Spine Twist

Description

How to do Spine Twist

1. 01
   Setup

   Sit tall on the floor with your legs extended straight in front of you, feet flexed, and arms extended out to the sides at shoulder height, palms down.

2. 02
   Setup

   Ensure your spine is long and straight, as if a string is pulling you from the crown of your head, keeping your shoulders relaxed and down.

3. 03

   Inhale, then as you exhale, rotate your torso from your waist to one side, imagining you're twisting a wet towel, keeping your hips stable and facing forward.

4. 04

   Hold the twist briefly, feeling the stretch through your obliques and side of your back, then inhale to slowly return to the center.

5. 05

   Exhale and repeat the rotation to the opposite side, maintaining control and a tall posture throughout the movement.

Tips

• Initiate the twist from your waist, focusing on the rotation of your rib cage relative to your pelvis, rather than just swinging your arms.
• Keep your hips grounded and stable; avoid letting them lift or rotate with your torso to ensure the stretch is isolated to your obliques and spine.
• Maintain a long, extended spine throughout the exercise; resist the urge to slouch or round your back as you twist.
• Synchronize your breath with the movement: exhale deeply as you twist to facilitate a deeper rotation, and inhale as you return to the center.

Common mistakes

• Rounding the back during the twist limits spinal mobility and can strain the lower back; instead, actively lengthen your spine and engage your core to sit tall throughout the movement.
• Allowing hips to lift or rotate with the torso reduces the targeted oblique stretch; keep your hips firmly planted and facing forward to isolate the spinal rotation.
• Twisting only from the neck and shoulders, rather than the waist, diminishes the exercise's effectiveness; initiate the rotation from your core, imagining your ribs twisting away from your pelvis.