Yoga Girl

(WallPaper) #1

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

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