One Movement, Two Approaches, Multiple Wonderful Results

Twisting to stretch, strengthen, and breathe

Twisting. It feels so good in the hips and spine, releasing all the tension accumulated from the day. I wrote about how to twist safely in the post below, but today I am writing about different approaches to twisting. You can stretch and strengthen your core while twisting. It can also be a way to connect your breath to your body.

Let’s dive in.

Twisting is Magic, but Only if Done Right

Why twisting matters

Years ago when I added Pilates to my movement routine, I noticed how important core work is, both for my yoga practice, and my life in general. This morning when I was shoveling 15+ inches of snow from around my car, a valued the work that I had put into strengthening my core. Strong glutes and obliques made the task safer for my aging back and body (I’m 54). I went back inside feeling sweaty, but no worse for the wear.

Twisting is a movement that we do all the time, while driving, loading/unloading a dishwasher, gardening, or shoveling/raking. Twisting is also necessary for sports like tennis, golf, and softball. Strengthening your obliques, the muscles that help you twist, makes all of these movements easier. It also prevents your lower back from doing work it shouldn’t.

Intentionally activating and engaging your obliques when you twist strengthens them so that you have access to them when you aren’t thinking about them (like when shoveling snow). They give you support for breathing and make torso mobility more comfortable generally. Sometimes you get some “snaps, crackles, and pops” that feel good too.

Twisting for core strength

Strengthening your core through twisting should be done slowly and mindfully. Gone are the days of doing ab bicycles as fast as possible. Focus on twisting with your exhale. If feels like you are wringing out your breath and encourages the obliques to engage. When you move slowly and intentionally, you get more out of each movement and build functional strength.

Make sure that your pelvis is stable and that you rotate your rib cage with your exhale. Keep your spine straight and simply rotate around, like a rotisserie chicken going around a spit. The chicken is your ribcage, the spit is your spine. Not an ideal analogy, but helps with the visual.

You can twist in any position, seated, standing, lying down, balancing, it doesn’t really matter. In fact playing with twists in different yoga positions challenges your brain, as well as your body. It improves your balance, your proprioception, and strengthens your obliques, all at the same time.

Start simple and increase the challenge as you go. Here are some ideas to play with:

Twisting to stretch

Twisting as a stretch still involves the obliques, but there is also an element of relaxation. The breath helps you release and let go into the twist. When you use the breath for strengthening, the exhale moves you deeper into the twist, actively strengthening the obliques. When you use the breath to stretch, the exhale allows you to soften into the twist. The exhale deepens the twist in both instances, but the effect feels different.

Reclining Twist/Jathara Parivartanasana is an example of where you relax into the twist with your exhale. Don’t be afraid to place a block between your knees and/or under your extended arm. The more support you give your body, the more you can relax into the rotation. Keep the pelvis stable and allow the rib cage to melt into the twist.

Half Seated Spinal Twist, aka Half Lord of the Fishes/Ardha Matsyendrasana is a combination of stretch and strengthen. You exhale to create the twist, but you also stretch the lower back and hips as you go. Make sure you don’t create the twist by pulling with your arm. The arm helps the hip opening, the exhale and obliques create the twist.

Using the breath to guide your twist

Your breath is a powerful tool when it comes to twisting, both for strengthening and stretching. Inhale through your nose and take in as much air as you can. The more you fill your body with breath, the more powerful your twist can be. As you exhale, press the air out through your nose using your obliques (and other abdominal muscles). Use that effort alone to rotate around.

Twisting becomes problematic when you force your body to twist further using your arms. In poses such as Revolved Low Lunge/Parivrtta Anjaneyasana or Revolved Awkward pose/Parivrtta Utkatasana, it’s easy to push the elbow against the knee to deepen the twist. This is when injury is more likely. The elbow and knee press together to stabilize, but the twist should come from the exhale and obliques.

If you are unsure as to whether you are engaging your obliques properly, sit in a comfortable position, kneeling, cross legged, or in a chair with your feet on the floor. Bring your hands to your lower ribs so that the heels of your hands touch your ribs and your fingers touch your upper abdominal muscles. Inhale and feel the rib cage expand under your hands. As you exhale, contract your abdominals and spin the left ribs forward and the right ribs backward. You’ll feel a tightening (hopefully) under your left fingers. Repeat, going the other direction and notice the tightening under your right fingers.

Coming in March

Yoga for the Lower Back is coming in March! This self-study online course will help you understand why your lower back is stiff and cranky, while giving you targeted yoga sequence specifically to stretch and strengthen the muscles that need it. Plus bonus videos on how and why to foam roll, the mechanics of walking, and “how to” videos breaking down important core exercises, like Plank, Bridge, and Pelvic Tilts.

Get on the waitlist now! Anyone who enrolls in the course from March 2-8 will receive a free one hour online session to get feedback related to both the course videos and content, as well as your lower back. Ask questions, get support!

Click the button below to be notified when the course launches!