Working out isn't just about sweating, feeling the burn, and losing weight. Exercise can also work as a stress reliever and mood/energy booster. All you need is the right stress relief workout that includes exercises that focus on creating full body alignment, promoting balance, and improving proper breathing. Try the relaxing online workout below and see how great a de-stressing workout feels. If done properly you will experience a mild endorphin rush, a burst of energy, and more stress relief than you would get from that fattening happy hour cocktails you were planning on having. Perform two sets of each exercise with minimal rest in between. Focus on using a 2-4 tempo with the movements and with your breathing. Your goal is to have perfect form and full control of your body. You may want to play relaxing music while doing this workout and you definitely want to be free of all distractions so turn off the t.v. and phone.

Exercise
Yoga Cat Stretch 1. Kneel on all fours, knees under hips and hands under shoulders. Spread the fingers out on the floor with palms flat and contract the abs to bring the head, neck and back in alignment. 2. Inhale and tip the sitz bones towards the ceiling while drawing the shoulders back and down away from your ears; look up. 3. Exhale and tuck the chin while pulling your belly towards your spine. Round the back and feel a stretch down your spine. 4. Repeat for 4 to 6 breaths, moving smoothly between each move. Trainer's comments: You may want to work on aiming the forehead towards the thighs and slowing down the movement a lot more than what the pic illustrates.	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 2 10 3 4 5
Single Leg Plank Raise 1. Start by forming a straight plank with your forearms and feet as the contact points on the ground. 2. Once the plank is formed raise one foot off the ground and then return to the starting position. 3. Repeat this movement for the desired repetitions alternating back and forth between legs. Trainer's comments: Work on flattening the upper back a bit more than what the picture shows and lifting the head slightly so it's aligned with the back of the body and not the front.	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 2 10 3 4 5
Swimming 2 on ball 1. Lie prone on top of a stability ball. 2. Place your legs on the ground to provide support and stabilization. 3. Hold your arms parallel to your body and then proceed to raise your arms up and down. 4. Your arms will only move a couple of inches behind your head. Trainer's comments: Can also be done laying down on floor with upper body slightly elevated.	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 2 10 3 4 5
Reverse Fly with Cobra 1. Start by lying face down on the ball below your abdomen and hold dumbells down towards the ground. 2. Slowly arch your lower back and hold this position. While holding this position bring the dumbells out and up until parallel with your shoulders. 3. Pinch your shoulder blades in towards your spine while doing this. 4. Return to the starting position and repeat for the recommended repetitions. Trainer's comments: Use very light weights or none at all for this exercise. Can be done laying on floor with upper body slightly elevated.	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 2 10 3 4 5
Chop Start Position: Hold medicine ball with your arms extended overhead. In one continuous motion bring the ball down in front of you like you are chopping wood. You will have to bend at your knees to complete this. Return to starting position and repeat. Trainer's comments: Use dumbbell if you don't have a medicine ball. Be sure your knees are tracking your heels and not going past your toes.	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 2 10 3 4 5
Single Leg RDL with DB 1) Stand with feet hip width apart with knees slightly bent (at 20°). 2) Start position: Lift left foot off ground by flexing at the knee (foot should be behind you) 3) Bending at the hips, lower hands to approximately shin height. Keep knees bent at 20° throughout movement. 4) Return to start position. Complete recommended repetitions and switch legs. Remember to keep back straight - movement should occur at the hip. To facilitate this, shift glutes back as if ready to sit down. Knees should not move forward beyond the toes or deviate laterally or medially. Keep abdominals tight throughout exercise by drawing stomach in toward spine. Trainer's comments: Be sure you're bending at the hips and not the waist and that your supporting leg's knee is not locked. Also, work on raises the back heel slightly higher by squeezing the glutes but be careful not to round the back.	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 2 10 3 4 5
Shoulder Bridge1 1. Lie on back with both feet on the floor and back flat on the floor. 2. Press both feet into the floor so that your hips come up off the ground. 3. While maintaining stabilization pick one leg off the floor so that you are stabilizing with just one foot on the floor. 3. Return to the starting position and repeat with the other leg. Trainer's comments: Use a pelvic tilt when starting this movement to engage the lower abs more. Once your low body is up contract the upper abs more to maintain the bridge while the leg extends and lowers.	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 2 10 3 4 5
Spine Twist1 1. Sit in an upright position on the floor and legs flat on the floor 2. Hold your arms out to the side. Slowly rotate your shoulders and trunk to the left side and then back to the right. 3. Your trunk and shoulders should stay together as one unit. Repeat according to prescribed repetitions. Trainer's comments: The rotation comes from the rib cage and from having the shoulder blades squeezed together and pulled down towards the low back. If your shoulders are by your ears the movement will be much tougher.	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 2 10 3 4 5
Modified Pigeon 1. Begin by placing the left leg forward, the knee at a 90-degree angle and the right leg back as well at a 90-degree angle. Place the hands to the side of the body and find an erect posture. Shift the weight over to the right, inhale and lengthen the spine, exhale move the elbows down towards the floor shifting the weight to the right. 2. Only if the hip is extremely open, start to work the chest down towards the floor and extend the arms in front. Relax the head, neck, shoulders and arms and try to breath into the back body as well as into the hip. 3. Consciously release the hip while taking 5 to 15 slow deep breaths. Repeat on the other side. Trainer's comments: This is a stretch so you will hold in the down position for 20-30 seconds.	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 20 seconds 2 20 seconds 3 4 5
Spinal Twist 1. Begin by sitting with legs extended bend the left knee and place the heel by the right buttocks. Lift up the right leg and place the right foot to the outside of the left knee. Lengthen the spine and make sure the right foot is flat on the floor. 2. Hips are square shoulders are square. Inhale and lengthen the left arm up towards the sky and look up and place the right hand behind the body and slowly hug the right knee with the left hand. 3. Look over the right shoulder pushing down through sitting bones and lifting up through crown and keep a straight spine. Allow the breath to guide you into the stretch. The inhales releasing the stretch exhales going deeper into the spinal twist. Trainer's comments:	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 breaths 2 10 breaths 3 4 5
Childs Pose 1. Sit the hips back into the heels and extend the arms forward. Rest the forehead onto the floor. Relax the neck, face and shoulders. 2. Keep the arms stretched and the fingers spread. Take 10 to 15 deep, slow breaths. Trainer's comments:	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 breaths 2 10 breaths 3 4 5
Preparation Pose Warrior Three 1. Place the right toes forward and lift the left leg up. Keep both hips square towards the floor and press the hands down towards the ground. 2. Maintain a straight spine and straighten the right and the left leg. Stay strong through the core and maintain this posture for 5 to 10 breaths. Trainer's comments:	Sets Reps Weight/ Resistance 1 10 breaths 2 10 breaths 3 4 5