Brett's Daily Mat Class

Hi. I'm Brett Howard, and today, I'd like to share with you my map that I do at home, I try to do it daily, but this is also a mat that I make sure I always do at least on my day off. So I wanted to prepare a low mat because at home, obviously, I don't have a high mat. So this is the top of mat that I would use. So let's get started. I'm gonna have a start lying down.

On the back, you're gonna bring the hands behind the head. Then from there, the knees are into the chest, heels are together, toes are apart, knees are just in line with the wors are slightly wider. You're gonna roll the head and neck and shoulders up. Then we're gonna start with some footwork. You're gonna zip her up, extend the legs to your level of control, pull the knees in and extending out 2.

Pulling 2. Extending 3 and in 3. Extending 4 and in 4, extending 5 and in 5 more and stretch and in Stretch 2 and in stretch 3. Let's go for 2 more stretch and one more time out and in. Now feet together knees together, then from there, you're gonna flex the feet then curve the toes over. So you're like a bird on a perch and go out and bend in. And, 2, as you come in, you can keep the knees together or what you can do is you can slightly open the knees, making sure that your hips don't feel pinchy. Let's go for 5 more out and in.

2 and in 3 and in 2 more and in And one more, 10 more with flex feet, press an in, as you're pressing, try to keep equal weight on pelvis and ribs and out and in. Let's go for 5 more stretch and in stretch 2. And in stretch 3 and in stretch 4 and in stretch 5 and in rest the head for 3, 2, 1, roll the head neck and shoulders up. Let's go back to that initial position Heels together toes apart, tendon stretch. You're gonna stretch out hold at your level of control. 3 counts, flex 2, 3.

Point to 3. 3 counts to flex. 3 counts to point, flex to 3. Point 23, flex flex, flex, and point point, point, 523, and 5 more times. Flex flex, flex, point point point, toe ball heel, heel ball toe, rolling through the feet. Keep the movement continuous.

2 more. And point 23, 1 more and point 23, bend the knees, rest of the head, give yourself a gentle hug inward. I'm gonna have us flip over onto our stomach, and then the legs can either be hip width to the outsides of the mat, legs together, or even inward rotation, what feels best on your back. Hand on top of hand, forehead on top of that. You're gonna keep the hands down.

You're gonna lift the upper back up just lifting through the sternum. Then from there, relax down. And again, lifting up through the sternum and then softening and relaxed down. One more doesn't have to be high. Just lifting the sternum and lower down. Now you're gonna keep the forehead connected to the hands.

You're gonna lift the upper back up. And lower the back back down. And again, lifting up 2 and lowering 2. One more. Lift up, hold that position, then reach the legs long, float the legs up.

Now he'll beeps and inhale. Excel 345, inhale 345, XL3453. An excel 345 inhale 345XL3455. And excel 345 more which hands inhale. An exhale 3452.

An exhale 3453. Nice long legs, exhale 345 2 more sets. In XL 345, 1 more set. XL 345, lower the legs, lower the upper body. Then you're going to go onto a quadruped position, hands directly underneath the shoulders, knees underneath hips, then around the back like an angry cat.

Then from there, arch the back, head up tailbone up. And again, rounding the back to Then arching the back too. Let's go for 2 more. Rounding the back. Then arching the back and one more time rounding the back.

Then arch the back. Okay. Turn around. Gonna lie down onto the back. You're gonna bring the knees into the chest. Then from there, you're gonna roll the head, neck, and shoulders up.

Extend the legs out to your level of control. Float the arms up now 100, inhaling, and exhale 345 inhale. XL 3453. XL 345. Excel. Let's add some heel beats beat.

XL 345. Inhaling. XL 3453. XL 3, 4, 5, 2 more sets. XL 345, inhale 3, 4, 5, XL 345, knees in.

Relax. Let's bring the feet flat onto the mat. Arm is gonna float to the ceiling. I call these the good morning roll up. You're going to simultaneously roll up as you stretch the legs, slide the feet forward along the mat, and in a c curve. Then roll back one vertebra at a time all the way down.

And then we repeat. Arms to the ceiling roll up. And reaching forward into c curve. Roll down one vertebra at a time all the way down. Let's go for 1 more.

Roll up and reach forward into c curve. Roll down one vertebra at a time all the way down, rest the arms, and we're going to go for a single leg half circle. You're gonna extend the right leg up, knee to the knee. Then from there, equal weight, pelvis, and ribs. You're gonna lower the leg to where you can control. Then open to your control and center. Lower down to So the goal is to move nothing but the leg and lower down 3.

Circle around and center reverse it. Go out. Circle down and go up. 2 circle down and up and 1 more circle down and up then bend the knee. Let's switch. Left leg lifts.

Lower as you circle out, equal weight right and left sides of the pelvis. Down 2. Imagine that the hips are on a double pan balance scale. As you circle out, keep the pants nice and balanced. Let's reverse it. Go out, circle down, end up, 2, circle down, end up 1 more, circle down, and up bend the knee, stretch the legs out on the mat, arms float to the ceiling. We're gonna do 3 more roll ups, but this time with straight legs. If that proves difficult, you can do the good morning roll up.

Chain to the chest. Roll up and reach forward c curve. Roll back one vertebra at a time. All the way down. And arms to ceiling head goes through the arms, roll up reaching forward c curve and tailwind under.

Sac from under lower back, middle back, upper back, neck head. Let's go for one more. Chin of the chest inhale round up and exhale c curve. Inhale roll back one vertebra at a time. All the way down.

Then arms can rest down. You're going to bring the right leg into the chest, take a gentle pull of the knee. Then from there, extend the leg up, rotate the leg, flex the left foot, 3 of the single leg circle. Go across, go out to where you can control center. A lot across, opening your control and center.

And inhale across, exhale up center reverse a little out, and then a lot across. Go out to where you can maintain the squareness and balance of the pelvis and come up. Then from there, rotate the leg, bend the knee, give another gentle pull inward, then let's switch legs. Left leg is gonna go in, take a nice gentle pull there, then leg goes up, flex the right foot, rotate the left leg, single leg circle. Cross round up and stop. Inhale.

Exhale. One more. Cross. Round up and stop reverse. A little out. A lot of cross up stop. 2.

Cross up and stop. 1 more inhale, exhale up and stop. Parallel the leg, bend the knee, take a gentle pull. Both knees into the chest, then roll the head neck and shoulders to We're gonna go for the abdominal series of 5 starting with the single leg stretch, right hand on ankle, left hand on knee, left leg out, pull the leg in, change one. 1, 2, 2, pool, pool, 4, 6 more. Inhale.

And exhale, exhale, inhale, and exhale 2 more pool, pool, pull and pull both knees in. Now the double leg stretch arms back legs reach, circling and pull. Stretch 2. Circling in pool, 3, circling, and inhale 4, excellent. Out 5, 5 more, and inhale, exhale, and 2, and in out 3, circling in, inhale, exhale in one more time, stretch, circle in single straight leg, right leg up, left leg forward, pull pool, scissors, pool, pool, 22. 22.

Nice and broad through the elbows. 44 4455. 5 more. Poopoo. Poopoo. Inhaling.

Keep inhaling. Exhale. Exhale to more sets, pull pull and pull pull. Both legs up hands behind the head, or underneath the hips, I'll do both for you. Lower the legs for 3 to 1 lift to 90.

Lower to 3 lift to 90. 3 to 3 lift, 4 to 3 up to 90, lower to 3 up. Let's go for 5 more, lower to 3 lift. 222 lift, 323 up, lower 23 up, and 1 more 2, 3 up, crisscross, twist to the right, hope for 3, 2, 1, change 1, 2, 3 change to 2, 3, 2, 2, change 3, 2, 3, change 3, 2, more sets, twist, twist, twist, then a twist, twist 1 more set, and twist. 3, change twist 5 quick. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 in a 5 knees in and relax. You should be fairly warm now.

Now arms to the ceiling. Let's go for a good morning roll up. Gonna roll up, stretching the legs, rest over the legs, take a deep breath in, and a big exhale. Once again, breathe in. Breathe out out out, rolling up to the spine.

You're gonna open the legs to a v, flex the feet, arms straight out in front of you, shoulder width, shoulder height, for spine stretch forward. Engage the seat rounding over. Hands forward, stomach back, heels forward, balls of feet back, crown of the head down, roll up to your spine, tailbone, lower back, middle back, upper back, neck, and head, slide up a wall, round over big beach ball, Think of touching the head in the sand in front of that ball. Stack vertebra on top of vertebra like your stringing or pearl necklace, one pearl on top of another. One more time. Lift round over and exhale, exhale, exhale, exhale, inhale, roll up to your spine to nice, tall, straight back. Point the feet, open the arms, right arm up to the ceiling. Ben over to the left, keeping equal weight on both sides of the pelvis and come back up.

Balance change. Reach. So little side bend here. 2, 3, and up balance. Change it. Reach Lengthen lengthen up to 3, reach 2, 3, and up. Last time, reach 2, 3, and up balance change lengthen in between two flat walls and go up, balance, and hold there.

Flex the feet again. Then we go for the saw. Twist to the right. Drop the arms, Saul, reach for 3. Further 2. Further one.

Come up to center, lift and twist left, drop saw, and reach, reach, reach, and up to center. Twist right. Drop as you reach. Anchor that left hip back and down in opposition and come up to center. XL twist.

Reach, exhale, exhale, inhale, back up to center. One more. Twist, drop, and reach. Further. Further.

And up to center last time, lift and twist, drop saw, and reach. Reach reach and come back up to center, relax, rest the torso forward. Imagine there's 2 pillows in front of you or torso on those imaginary pillows, take a deep breath in, and a big exhale. One more time, breathing in. And breathe out out out, rolling up through the spine.

Now if you find that this is a little grippy, the last three exercises we did, you can always take your mat, roll the mat up, and then you can sit at the edge of the mat there. And that will help just lift your hips up just a little bit higher. So then you're gonna feel less grippy in the hip, hip flexors. Okay. Let's go on to the neck roll.

So you're gonna flip it over onto your stomach once again. Bring the legs where you can. If it's in your practice to bring the legs together, then do so. But if you feel like you need to open the legs, not a problem. You might find it might change daily. Now elevate the hands 1 inch above the mat or on the outside of the mat.

Lift the upper body up and lower the upper body down. And again, without using the hands, lift the upper back up and lower the body down. Once again, lift the upper back up, Hold there. Bring the hands down. Rise up as high as you can. Then from there, lower the body.

When you feel like you can take the hands off, control the descent. One more. Lift the upper back. When you can't go more, hands come down to assist you. Rise up hold. Turn the head look right. Down.

Left and a center. Left down. Right. Center. Look right. Circle down to the left.

Center. Last time left. Circle down. Right center. Lower the body when you can take the hands off, control the descent. I'll go on to the hands of the knees, Let's return to the cat cow round the back three times.

Arch the back one. Rounding the back 2 and arch the back 2. One more. Round the back 3. And arching the back 3.

Then you're gonna make a sphinx position, fist down, elbows down, stomach up ribs up, We're gonna go for the single leg kick. You're gonna bend the right leg, kick the heel towards the bottom, kick, kick, now left leg, left, left, kick, kick, kick, kick, 3333, equal weight on both sides of the pelvis 55 more kick kick. Kick, kick, tight seat, loose feet, kick, kick, kick, kick, 2 more, kick, kick, kick, kick, one more, kick, kick, kick, kick, then from there, lower down, right cheek onto the mat, hands behind the shoulder blades. Think of that whole ear being on the mat. Kick 3 times, kick 1, kick 2, kick 3 for the double leg kick, and lift. Lift Lyft now lower. Kick 1, kick 2, kick 3, lift in lengthen.

Langthen length and 2 more right. Kick 1 and a 2 and a 3 and a lift. Excel. Excel. Inhale, kick 1, and a 2, and a 3, and a exhale, exhale.

XL asset, kick 1, and 2, and 3, and lift. Lift. Lift. Last on the left, kick 1, and a 2, and a 3 and a lift lift lift and then lower the body. Let's go one more Cat cow, round the back, and arch the back.

Rounding the back 2 and arching the back 2. 1 more rounding the back 3. And arching the back through turning around. Then you're gonna lie down onto the back You're going to keep the left leg bent, extend the right leg out in front of you. So we're gonna go for a single leg roll up.

Find where you feel like you won't have to move your left foot. You might have to make one adjustment after the first set. So roll up and reach forward to 3. Rolling down all the way down. Let's go for 2 more. Roll up and stretch 23.

Roll back. And round all the way down one more. Roll up and reach to 3 rolling down and all the way down. Let's switch legs and roll up Notice if there's a difference between sides and rounding all the way down. Let's go for 2 more and rolling up and exhale reach 23.

Rolling down. 1 more. Roll up. And reach 23 and rounding all the way down. Now the neck pull You're gonna bring the legs parallel hip width distance.

We're gonna do a different variation today. So for the neck pull, if it's hard for you to roll up, you can always bring your elbows forward. If you need to, elbows forward, you can take the hands off. If you need to elbows forward, hands off, bend the knees to help yourself up. Those what those are what I call the allowable cheats.

So use one if you need 1, chin of the chest, and exhale over and stretch to 3. Roll up tall. Now instead of rolling back, roll forward again, then roll back one vertebra at a time, all the way down down down. And again, roll up inhale and exhale over to 3. Roll up to a tall back, but today, round forward again. Then tailbone under and then sacramender, lower back, middle back, upper back, neck, head.

Let's go for one more. Roll up. And exhale over 2, 3, rolling up tall, then rounding forward and rolling under tailbone sacrum, lower back, middle back, upper back, neck, and head. Let's go for some shoulder bridge. We're gonna start with 3 bridges.

Gonna curl the tailbone up and lift. And softening melt, melt, melt. And again, tailbone initiates. Roll up. And then soften and melt.

Melt. Melt. One more tailbone initiates. Roll up. Hold there. Right knee into the chest, right leg to the ceiling, lower knee to knee, lift to 90. Need to knee. Lift to 90 now knee is low as you can go. Lift to 90.

Bend the knee. Bring your foot down. Left knee in. Left leg up. Lower knee to the knee. Lift to 90. Knee to the knee, lift to 90, knees low as you can go, lift to 90, bend the knee, bring your foot down.

1 more step, but this time, brush the leg forward. Kick it up. Flex and lower. Point up. Flex lower. Point up. Flex lower. Slide the foot in.

Brush the left. Kick it up. It's allowed to go beyond 90 this time. Flex, as you lower point up, flex lower brush in, reach the arms overhead, roll down one vertebra at a time as you reach through those fingertips reach, reach, melt, all the way down to the tailbone. Great. Let's go for some side kicks. So they're gonna lie onto your side. One line from elbow to tailbone.

Legs's gonna go forward at a forty five degree angle. Then from there, you're gonna lengthen through that top leg. Lift the leg up, then kick. Stretch to the back. Kick kick.

33. Stretch back. Kick, kick, stretch back 555 more. Try to keep the torso nice and still. Only move the swinging leg, kick, kick, and find that stretch the back 1 more kick, kick, and back back back. Leg on top of leg, rotate the leg, the up and the down, kick it up, resisted down, kick it up to, resisting elongate, elongate, up 3. Resisted down.

2 more up. Resisted down. 1 more up. Resisted down small circles. Circle 10, and a 9, and a 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and a 1, reverse, and a 2. 3, and a 4, and a 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and a 10. Rest your head on the upper arm. Bend the knees.

Make sure that the feet are in line with the hips. The hips are in line with the shoulders. We're gonna go for a little bit of clamshell. Open the top knee. Close the knee.

Open the knee 2. Close 2. Open 3. Close 3. Open 4.

Close 4. Open 5. Close 5 more. And open and close. Open 2.

And close. Open 3 and close. Open 4 and 1 more. Open 5 and close. Stretch the legs directly underneath you. Flex both feet, and we're gonna go back to some leg lifts, but in parallel and lower the leg down. Lift up 2.

Lower down. Try not to rotate the leg here. Lower down. If anything, the toes should be slightly downward, not upward. Let's go for 5 more and up and lower down one. Up 2, lower 2, up 3, lower 3, 2 more up and lower 1 more and up and a lower. Now elongate the feet, some leg lifts lift both legs up. 2, 3, and lower.

Lift 2, 22 and lower. And 3, 2, 3, and 4, 2, 3. And 5 more times and lift 2, 3, and 2. 2, 2, and 3, 2, more, and lift to 3, and 1 more, 2, 3, lower. Okay. Let's go to the other side.

So lying down one line from elbow to tailbone feet 40 forward at a 45 degree angle. Then from there, you're gonna lift the top leg up hip height and we're gonna go for the front and the back. So kick front front back back to 2. Back back 33. Back back. 44.

Back back. 555 more. Kick, kick, kick, and back to 2, and back 33 stretch, stretch, stretch, torso. Nice and still. Kick, kicking a back back leg on top of leg.

Rotate the leg. Let's go for the up and the down. Kick it up, resist it down, up 2, resisted 2, up 3, resisted 3. Up on 4, resisted 4, up 5, resist 5 small circles, circle 10, and a 9, 8765. 4, 3, 2, 1, reverse, and a 2, and a 3, and a 4, 5, and a 6, and a 7, and a 8, and a 9, and a 10.

Then you can bend the knees as you rest your head on your upper arm, and we're gonna go for clamshell. Feet in line with hips, in line with shoulders, top knee opens, and closes. Open to, and close. We're gonna really try to keep the hips nice and stacked and close and open. Let's go for 5 more and open. And close. Open 2 and close.

Open 3 and 2 more. Open 4. And one more and open and a close, stretch the legs directly underneath you. Then flexed top foot, you're gonna lift it up and lower down. Lift it up 2, lower 2. Make sure that the legs stays parallel and a lift. And the lower and lift. Let's go for 5 more and lift and lower.

Lift 2 and lower. 3 more. And 2 more and lower one more time lift and lower leg lifts. Long feet lift up. 2, 3, and a lower.

Lift 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 3, and lift to 3 and 5 to 3 and 5 more times. And lift, lift, lift, and 3 more times, and 2 22, and 1, 2, 3, and lower. Great. Let's go for some teaser. So I'm gonna have you guys lie down onto your back. We're gonna start with teaser 1.

Arms are gonna go next to the ears. Zip her up, extend the legs to your level of control. Try to keep them there. Rolling up, then from there, lift the arms, and then melt down one vertebra at a time. Roll up 2.

Lift the arms. And melt, melt, melt all the way down one more. Roll up 3. Hold there. Teaser 2. Lower to where you can control without the torso moving, lift the legs, and lower the legs your control and lift the legs too. One more lower to your control.

Lift the legs 3, t's are 3. Everything goes down. And everything goes up, reaching towards the toes, arms to ears. Everything goes down. And everything goes up, reaching towards the toes, arms to ears, everything goes down, and rest.

2, 3. Great. Roll up. Turn around onto the stomach. And we'll go for some swimming. Extend the arms out in front view.

Lift the upper body up. You're gonna reach the right arm forward left arm, left leg back, and swim. Swim. 2, 3, 4, 5, exhale. Inhale. XL 345, 1 more set. XL 345, lower.

Last cat cow. Of the morning. You're gonna round the back. And arch might be evening for you. Round the back, too.

And arch 2. One more. Round the back 3. Arching 3. Great.

Now, at this point, let's go for a little bit of Mermaid. I like to sit in this position here rather than having the legs stacked. For me, it just helps to anchor down my hip a little bit better. So one arm up, go over to the side, bend the elbow, stretch the arm, Lyft up 1. Balance 2.

Change 3 and a reach. Reach. Reach and up. Balance, change over, bend, and a stretch it, up, balance, and a change it lengthen lengthen lengthen and up to one more overbend and a stretch and a up 2, 3, and a reach, reach, reaching up 2, and a 3. Stretch the leg.

Just take a little round forward. Roll up. Let's bring the other leg in. So arm goes to the ear. We go to the stretch leg, bend, and a stretch it up, balance, and a change it, reach it to 3 and up. Balance change over and a bend and a stretch and a up. 2, 3, and have reached anchor anchor up balance.

Last time, over, bend, then stretch it up, balance, and change it, reach it further, further, and up balance and a change. Great. Now if you're at home, I find it's actually easier at this point to roll the mat on it roll, but fold the mat into half just it's gonna give you a little bit extra cushion, especially especially if you're working on a yoga mat. Then from there, Find your balance. Now I'm gonna hold my ankles today, but by all means, you can always hold the back of your thighs if that makes it a little easier. Or the front of the shins, find where it's best for you.

So I'll do 2 of each. Let's start here. Roll back Roll up in balance to 3. Rule 2 and up to 3 and roll. And balance 2, 3, and roll, and balance 2 more, rock, and up. Balance. Balance up. It should come up.

Don't get fresh. Hold there. Extend the legs up to v. Now, if this is too difficult for you, two right angles. For more of a challenge, extend the legs, rotate them.

For a greater challenge, you can hold onto the ankles. Do 3, 2 of each as well. So rock roll up and balance 2, 3 rock. As you come up, pull back through the upper ribs to balance. Stretch the legs. Rotate 2 more.

Rock up and balance. 2, 3, 2, up and balance. 2. If it's in your challenge, you can hold higher and rock back and come up and balance 2. 3 one more time rock and come up and balance. Hold it there.

Bend the knees. Dive through for the seal. Clap 3 times clap 1, 2, 3, back, back, back, up, clap, clap, clap, back, and up, clap 2, 3, and back, clap 2, 3, and nice. Walt's timing. 1, 2, 3.

1, 2, 3. 1, 2, 3, and up, clap 2, 3, back clap 2, 3, and a balance balance. Balance. Let the feet rest down. Then from there, rest your torso down. Just relax here. Take a deep breath in.

And a big exhale, exhale, exhale. Once again, breathing in breathing out out out. Let's roll up one vertebra at a time up to a nice tall spine. Now this matte setup actually works really good for the next thing we're about to do. So you're gonna turn around.

So this is gonna give you a little extra cushion in your knee. You're gonna step your left leg forward. And then from there, you're gonna lunge forward. Opening up the right set of hip flexors. Both hands are gonna go down to frame the foot, then you're just gonna stretch that left leg. Then you're gonna bend the knee.

Walk up and lunge 2, 3. Then from there, hands go down, and stretch stretch stretch one more. Walk up now If you like, you can reach the right arm front. Then from there, you can reach the arm towards the ceiling. Then you can take a nice, gentle, arch, then come back, and then hands go down. Let's switch legs.

Other leg goes back, other leg goes forward, then find the balance, and you're gonna just lunge front Then from there, hands down frame the foot and stretch, stretch, stretch, and then the knee walk up to the thigh, go forward through the hips, up through the abdominals, opening up the left set of hip flexors. Then hands go down frame the foot, stretch the right leg dropping into that right hip one more time. Lunging forward, walking to the thigh. If you like, you can hold it, or you can reach the arm forward and up and you can arch arch arch then from there. Hands go down and stretch.

Stretch stretch. Alright. So that's all we have time for. For today. So that is my home mat that I like to do usually in the mornings, but definitely if I don't have time to make it into the studio.

This is my go to quick and easy. Thank you.