Yoga’s many twisting poses have positive effects on both the physical and mental health. Yoga twists are a great way to improve your externally visible flexibility, strength, and mobility. It’s easy to take upper-body twists for granted in daily life. You constantly bend and twist at the waist, moving in a variety of directions. If your upper body is stiff or uncomfortable, performing everyday tasks can be difficult. Bending to the side may cause pain, and turning in certain directions is restricted. By releasing stress in the abdominal muscles, yoga can make you feel more mobile and agile.

Improve digestion with 5 simple asanas

Passive Spinal Twist

Building core strength and improving digestion can both start with a simple rotation of the torso. The passive spinal twist will serve as a nice warm-up.

Start by propping yourself up on your forearms while lying on your stomach. Raise your body up onto your hands and knees, then slide your left knee under your body and towards the right side of your mat. Keep your left hip on the floor and your knee bent at a 90-degree angle. You need just lower your right leg by 90 degrees. The left side of your mat will be at the focus of your knee and foot. Keep your back straight, lean on your elbows, and look front. The cervical spine (mid-back area) rotates very slightly due to the crossing of the legs. Maintaining this position will massage your spine and the muscles supporting it. The hips will also feel some relief from this position. Don’t rush; take ten deep breaths. When you’re done with this side, you can move on to the other side and repeat the rotation.

Half Lord of the Fishes (Ardha Matsyendrasana)

The left side of your mat will be at the focus of your knee and foot. Keep your back straight, lean on your elbows, and look front. The cervical spine (mid-back area) rotates very slightly due to the crossing of the legs. Maintaining this position will massage your spine and the muscles supporting it. The hips will also feel some relief from this position. Don’t rush; take ten deep breaths. When you’re done with this side, you can move on to the other side and repeat the rotation.

Kneeling Lunge with a Twist

Get down on your knees with your hips directly above your knees. While maintaining your left-side kneeling position, move your right foot forward. Extend your upper body by inhaling and raising your left arm in the air. As you let out your breath, brace your left elbow on the outer part of your bent right knee while rotating your torso to the right. Exhale deeply to shorten your torso and lengthen your spine. If you want to go into a deeper rotation, hold your breath and exhale. (You can use your right hand to support yourself by placing it on your lower back.) Ten deep breaths at this spot. When you’re done, relax and stay in that state of indecision for a while. Before attempting the twist on the other side, this gives your internal organs and spine a chance to realign.

Thread the Needle yoga posture (Parsva Balasana)

This twisting position helps release stress in the back, shoulders, and hips. This is helpful because they are often the spots where stress accumulates in the body.

On your hands and knees on a yoga mat, begin Parsva Balasana. To begin, get on all fours with your knees immediately under your hips and your wrists directly under your shoulders. Then, bring your right hand in closer to your body until it’s resting squarely under your chest. Exhale and stretch your left arm wide (like a bird’s wings) while you raise your left arm out to the side. Relax your breathing and bring your uplifted arm down to rest beside your body. The effect is reminiscent of “threading a needle.” Between your right hand and your knee, your entire left arm will be on the floor. This will cause your entire torso to rotate, which will have the beneficial effect of stretching the muscles that run along the length of your spine.

Spinal Twist yoga pose (Supta Matsyendrasana)

The spinal twist is a beneficial yoga posture for the hips and back. Put your legs up to your chest and lie on your back. Move your legs to the left and your right arm to the right as slowly as possible. The result will be a painful kink in your spine. In order to feel the full rotation, put your entire upper back on the floor. This stretch will feel good all the way down your spine and into your right outer hip. Hold for 10 calm, deep breaths, just as you did with the other twisting posture. When you’re done, you can go back to centre and give the other side a try.

Conclusion

For the desired physiological effect, it is necessary to maintain these twisted yoga poses for extended periods of time. Staying still gives your tense muscles a chance to relax. Intentional breathing increases circulation and oxygen delivery to the target location. These asanas will help you get the needed strength and improve the performance of your body’s internal systems.