SEATED SIDE BEND
SEATED SIDE BEND
Today I taught a group of college-aged beginners and it reminded me how refreshing it is to return to basics.
Seated Poses.
They aren’t flashy or dynamic (they’ve even been called boring) but they teach us how to be aware of subtleties in the body, how to look for sensation, and patience. In short, they teach us awareness.
Seated Side Bend is an accessible seated posture that gently opens the hips, as well as the entire side body.
I like to sequence it early in a session as part of a seated warm-up series.
ALIGNMENT
Sit in EASY POSE or Lotus (if you prefer).
Inhale and lift the right arm; Exhale and side bend to the left.
WORK IN THE POSE
Ground your right sitting bone and knee – this is your anchor; reach your right fingertips away from your anchor.
Keep the chest parallel to the top edge of your mat; or revolve it upwards. Try to avoid collapsing in the upper body.
BENEFITS
Opens the hips and side body (waist, ribcage, intercostal muscles and obliques)
CONTRAINDICATIONS
Knee problems
MODIFICATIONS
If the hips are quite tight and sitting in EASY POSE is beyond moderately uncomfortable, place a bolster under the seat and sit on the edge of the bolster.
Catherine Tingey
Entrepreneur, yogini, designer, award-winning filmmaker, personal trainer and former marathon runner. She left a career in finance to start her own business and along the way, became a yoga teacher. She has been practicing yoga for 31 years and teaching privately for 11 years.
About the Author
Catherine Tingey+ Entrepreneur, yogini, designer, award-winning filmmaker, personal trainer and former marathon runner. She left a career in finance to start her own business and along the way, became a yoga teacher. She has been practicing yoga for 31 years and teaching privately for 11 years.
