Seated poses and twists do wonders for flexibility—they release tightness in our hips and help wring the tension of the daily grind from our bodies and minds. These postures are terrific for warming up and cooling down from other sequences, too. They are most beneficial when held for at least eight breaths, and up to several minutes. Note that you should feel a sensation when attempting some of these hip-opening poses, but never knee pain—that’s a sign you’re going too deep. Whether you use a prop or take a lighter stance, modify each pose so you are not in any pain.
NEED A LITTLE HELP?
If you’re finding it difficult to reach your feet or your hamstrings are uncomfortably tight, these simple modifications with straps, blankets, and blocks can help you adjust and get used to the poses. Don’t hesitate to use support when you need it!
• Begin seated, and cross one lower leg in front of the other, bringing your heels under your knees and keeping your feet flexed.
• Root into your hips to lift your chest and keep your spine tall.
• Let your palms rest lightly on your knees.
• Lengthen your spine.
• Soften your shoulders.
• Relax your face.
VARIATION: Blanket
VARIATION
Blanket
• Soften front ribs toward your spine.
• Begin seated, with your legs together and extended straight out in front of you.
• Flex your feet and root deeply into your hips to lift upward through your spine.
• Place your palms flat on the floor next to your hips, fingers forward. Hug your arms to your sides and roll your shoulders back.
• Pull your front ribs inward and your shoulder blades down.
• Gaze forward.
• Lift up your chest.
• Draw your front ribs in.
• Flex your feet.
• Press your thigh bones down.
• Keep your neck tall and even.
• Begin seated, with your legs together and extended straight out in front of you.
• Root into your hips and lift your chest.
• Keep your spine long and lean forward to grab the outer edges of your feet, or clasp your right wrist with your left hand.
• Inhale and extend your chest.
• Exhale and, without rounding your back, lengthen your torso over your legs.
• Relax your neck and shoulders.
• Press your thighs down and keep your feet flexed.
• Melt the base of your neck.
• Engage your core to elongate over your thighs.
• Press your thighs down.
VARIATION: Propped Up on a Blanket | Strap over Balls of the Feet
VARIATION
Propped Up on a Blanket
VARIATION
Strap over Balls of the Feet
• Lift your sternum.
• Begin seated, with your left leg straight and your right knee bent.
• Bring the sole of your right foot to rest against your left inner upper thigh. Inhale and extend your spine.
• Exhale, spin your chest over your left knee, and grab the outer edge of your left foot, or clasp your right wrist with your left hand.
• Inhale and extend your spine again.
• Exhale and fold your torso over your straight leg, bending your elbows wide and relaxing the base of your neck.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Roll your right ribs down.
• Melt the base of your neck.
• Keep your gaze slightly forward.
• Firm your right outer hip down.
• Begin in a wide-legged seated position. Bend your right knee, bringing the heel of your right foot all the way to your pelvis.
• Bring your left forearm down to the inside of your left leg and grab the inside of your left foot. Reach straight up with your right arm, spiraling your chest open.
• Rotate your right palm inward and move your top hand to your left foot, or clasp the outer edge of your foot.
• Spin your chest open and gaze up, past your right arm.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Root your right hip down.
• Revolve your right ribs back.
• Soften the base of your neck.
VARIATION: Extended Arm
VARIATION
Extended Arm
• Soften your bottom shoulder.
• Begin in Staff. Keep your left leg straight and bend your right knee, aligning your foot, which should be flat on the floor, with your right sit bone.
• Inhale, sit up tall, and reach straight up with your left arm.
• Exhale, twist toward the right, and drop your left arm to the outside of your right thigh.
• Bend your left elbow so your fingertips point up.
• Roll your right shoulder back to broaden your chest, and keep lifting from your lower back.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Press your right thigh into your left arm.
• Lift your chest.
• Root your hips.
• Press your left thigh down.
• Flex your left foot.
TIP: Make sure in any twisting pose that your rotation comes from your upper back, not the lower. Twisting your lower back compresses your sacrum, or the base of your spine, which causes lower back pain. Stabilize your pelvis and breathe into your chest to twist from your chest and shoulders so you keep your lower back stable and happy.
VARIATIONS: Arm Wrap | Full Wrap
VARIATION
Arm Wrap
• Broaden your upper chest.
VARIATION
Full Wrap
• Press into all four corners of your right foot.
• Drop your right hip down, lift your chest up.
• Begin seated, with both knees bent and the soles of your feet flat on the floor.
• Keeping your left knee bent, lay its outer side on the floor and bring your foot to rest next to your right hip.
• Cross your right foot over your left knee so it rests to the outside of your left upper thigh.
• Sit tall and reach up with your left arm as you inhale.
• As you exhale, drop your left arm to the outside of your right thigh.
• Bend your left elbow.
• Place your right fingertips beside your right hip or behind your tailbone.
• Press your left arm into the outside of your right knee to spiral your chest open without moving your hips at all.
• Gaze forward or past your right shoulder.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Keep your right hip heavy.
• Lift your heart away from your navel.
• Roll your right shoulder back.
VARIATION: Ashtanga Wrap
VARIATION
Ashtanga Wrap
• Instead of bending your left elbow, keep your arm straight and move the armpit down to touch your thigh.
• Turn your arm out and reach along the front of your shin to grab your big toe.
• Rotate your back arm inward and behind you, bend your elbow, and reach for your left hip or thigh.
• Grab your left hip with your right hand.
• Clasp your outer right foot with your left hand.
• Begin seated, with your legs open wide in a V.
• Flex your feet so that your knees and toes point straight up.
• Keep your pelvis rooted to the floor. Inhale and lengthen your spine.
• Exhale, keep your spine long, and walk your hands along your legs without rounding your upper back.
• Grab hold of your big toes and fold forward.
• Extend your heart.
• Keep your quads engaged.
• Press your outer hips down.
• Relax your shoulders.
VARIATIONS: Blanket/Block | Hands Forward
VARIATION
Blanket/Block
• Keep your legs active.
VARIATION
Hands Forward
• Roll your hips and tailbone down toward the ground.
• Begin seated, with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, wider than hip-width apart.
• Grab hold of your big toes and lift both feet off the floor.
• Root into your hips to lift your spine tall, and balance on the tripod of your tailbone and sit bones.
• Begin to straighten your legs to form an upright V.
• Relax your shoulders and keep your gaze forward, or raise it upward to challenge your balance.
• Keep your core engaged.
• Lengthen your heart up away from your navel.
• Extend through your big toes.
• Begin seated. Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together with your toes pointing forward and your heels close to your pelvis.
• Grab hold of your feet and separate the soles like you’re opening a book.
• Keep holding on to your feet as you fold forward, pulling your belly toward your feet and your head toward the floor.
• Avoid rounding your spine.
• Use your elbows to pin your legs down and help your knees come closer to the floor.
• Press your elbows into your thighs.
• Extend your heart.
• Firm your hips down.
• Begin seated, with both knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Lower your right knee, then drag your right foot under your left knee and next to your left hip.
• Lay your left leg on top of your right leg and put your left foot by your right hip so your legs mirror one another.
• Try to stack your knees.
• Reach your left arm straight up and drop your right arm down.
• Bend both elbows, swinging the right hand up your spine until you can clasp your hands behind your back. Use a strap if you cannot reach your other hand.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Draw your left hip bone down.
• Firm your upper outer left arm in.
VARIATION: Legs Wide
VARIATION
Legs Wide
• Keep your shins in one straight line.
• Sit on your lower legs and feet with your knees touching.
• Lift your hips and move your feet to just outside your hips, then lower your bottom to the floor between your feet.
• Press all 10 toes down to the floor.
• Root your hips and sit with a tall spine.
• Rest your arms on your thighs, palms down.
• Press your pinky toes into the ground.
• Firm the front ribs in.
• Relax the base of your neck.
• Keep your knees close or touching.
VARIATIONS: On Block | Reclined
VARIATION
On Block
• Press your tailbone down into the block.
VARIATION
Reclined
• Lengthen your tailbone toward your knees.
• Engage and lift your lower belly.
• Start in High Lunge, with your right foot forward, and place your back knee on the ground.
• Pull your hips back to stack them over your rear knee, and wriggle your front leg forward until you can straighten it and flex your foot.
• Curl your back toes under and lift your knee, moving it back several inches.
• Wriggle your front heel forward several inches.
• Continue to switch between adjusting your front and back legs until your pelvis reaches the floor.
• Pull the hip of your front leg back and roll the hip of your rear leg forward to square your hips.
• Press all of the toes of your back foot into the floor and either keep your fingertips on the floor or stretch your arms straight up.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Roll your rear hip forward.
• Press the pinky toe of your back foot down.
• Flex your front foot.
VARIATION: With Blocks
VARIATION
With Blocks
• Keep your lower belly engaged.
• Draw your right thigh bone in toward the socket.
• Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Step your right leg forward and slide your foot toward your left, working to get your shin parallel to the front of the mat.
• Keep your back leg straight as you lower your pelvis to the floor.
• Roll the outside of your right leg down by pushing into the outside edge of your foot. Even out your hips.
• Keep your front foot flexed.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Roll your left hip down toward the ground.
• Press the pinky toe of your back leg down into the ground.
• Square your hips.
VARIATION
Fold
• Roll your left ribs down toward the ground.
VARIATION
Block
• Begin in Comfortable Seat. Stack your right lower leg on top of your left so your right heel rests on your thigh directly above your left knee, while your right knee is stacked on top of your flexed left foot.
• Sit up tall and hold for 8 breaths (or up to 5 minutes).
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Keep both feet flexed.
VARIATION: Fold
VARIATION
Fold
• Root your hips down.
• Walk your hands forward, and lower your face to the floor.
• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Place your left ankle just above your right knee, on your quad.
• Rotate your hip open by gently pressing your left knee away from you.
• Loop your left arm through the gap between your thighs and clasp your right lower leg just below your knee.
• Move your right hand opposite your left and interlace your fingers.
• Pull your legs toward you to intensify the stretch.
• Use your left elbow to push your right thigh toward your head to get even more sensation.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Press your left elbow into your thigh to deepen the stretch.
• Relax your shoulders and head.
• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet raised so the soles are facing toward the ceiling.
• Open your legs slightly wider than hip-width apart and grab the insides of your heels.
• Gently pull down on your heels to help bring your thighs closer to the floor beside your chest.
• Keep your hips heavy and your tailbone extended forward.
• Relax your shoulders and keep your head down.
• Keep your tailbone heavy.
• Relax your shoulders.
• Lie on your back and hug both of your knees to your chest.
• Open your arms wide and, keeping your knees bent and together, drop them over to your right side.
• Push your left shoulder down as you elongate your lower back and turn your head slightly to the left.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Melt your left shoulder toward the ground.
• Reach your tailbone away from your chest.
These poses may look intimidating at first, but you can master them. The only way to be comfortable with balance is by letting go and being okay with falling down. Recognize that this isn’t “messing up”—it’s part of the learning process. Practice with dedication, and these poses will start to get easier. Soon you’ll start to feel like a superhero!
NEED A LITTLE HELP?
If you are having trouble lifting or supporting your body when you flip upside down, practice all of these inversions against a wall for support.
• Begin on all fours. Place your forearms on the mat, shoulder-width apart.
• Curl your toes under and lift your hips up.
• Straighten your legs and walk as far as you can toward your hands, keeping your shoulders directly over your elbows.
• Relax your neck and gaze just slightly forward.
• Firm your upper outer arms in.
• Press all 10 knuckles down evenly.
• Draw your front ribs in.
• Relax your base of your neck.
TIP: This is the ultimate preparation for inversions. It builds strength and flexibility in the upper back and hip flexors. Start by holding it for 5 breaths and work up to a solid 20. Once you feel comfortable in Dolphin, then you can start working on full inversions at the wall.
• Begin on all fours. Interlace all of your fingers, tucking your bottom pinky finger in so it rests in front of your other pinky finger.
• Keep enough space between your palms so a billiard ball could fit inside them.
• Keep your fingers laced and put your hands down on the mat, keeping your wrists firm and not splayed open.
• Place the crown of your head directly behind the heels of your hands, but do not hold your head. Curl your toes under, lift your knees up, and walk your feet in toward your face.
• Bring one knee to your chest and lightly hop with the other foot to bring that leg into the same position. (You will look like you’re doing a cannonball dive.)
• Straighten your legs up toward the ceiling, lifting with your shoulders, pressing your forearms into the floor, pulling your front ribs inward, and lifting with your tailbone.
VARIATION: Headstand Against Wall
VARIATION
Headstand Against Wall
• Beginning on all fours, lower the crown of your head to the floor.
• Place your palms flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, so your elbows form a 90-degree angle and stack over your wrists.
• Curl your toes under, lift your knees, and straighten your legs.
• Walk your feet in toward your face.
• Place your right knee on your right triceps and then place your left knee on your left tricep.
• Engage your core and lift your hips up over your shoulders as you lift your legs straight up into your headstand.
• Keep your elbows in, shoulders lifted, front ribs in, tailbone up, and legs engaged and reaching for the ceiling.
• Pull your elbows in.
• Pull in your ribs, as if in a corset.
• Reach your tailbone toward your heels.
• Hug your thighs together.
• Spread your toes.
• Lift your shoulders away from your ears.
VARIATION: Tripod Headstand Against Wall
VARIATION
Tripod Headstand Against Wall
• Flex your feet.
• Lift your tailbone toward your heels.
• Begin in Dolphin.
• Walk your feet in toward your elbows as much as you can without collapsing into your shoulders.
• Keep your shoulders above your elbows and lift your dominant leg straight up in the air.
• Bend your other knee and push upward to stack your hips over your shoulders.
• Bring both legs together as you extend them straight up.
• Keep your gaze slightly forward (toward the floor) to protect your neck.
• Spread your toes.
• Press into your elbows.
• Draw your shoulders back to stack over your elbows.
• Press all 10 knuckles down.
• Pull your ribs in.
• Reach your tailbone toward your heels.
VARIATION: Forearm Balance Against Wall
VARIATION
Forearm Balance Against Wall
• Your fingertips should touch the wall.
• Lift your tailbone toward your heels.
• Begin in Forearm Balance. Soften your chest muscles and shift your upper chest forward through the gateway of your arms as you simultaneously bend both of your knees.
• Keep your knees hip-width apart and the insides of your feet touching.
• Extend your gaze and lift your chin as you lower your feet by engaging your hamstrings to bend your knees further.
• Balance the extension of your chest with the bend in your knees to help you maintain your balance.
• Broaden your collarbone.
• Melt your chest.
• Bend your knees.
VARIATION: Legs at Wall
VARIATION
Legs at Wall
• Begin in Forearm Balance with your feet touching a wall and your fingers facing a wall 1 foot away.
• Soften your chest muscles and lift your gaze toward the wall.
• Bend one knee and touch the wall with the tips of your toes.
• Do the same with the second leg, and align your feet so your big toes touch and your knees are hip-width apart.
• Continue to extend your chest toward the wall and gently lift as you walk your feet down it, pressing them into it to help open your chest.
• Press your toes into the wall from 5 inches to 1 foot away.
• Gaze forward.
• Begin in Downward Facing Dog. Shift your shoulders forward over your wrists and walk your feet several inches toward your hands.
• Lift your dominant leg up in the air and keep your gaze slightly past your fingertips.
• Keep your arms straight and firm your upper, outer arms to prevent buckling.
• Bend your other leg and begin hopping it forward to shift your hips up over your shoulders.
• Once your hips are over your shoulders, pull the second leg up to meet the other at the top.
• Press all 10 knuckles down.
• Spread your toes.
• Firm your upper, outer arms in.
• Straight arms.
• Engage your quads.
• Reach your tailbone toward your heels.
• Pull your ribs in.
VARIATION: Handstand Against Wall
VARIATION
Handstand Against Wall
• Your fingertips should be 5 inches from the wall.
• Your legs should be together.
• Flex your feet as you draw them up.
• Begin in Handstand. Soften your chest muscles and shift your upper chest forward, through your arms, to broaden your upper chest.
• Lift your chin and your gaze.
• Bend both legs, keeping your knees hip-width apart and the insides of your feet touching.
• Lower your feet closer to your head by bending your knees further.
• Keep lifting your tailbone, and balance the extension of your chest with the bend in your knees.
• Melt your chest.
• Lift your chin and your gaze.
• Spread and reach through your toes.
VARIATION: Handstand Scorpion Against Wall
VARIATION
Handstand Scorpion Against Wall
• Your fingertips should be between 8–18 inches from the wall.
• Press your toes into the wall.
• Your knees should be hip-width apart.
• Begin on your back with your arms on the floor at your sides.
• Lift your legs up and swing them into the air, bringing your hips over your shoulders and the bottoms of your toes to the floor.
• Rock the outsides of your arms toward the floor to prop yourself up on your shoulders.
• Lift your chin slightly, to lengthen your neck.
• Press your legs upward to help straighten them.
• Lift your chin.
• Firm your shoulders in.
• Press your forearms down.
• Press your quads toward your hamstrings.
• Begin in Plow. Rock your shoulders and triceps under your back so that your hips are stacked directly above them.
• Bend your elbows, keeping them shoulder-width apart, and move your palms to your lower back to help support your hips when you lift them.
• Bring both legs straight up in the air so that your heels, knees, hips, and shoulders are in one straight line.
• Walk your hands down your back, closer to the floor, to help elevate your hips.
• Keep a slight lift in your chin and gaze toward your navel.
• Firm your upper arms and elbows in.
• Lift your chin.
• Press into your back to lift your hips.
• Spread your toes.
VARIATIONS: Supported | With Block
VARIATION
Supported
• Keep shoulders on blanket but rest your head on the ground.
• Fold 2 blankets into quarters and stack.
VARIATION
With Block
• Rest hips completely on the block.
• Keep thighs together.
• Rest and extend upwards through the toes.
• Stack block the tall way under the lower back.
Along with inversions, arm balances bring magic back into our lives as well as shape and tone our shoulders and core. You don’t need a gymnastic background or superhero strength to do these! You just need patience and a drive to keep going. These balance postures teach us how to cultivate focus and trust. They are the perfect blend of strength and alignment, reminding us that we posess all the tools we need to succeed—and have fun doing it!
Alice: “This is impossible.”
The Mad Hatter: “Only if you believe it is.”
—Alice in Wonderland
• Squat with your knees spread wide and the insides of your feet touching.
• Put your arms between your legs and walk your hands forward until your arms are straight.
• Lower your chest to the level of your thighs.
• Hold this position as you walk your hands back toward you and hug your upper arms as high up as possible with your knees.
• Lift your hips up and lean forward so you can stack your elbows directly over your wrists.
• Keep your gaze level and pull one heel up toward your bottom.
• Keep hugging your elbows with your knees to help hold your weight as you pull your second foot up off the floor.
• Pull your heels tight toward your bottom, and round your upper back.
• Round your upper back.
• Hug your forearms in.
• Pull your heels toward your bottom.
VARIATIONS: Straight Arms | Block
VARIATION
Straight Arms
• Press your palms deeply into the ground.
• Round your upper back.
VARIATION
Block
• Keep your gaze forward.
• Stack your elbows over your wrists.
• Begin in a squat with your knees together, balancing on the balls of your feet. Twist your torso toward your right, taking your left arm to the outside of your right thigh. Work your arm down your thigh to deepen the twist.
• Place your palms flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, so your fingers point away from you.
• Lift your hips slightly and lean forward to bring your elbows over your wrists.
• Keep your gaze level as you bend your elbows more.
• Keeping your legs together, sweep your feet off the floor until your lower legs are parallel with the floor.
• Round your upper back and press inward with your forearms.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Firm your elbows in.
• Keep your gaze forward.
• Stack your knees.
VARIATION: Straight Arms
VARIATION
Straight Arms
• Round your upper back.
• Lift shins parallel to the ground.
• Press into your palms.
• Begin in Plank. Bring your left palm to the center of your mat and roll onto the outer edge of your left foot. Stack your right foot on top of your left.
• Press deeply into your left palm to bring your shoulder away from your earlobe, and stack your right shoulder directly above your left.
• Engage your obliques by lifting and stacking your hips.
• Extend your right arm straight up, and gaze sideways or upward.
• Repeat on the opposite side.
• Firm your bottom shoulder in and down your back.
• Stack your hips.
• Stack your shoulders.
• Begin in Side Plank, with your right hand on the mat.
• Lift your left leg off your right and bring your knee tightly into your chest.
• Hook your left big toe with your left thumb and index or middle finger.
• Straighten your left leg toward the ceiling as you press your right foot into the floor.
• Root the inside of your right foot into the floor to help you lift your hips until the top leg is completely straight.
• Gaze upward at your left foot and keep your right arm straight, with your shoulder away from your ear and your outer upper arm firming inward for support.
• Press the inside edge of your bottom foot down.
• Lift your hips.
• The upper, outer portion of your support arm should be firm.
VARIATION: Tree
VARIATION
Tree (Vrksasana)
• Starting from Side Plank II, bend your left leg and rest the sole of your foot on your inner thigh. Your left toes will point toward your right foot and your left heel toward your pelvis.
• Press your right thigh and the sole of your left foot into each other to create traction.
• Lift your hips and work the inside edge of your right foot into the floor.
• Lift your gaze up.
• Press your bottom thigh up into the sole of your upper foot.
• Start in Mountain. Lift your right foot and cross your ankle above your left knee so the lifted foot is flexed and hanging just to the outside of your left thigh.
• Bend your left leg, bringing your weight into your heel as you hinge forward from your hips and extend your torso.
• Place both palms flat on the floor in front of you, shoulder-width apart.
• Lean your right shin onto your triceps, locking your right foot around the outside of your left arm.
• Gaze forward and bend your elbows as you wriggle your left foot backward until your elbows are at 90-degree angles over your wrists.
• Lift your left foot off the floor and round your upper back.
• Extend your lifted leg behind you as if you are pushing something away. Spread your toes.
• Lock your right toes around your left arm.
• Round your upper back.
• Engage your entire legth of your extended leg.
• Spread your toes.
VARIATION: Blocks
VARIATION
Blocks
• Round your back.
• Lean forward.
• Blocks on low or medium height.
• Begin in Standing Forward Fold, with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
• Bend both of your knees slightly and drop your torso down into a fold, hugging your thighs around your arms.
• Grab hold of your right calf with your right hand. Push into your calf to help bring your shoulder behind the calf, as if you were trying to put a backpack strap over your shoulder. Repeat on the left side.
• Once you can’t snuggle any deeper into your fold, place your palms flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, fingertips facing forward.
• Sink your hips as if you are going to sit on your arms.
• Lift your heels and then your toes, and cross your ankles.
• Squeeze your arms straight and round your upper back. (This is the pressure aspect of the pose.)
• Hug your arms in.
• Squeeze your thighs around your arms.
• Round your upper back.
• Begin in Standing Forward Fold, with your feet slightly wider than hip-width apart.
• Bend both of your knees slightly, dropping your torso into a forward fold, and wrap your legs around your arms.
• Grab hold of your right calf with your right hand and push into the calf to help bring the shoulder behind the calf, as if you were trying to put a backpack strap over your shoulders. Repeat on the left side.
• Once you can’t snuggle any deeper into your fold, place your palms flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, fingertips facing forward. Sink your hips as if you are going to sit on your arms.
• Keep your gaze forward and lift your heels first, and then your toes.
• Continue to drop your hips toward your wrists as you squeeze your inner thighs around your arms to hold on.
• Straighten your arms and your legs, reaching for the sky with your feet.
• Broaden your upper chest by rolling your shoulders back as your thighs continue to hug your arms.
• Firm your forearms in.
• Broaden your collarbone.
• Lift your heart.
• Lift your gaze.
• Hug your thighs in around your arms.
• Spread your toes.
VARIATION: Parallel Legs
VARIATION
Parallel Legs
• Use the same entry pose, but instead of dropping your hips toward your wrists, keep your hips elevated so your legs are parallel with the floor.
• Round your back powerfully as you straighten your legs, and hug your arms with your inner thighs.
• Spread your toes and keep your gaze forward.
• Hug your thighs in.
• Round your back.