Spine (Lumbar) - Lateral Flexion

Description

How to Do Spine (Lumbar) - Lateral Flexion

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and a neutral spine. Place one hand on your hip and extend the other arm straight overhead, palm facing inward.

2. 2

   Inhale, then slowly exhale as you gently bend your torso directly to the side, reaching the overhead arm towards the opposite side of your body.

3. 3

   Maintain stability in your hips and avoid twisting your torso; focus on creating a long stretch along the side of your body, from your hip to your armpit.

4. 4

   Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, breathing deeply into the stretched side, then slowly return to the starting position.

5. 5

   Repeat the movement on the opposite side, ensuring symmetrical stretching.

Tips

• Focus on lengthening your side body rather than simply bending, imagining you're trying to create space between your ribs and hip on the stretching side.
• Keep your shoulders relaxed and down, avoiding shrugging towards your ears, to ensure the stretch targets the intended spinal muscles.
• Breathe deeply throughout the stretch, using your exhale to deepen the movement and release tension in your lateral torso muscles.
• Engage your core gently to stabilize your spine and prevent excessive arching or rounding of your lower back during the bend.

Common Mistakes

• ×Twisting the torso instead of a pure side bend reduces the stretch's effectiveness; keep your chest and hips facing directly forward throughout the movement.
• ×Bending forward or backward rather than directly to the side shifts the stretch away from the lateral spine; imagine you are sliding your hand up a wall directly to your side.
• ×Shrugging your shoulders upwards limits the length available for the stretch; actively press your shoulders down and away from your ears.