Work Your Abs During Yoga Twists

Posted by Lela D.

I used to perform seated yoga twists incorrectly and I'm betting I wasn't alone. During a seated twist, you place one hand behind your body, twist in that direction, and place your other hand or elbow on the leg or knee. I used to think this second arm or hand was supposed to provide leverage that I needed to push myself deeper into the twist this way. What I've learned recently however, is that the twist really ought to be originating from the abdominal muscles. When you use the abs to twist, you don't run the risk of over stressing the shoulder and neck. Initiating the twist from the low abs makes it deeper and the concentration on these muscles actually gives an abdominal workout in addition to getting a great twist for the spine. Did you know these twists are good for your insides too? They massage inner organs like the liver to release toxins. Guess what that helps you do? Lose weight, among other things! So think about your abs next time you twist!