Best Yoga Mat Workouts for Improved Flexibility 2025

Updated December 2025

Improving flexibility is a key component of overall fitness, and yoga mat workouts are a fantastic way to achieve this. Whether you're a beginner or looking to deepen your practice, these workouts can help increase your range of motion, reduce injury risk, and enhance your physical performance. Here, we present the best yoga mat workouts for improved flexibility in 2025.

1. Downward Dog to Upward Dog Flow

• Duration: 5 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Calories Burned: 30-50
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat

How to Perform:

• Start in Downward Dog, hold for 5 breaths.
• Transition to Upward Dog, hold for 5 breaths.
• Repeat this flow for 5 minutes.

2. Seated Forward Bend

• Duration: 3 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Calories Burned: 20-40
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat

How to Perform:

• Sit with legs extended forward.
• Inhale and reach arms overhead.
• Exhale, hinge at hips, and reach for your feet.
• Hold for 1-3 minutes.

3. Pigeon Pose

• Duration: 4 minutes (2 minutes each side)
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Calories Burned: 25-45
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat

How to Perform:

• Start in Downward Dog, bring right knee to right wrist.
• Extend left leg back, keeping hips square.
• Hold for 2 minutes, switch sides.

4. Cat-Cow Stretch

• Duration: 5 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Calories Burned: 30-50
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat

How to Perform:

• Start on hands and knees.
• Inhale to arch the back (Cow), exhale to round it (Cat).
• Continue for 5 minutes.

5. Butterfly Stretch

• Duration: 3 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Calories Burned: 20-30
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat

How to Perform:

• Sit with soles of feet together, knees bent out to the sides.
• Grasp feet and gently press knees toward the floor.
• Hold for 1-3 minutes.

6. Lizard Pose

• Duration: 4 minutes (2 minutes each side)
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Calories Burned: 25-45
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat

How to Perform:

• From Downward Dog, step right foot outside right hand.
• Lower hips and hold for 2 minutes, switch sides.

7. Bridge Pose

• Duration: 3 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Calories Burned: 20-35
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat

How to Perform:

• Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat on the mat.
• Lift hips towards the ceiling, hold for 5 breaths, and repeat for 3 minutes.

8. Supine Spinal Twist

• Duration: 4 minutes (2 minutes each side)
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Calories Burned: 20-30
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat

How to Perform:

• Lie on your back, draw right knee to chest, and guide it across the body.
• Hold for 2 minutes, switch sides.

9. Extended Side Angle

• Duration: 3 minutes (90 seconds each side)
• Difficulty Level: Intermediate
• Calories Burned: 25-40
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat

How to Perform:

• Stand in Warrior II, lean forward, and place forearm on knee or hand on the floor.
• Extend opposite arm overhead. Hold for 90 seconds on each side.

10. Child’s Pose

• Duration: 3 minutes
• Difficulty Level: Beginner
• Calories Burned: 10-20
• Equipment Needed: Yoga mat

How to Perform:

• Kneel on the mat, sit back on your heels, and extend arms forward.
• Hold for 3 minutes.

Conclusion

Incorporating these yoga mat workouts into your routine can significantly improve your flexibility while providing a calming and centering experience. For extra guidance, consider trying HipTrain's live 1-on-1 personal training sessions. Our certified trainers can help you tailor your yoga practice to meet your unique needs, all from the comfort of your home. Plus, our affordable pricing and HSA/FSA eligibility make us a smart choice for busy professionals.