LATERAL TWISTING: the Perfect Move

Lateral Twisting is the most advanced category of asana in terms of its range of benefits in managing inflammation, meeting all requirements for balancing the sharp, hot, spreading, dispersing, erosive qualities of chronic inflammatory pain. Lateral twisting is marked by all the balancing qualities: 

– SOFT (due to moderation of effort – tensegrity – to be distributed evenly throughout the body to maintain balance – WATER element)

– COOLING (due to lateral stretching of upper and lower body – SPACE element)

– GROUNDING (due to strong engagement at the root via eccentric contraction – EARTH element)

– FOCUSING (due to it’s extreme asymmetry and requiring our attention to flow inward towards our center to keep balance)

– NOURISHING (due to increased breath capacity from expansion of thoracic cavity and lungs)

Lateral twisting is a combination of forward bend and lateral stretch, that is why is feels both calming (PS access in lower back due to its forward bending flexion component) AND energizing (strengthened respiratoty function due to expansion of rib cage). It is a wonderful category of asana to explore for maintenance of AGNI balance: keeping it bright, but contained.  

Watch the video here:

Your homework for this lesson:

Watch the video, follow along, and adapt what you can into your fitness regimen. If anything in this video does not feel good to you – please, ask your Coach for modifications!