Let's Twist Again: November's Pose of the Month

It's time folks! Get out those poodle skirts and pomade, we're gonna do the Twist!

Well, it is yoga. Do what you want with your hair, but dial back to skirts to some comfy yoga pants because we're going to spend November incorporating a lot of twisting into our yoga practice. But first things first, let's outline the basic alignment for a simple seated twist. In other blog posts, we'll get more in depth with the muscular anatomy of a twist, health benefits, and variations.

​Our standard Seated Spinal Twist in class takes two general variations depending on the students' interest and knee joint comfort. In Ardha Matsyendrasana as shown above, the left foot is hopped over the right leg and the right leg can be bent as shown or extended straight. In Parivritta Marichyasana, the upper body position remains the same, but the right leg would be extended straight while the left foot is placed on the inside of the right knee. 
 
Benefits of Seated Twist:
 
¨    Supports digestion and elimination
¨    Creates space between the vertebrae and facilitates rotation
¨    Enhances lung capacity
¨    Tones the core, shoulders and neck
¨    Calms the nervous system
 
How to Do Seated Twist Pose aka Parivritta Marichyasana:
 
Sit down on the mat with a folded blanket propping the hips and with both legs stretched out in front of you and arms at your sides. Flex the calves briefly to warm up.
Bend the left knee towards the ceiling and place the left foot on the floor in line with the right knee , calf, or thigh.
Inhale – Lengthen the spine.
Exhale - Rotate towards the left side with left knee bent and right leg straight as before.
Twist your body to the left, and wrap the right arm around the left knee. Left arm is behind you and head looks over your left shoulder.
 
Breathe mindfully into this pose, taking care to keep your belly pulled in, back straight, and hips stabilized. The twist takes place right at the naval center, activating the torso without going into the lower back.
 
Use the left arm to stabilize so you can get a deeper stretch. Right leg stays straight out with toes pointed towards the ceiling.

Contraindications for Seated Twist:

Those with knee and hip limitations should practice modifications, like not bending the knee as deeply or crossing one leg over the other. Those with spinal injuries and history of surgery should also mind their body's natural range of motion, stopping at the sensation of stretch without moving into pain.

Stay tuned for more explorations about twist poses this month. And although I encourage you to twist, I ask that you keep the shouting to a minimum.