1 Sit on the floor with both legs straight in front of you. Place your hands beside your hips, and use your core to lift your chest and flatten your back.
This seated stretch is a gentle way to strengthen the core and spine while improving glute flexibility. Seated twist maintains spine and hip health for people who do not find themselves in varied positions throughout the day. This is also useful as an active posture to relieve hip tightness from physical activity.
TARGET AREAS
• glutes • spine • core
BENEFITS
• Improves spinal mobility for reduced risk of injury and deeper twists • Strengthens core • Improves posture • Improves agility
1 Sit on the floor with both legs straight in front of you. Place your hands beside your hips, and use your core to lift your chest and flatten your back.
2 Cross your left leg over your right leg, and plant your left foot on the floor outside your right thigh, above the right knee. Hold your left knee with both hands, and sit up as tall as possible.
3 Place your left hand on the floor and press the right elbow against the outside of your left knee to lift your chest and sit as upright as possible. Press down through your hips, engage core, and twist torso to the left. Hold the posture, inhaling as you lengthen the spine, and exhaling as you deepen the twist. Repeat on the other side.
YOU SHOULD FEEL
• Stretch in spine
• Engagement of inner thighs, hips, glutes, and core
YOU SHOULDN’T FEEL
• Pressing elbow into knee to deepen twist; if you are, use core for rotation
• Weight in arms; if so, ground yourself through hips and core
• Rounded or arched lower back; if so, engage core and don’t twist as deeply
PRO TIP
As you get stronger, focus on using core strength to maintain your posture and deepen the twist. Lift your hand away from your leg to test whether you are using your core.