New to yoga? Start here with beginner yoga sequences, tutorials on foundational yoga poses, and answers to your questions on all the yoga basics. Build strength and confidence to take your yoga practice deeper.
Making home practice a habit is one of the most powerful and empowering ways we can use yoga to influence the rest of our lives. Recommit to a daily practice with this month long plan.
You depend on the strength and flexibility of
your spine for nearly everything you do, from walking and sitting to coming into Balasana (Child’s Pose) and Handstand. In order to move through the wide range of motion you task your spine with on a regular basis, you need it to be both strong and flexible and twists are one of the best ways to achieve both goals. That’s because twisting has the potential to help decompress the discs and elongate the spine, opening the spaces between the vertebrae, activating the muscles around the discs, and increasing blood flow to the spinal area to deliver pain-fighting, healing, anti-inflammatory oxygen.
Practicing this twisting sequence is beneficial for anyone who sits for a good portion of the day, suffers from chronic back pain, or loves activities that don’t incorporate a lot of spinal rotation, such as running, cycling, and hiking. Breathe deeply as you wring out your spine, and enjoy the added mobility, strength, and pain relief you experience in your back as a result
Practice tips
1. Keep your breath long, smooth, and steady. The deeper you breathe, the more length you’ll gain in your spine.
2. To help you rotate when twisting, recruit your core muscles rather than your shoulders and neck. This will protect your spine and help you twist more safely.
Windshield-Wiper Twists
Still on your back, take your arms out to a T, palms turned up. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on your mat, slightly wider than hip-distance. Inhale, and on your exhale gently drop your knees to one side while rolling your head in the opposite direction. On an inhale, bring your head and knees back to center. Repeat 3 times on each side.
By Jeff Nelson
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