Scrolling through your Instagram feed, watching videos on YouTube and answering the more or less important messages on WhatsApp. According to studies of the online-magazine Hackernoon, people spend up to four hours per day on their smartphones or tablets. This makes 120 hours in one month – which means five full days in total. Sounds like pretty much, especially if you think of the things you could rather do during this time: in four hours, you could bake at least three chocolate cakes, you could fly from Zurich to Munich and return or you could go through the CARMITIVE (Digital) Detox yoga routine several times – always with the perfect outfit from Zalando of course.
More Than A Simple Break
It seems like digital detox can currently be found everywhere. Whether it’s a special wellness retreat, a tea mixture or a facemask – people clearly appreciate the “without-smartphone-lifestyle”. This hype has got its good reason because apparently, the whole 24/social behavior can get quite overcharging after some time. However, the time away from your phone cannot only be enjoyed at a spa hotel. Your yoga mat can make the perfect getaway as well and it gives you a break from the (probably) stressful everyday life. However, the following exercises are not only for an “anti-smartphone-therapy”; they also show a real detox effect on your abdominal organs and digestion. After all, the strengthening exercises with a lot of twists give you a good overall feeling. Of course, this mood can be elevated with the ideal workout gear. This is also what the online-shopping platform Zalando was thinking, when they started to provide professional yoga tutorials and guides in the matching shop section. So, if you have practiced the CARMITIVE routine a few times and you have your sporty outfit ready, have a look of the beginner and pro workout videos for the perfect yogi-inspiration.
1. Abs Strength
Lay flat on your back with your legs in the air at a right angle. Press your arms against the mat and dip your legs to one side and another – always keep the right angle.
Repeat 10 times on each side.
Lay flat on your back with your legs in the air at a right angle. Press your arms against the mat and dip your legs to one side and another – always keep the right angle.
Repeat 10 times on each side.
2. Downward Dog Screw
Hold the downward dog posture first. Then, raise one leg while keeping your hips in line with each other. With your exhale, move the knee of the risen leg to your opposite elbow and hold for two seconds. Reach out your leg again.
Repeat 10 times per side.
3. Lunge With A Twist
Hold the lunge posture with your arms reaching for the sky – or the ceiling. Inhale while bringing your hands together in front of your chest and turn your upper body towards your thigh. Place your elbow on the opposite knee and press your hands against each other.
Hold for 5 breaths on each side.
Hold the lunge posture with your arms reaching for the sky – or the ceiling. Inhale while bringing your hands together in front of your chest and turn your upper body towards your thigh. Place your elbow on the opposite knee and press your hands against each other.
Hold for 5 breaths on each side.
4. Twisted chair
5. Warrior Three
Stay in the twisted lunge posture (exercise 3) and bend the stretched leg to place it next to the other leg – hold your feet close together.
Hold for 5 breaths on each side.
Place one feet on the mat and think of one straight line from your hip into the floor. Reach the other leg towards the back of your mat, keeping the hips in line with each other and the arms next to your body. Your head is in line with your spine.
Hold for 5 breaths on each side.
5. Warrior Three
Place one foot on the mat and think of one straight line from your hip into the floor. Reach the other leg towards the back of your mat, keeping the hips in line with each other and the arms next to your body. Your head is in line with your spine.
Hold for 5 breaths on each side.
6. Camel Posture
Place your knees hip-wide apart. First, place your hands on your back while reaching your upper body towards your back of your mat. If possible, move your hands to your heels.
Hold for 4 breaths.
Get the Look:
6. Dancer’s Pose
Stand strong on one leg and take the other foot in your hand. Raise your leg and try to lift it a bit higher with your hand. Stretch out the other arm in front of your body to feel the stretch in your abdominals.
Hold for 5 breaths on each side.
7. Twisted Forward Fold
Place your feet a bit more than hip-wide apart and bend your upper body towards the floor. Place your hand to the opposite foot and hold the other hand behind your back. With each breath, increase the twist of your upper body.
Hold for 5-8 breaths on each side.
8. Standing Cobra
Place your feet hip-wide apart and bend your upper body towards your knees. Roll up your back from the tailbone and bend your neck towards the back of the mat. Interlace your fingers to reach back a bit more.
Hold each pose for 5-8 breaths.
Place your feet hip-wide apart and bend your upper body towards your knees. Roll up your back from the tailbone and bend your neck towards the back of the mat. Interlace your fingers to reach back a bit more.
Hold each pose for 5-8 breaths.
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Text by Carmen
Layout by Angela
Photographed by Elli Fot – Instagram @gazellelli
In collaboration with Zalando
