Easy Yoga Poses

Simple Yoga Twists

I love the great variety of exercises and poses that yoga has to offer.  There are complex ones, most of which have reasonable modifications, and there are also simple, easy exercises which are great for beginners, seniors, kids and those looking for more moderate workouts.

These easy yoga poses should not be dismissed just because of their simplicity though.  They are still very beneficial and, if done on a regular basis, can keep you healthy and fit.  Furthermore, they are excellent exercises to use as warmups, either prior to doing more advanced routines, or prior to playing vigorous sports.

Today I would like to add to our collection of easy yoga exercises and the one I am illustrating below fits perfectly in this category.  It is an exercise that is part of several routines which are recommended for daily maintenance and this exercise is actually used by several different schools of yoga, due to it’s many benefits.

The exercise I am adding today is called Yoga Twists.  It will part 1 of this new series of easy yoga exercises.  And I will be uploading more such exercises over the course of the next several weeks, so be on the lookout for them.

Of course you will find tons more yoga poses and exercises in the following 2 online collections:  Free Hatha Yoga Galleries and Free Kundalini Yoga Exercises.  If you are specifically looking for simple yoga exercises, or sets for seniors and kids, then I suggest the articles below which focus on these categories:

Senior Yoga | Great Simple Yoga Exercises

Yoga for Kids | A Comprehensive Guide   

For Yoga and Meditation Certification Program Students:

For students enrolled in the Online Yoga Teacher’s Training and Certification Program or Online Meditation Certification Program, this is a great exercise to start your class with, especially if you want to do a change up from the Spinal Warm-up Series.  As this is an easy exercise to do, you can use it in almost any type of class.

 Easy Yoga Twists Details

Below please find details of how to practice Yoga Twists, along with illustrations, step-by-step instructions, benefits and practice tips.

Yoga Twist Illustrations

B. Duration of Easy Yoga Twists:

• 1-3 minutes is generally recommended, but you can do this for longer too if you like.

C. Benefits:

• Great for warming up the entire back, torso and spine.
• Good for toning the shoulders.
• Benefits the spleen and liver.
• Good to release lower back stiffness and pain.
• Good exercise for a gentle cardio wamup.

D. Practice Tips and Variations for Easy Yoga Twists:

• Start off doing the exercise at a moderate pace.  Don’t twist too hard initially.  As you get warmed up you may pick up the pace and intensity of the twists.
• As a variation to this exercise, you may have both arms extended forward, at shoulder height, with palms facing each other.  Then twist to the left sharply, come back to center and then twist to the right sharply.  This is a common Hatha Yoga variation.
  
• If you tire, feel free to take a break in between.  Drop your arms to your sides and when you are ready, start again.
• You may do this exercise with eyes opened or closed.
  

PS: If you enjoy this exercise or other exercise and poses on Mastery of Meditation and Yoga, please do share them with your friends.  I appreciate your support.