Twists, Hips, and Hamstrings
Certain areas of our bodies tend to become very stiff after a
long night’s sleep or a day at the office, or simply from the
repetitive movement of day-to-day living. I love working with
twists, hip openers, and poses that stretch the back of the legs.
I usually move through these stretches in the morning after my
Sun Salutations or in the evening before I go to bed. When
you’ve opened up and softened the body with these exercises,
you’ll feel so much more relaxed!
Twists are very cleansing; you are wringing out the spine in
the same way you wring out a wet towel. Always move into
twists gently, distributing the twisting action evenly
throughout the spine, listening to the body. Start softly and
deepen when it’s appropriate. A good rule of thumb is to only
twist to the point where you can maintain a deep and full
breath. If your breathing feels restricted, back off slightly and
return to the breath.
When it comes to the hip openers, let your body guide you
and go only as deep as you feel comfortable. You never want
pain or sharp sensation, and you want to make sure your knees
are comfortable throughout. We usually hold a lot of tension
and tightness in the hips, so if this is a part of the body that
you know you need to work on, spend some extra time with
these poses!
Ļe hamstrings need the right kind of stretch—you want to
feel the sensation in the belly of the muscle, never in the
muscle attachments. Keep your feet active and use a yoga strap