Get Centered With These Three Heart-Openers

There's a theory that when you focus your energy on opening your heart, your energy becomes more available to the people around you. Personally, I believe in this theory: I do heart openers every day to prepare me to teach my clients. I always want to be open and present when teaching, and these moves help me get centered and remind me of the service I'm providing. And it's not only that—they just feel good and calm the spirit. 

When performing these moves, feel free to close your eyes. Focus all of your energy in the center of your chest. Breathe into that area. After finishing, silently recognize gratitude for something in your life. Perform each move 1 to 3x. Try to let your breath lead the movement. 

Lying on your side, tuck your knees into your body and place your arms straight and forward in front of you, stacked one on top of the other. On an INHALE, open your top arm up and over to the other side, opening your heart to the sky. Feel the stretch across the front of your chest. Circle the arm up and over, and then close the movement, returning back to the starting position. Repeat 5 to 10x, then switch sides. 

Lie on your stomach and extend your legs straight behind you. Start with your hands by your rib cage, just slightly below your shoulders. On an EXHALE, push into your hands and lift your upper body off the floor to the best of your ability. Roll your shoulders back, pulling your chest forward. Stay there for a total of 2 breaths and then return back to starting position. With each breath, try to open your chest more and more. Repeat this 5x. 

Sitting on the floor with crossed legs, place your hands onto your knees and sit tall. On an INHALE, arch your back and pull your heart center foward. Lift your heart to the sky. On an EXHALE, curl and round the spine, closing the heart and pulling the navel in toward the spine. Repeat 10x. 

Read the rest of Kit Rich's outFit with Kit series here! 

Kit Rich is Los Angeles-based fitness trainer with endless exercise and nutritional know-how. Hollywood's hottest stars are addicted to Kit's unique, multi-disciplined approach that combines cardio, yoga, Pilates, and weight training. Kit's clients are immediately taken by her funny and honest approach to health and fitness. She treats her clients as she treats herself, "with a hard challenge, sensibility, sensitively, and a good laugh." Follow Kit on Twitter @kitrichfitness.