To celebrate the launch of Yoga at The Marylebone Rooms we asked expert yoga instructor Kirsty Gallagher what we can do at home to help keep our bodies feeling loose and well

The best thing we can do for the body each day is to simply move and stretch in a way that feels good. Our modern day lives have us sitting down for so long that we have almost forgotten how to move. The hips, lower back and neck usually tend to be the tightest and most complained-about part of the body, so these are the ones we want to focus on the most. Keep it simple when practicing at home and remember to take it easy and breathe slowly and deeply.

For the hips – Ankle over the knee – Lie down on your back with your knees bent and the feet down flat on the floor. Bring your right ankle over the left knee and feel the gentle stretch in the outer right hip. If this is enough stay here or to go deeper pick up your left foot and interlock the fingers behind the back of the left thigh. Keep your shoulders relaxed down away from the ears.

For the back – Twist –Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet down flat on the floor. Reach your arms out to either side with the shoulders, elbow and wrist in one line. Slowly drop both your knees over to the right, if your knees won’t touch the floor place a pillow under the knees to look after the back until they do. Turn your gaze to the left if that feels good for your neck and breathe here.

For the neck - Sit up tall in a comfortable cross legged position. With the shoulders relaxed down away from the ears drop your right ear over to your right shoulder. Feel a sweet stretch all the way down the left side of the neck. For a little bit of a deeper stretch place your right had on the side of the head just behind the ear – don’t pull or strain the neck, just use the hand here as a gentle encouragement to go deeper. Hold for 8-10 deep breaths then repeat on the left side. Then drop the chin in towards the chest, interlock the fingers behind the back of the head and gently draw the elbows in and down and much as you need to get a nice sweet stretch along the whole back body.

For deep relaxation Viparita Karni - Legs up the wall - If you’re feeling overwhelmed and need a few moments of peace this deeply restorative pose will help calm the mind, relieve anxiety and completely relax the entire nervous system. Sit next to a wall with one of your hips resting next to it. Gently swing your legs around until they are up the wall with the backs of the thighs resting on it. Then slowly lower yourself down to lie on your back. Make sure your buttocks are as close to the wall as possible and rest your arms down by your sides with the palms facing up. At the end of a busy day this is one of the best ever yoga poses. 

Book yoga, followed by breakfast, with lululemon and lululemon ambassador Kirsty Gallagher in The Marylebone Rooms on certain Saturdays (1st and 8th April; 13th and 20th May; 10th and 17th June and 8th and 15th July)