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Chapters (4)

Seated Spinal Twist

Hinge Health · 0:57

In this practice

Key teachings

  • Mindful spinal movement
  • Breath-synchronized movement
  • Importance of posture

Ideal for

  • Beginner yoga practitioners
  • Individuals seeking a quick movement break
  • Those experiencing stiffness in the back or neck

Lesson

Instructions

Yoga is great for your body. It increases flexibility, muscle strength, and energy! However, getting started can feel daunting and overwhelming, which is why Hinge Health physical therapist Katie is modeling the correct form for this classic yoga position: seated spinal twist.

Steps

  • Seated spinal twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana variation)
  • Deep diaphragmatic breathing
  • Gentle twisting

Benefits

  • Improves spinal mobility
  • Alleviates neck and upper back pain
  • Provides a refreshing movement break
  • Promotes relaxation and stress relief

Transcript

my name is Katie and I'm a physical therapist at hinge health today we're going to go over beginner yoga pose called seated spinal twist sit on the floor cross-legged with one leg folded in front of the other and you're back straight to rotate to the right place your left hand on your right knee and your right hand behind your back sit tall and take a deep breath in as you exhale slowly twist your upper body to the right hold the pose for two to three breaths before returning to neutral repeat on the other side there are many benefits to performing a seated spinal twist this pose improves spinal mobility and can help to alleviate neck and upper back pain it is also a great pose to use for a movement break during your work day give it a try and let us know what you think

Practice summary

Level
beginner
Duration
2 minutes
Equipment
yoga mat
Target areas
SpineNeckUpper backObliques
Energy
calming

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