3 minutes
Pelvic Lift 2 minutes
Dolphin Plank 1.5 minutes
Lions Claws 2.5 minutes
Meditate 2 minutes plus
Journal – remind yourself why you chose these new habits and the benefits of adopting them
Day 12 (6th Jan) – 30 Minutes
Chair with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Downward Facing Dog 3 minutes
Stretch Pose with breath of fire 1.5 minutes
Piston Legs 3 minutes
Moving Cobra 3 minutes
Yoga Crunch 3 minutes
Dolphin Plank with breath of fire 1 minute
Pelvic Lift 2 minutes
Dolphin Plank with breath of fire 1 minute
Lions Claws 3 minutes
Breath of Fire 5 Minutes
Meditate 2 minutes plus
Journal – congratulate yourself
PDF Printable Version:
