Sequence · 25 min
Twenty-Five Minute Seated Twist Circuit
Four seated shapes that each rotate the spine a different way, with a forward fold in the middle to keep everything long. Twisting is a length practice before it is a rotation practice, and this sequence is arranged so that the length always comes first.
- 01
Mountain PoseTāḍāsanaStand and turn the ribcage a little each way, to find out what today's range is. - 02
Cat and CowMārjāryāsana / BitilāsanaFive rounds of cat and cow to move the spine before rotating it. - 03
Cow Face PoseGomukhāsanaLeft knee on top, right arm over the shoulder, sitting on a blanket. - 04Cow Face PoseGomukhāsanaReverse the stack and the arms.
- 05
Head-to-Knee PoseJānu ŚīrṣāsanaLeft leg long, right knee out, fold from the hip with a strap if you need one. - 06Head-to-Knee PoseJānu ŚīrṣāsanaChange sides, keeping the torso squared over the long leg.
- 07
Half Lord of the FishesArdha MatsyendrāsanaLeft knee up, right arm hooked outside it, tall spine first, then turn. - 08Half Lord of the FishesArdha MatsyendrāsanaChange sides. Rotate from the ribs and let the pelvis stay put.
- 09
Seated Forward FoldPaścimottānāsanaBoth legs long, strap around the soles, spine long rather than low. - 10
Child's PoseBālāsanaKnees wide. Untwist completely before the rest. - 11
Corpse PoseŚavāsanaThree minutes flat, arms a little away from the body.
The order is the whole design
| Pose | What direction | Held |
|---|---|---|
| Cat and Cow | Flexion and extension, ten rounds | Ten rounds |
| Cow Face | Outer hips, one side at a time | Eight breaths per side |
| Head to Knee | Hamstrings and side body | Eight breaths per side |
| Seated twist | Thoracic rotation | Ten breaths per side |
| Seated forward fold | Symmetrical, to unwind | Ten breaths |
Cat and Cow first, to move the spine in the direction it moves best. Then Cow Face, which is a rotation of the hips more than of the spine. Then Head to Knee, which lengthens the back of the body on one side at a time. Only then the seated twist, and only then the forward fold to unwind whatever the twist tightened.
Doing the twist first would work too, in the sense that nothing would break. It would just be smaller, tighter and less useful, and the difference between the two orders is the entire value of practising in a sequence rather than pose by pose.
What to do about a stiff side
Everyone has one side that rotates less, and the useful response is not to work the stiff side twice as hard but to notice which side it is and to keep both holds the same length. Asymmetry in a twist is information; it is rarely a problem to be solved in one session.
If the stiff side is painful rather than merely tight — a pinch, a catch, a sharp sensation on one side — stop twisting in that direction and do the forward fold instead. A twist that hurts on one side only is the one version of this sequence worth abandoning.
This sequence is informational only, not medical advice, and not a substitute for a teacher who can see you move. Skip any step that hurts, and check with a clinician about injuries, pregnancy or recent surgery.