Holiday season has arrived…and so have the holiday parties, office cookies, and extra travel. If you find that your bowels aren’t giving you holiday cheer, try a few rounds of this long lunge with a twist.

Long Lunge (with a twist) is a nice way to lengthen the front of the hips and abdominal wall along the front of the body.

  1. Start in table top, with your hands and knees on the ground. You might like to roll your mat under your knee caps, or place a small cushion under your knees.
  2. Bring your right foot forward and past your right knee.
  3. Once your foot it planted, allow your right knee to bend forward over your second toe.
  4. Blocks on either side of your right foot will support you by allowing your chest to shine forward.
  5. Stay here, or keep your left hand on a yoga block as you twist from your waist, reaching your right arm up towards the ceiling.
  6. Stay here for 5-10 breaths and repeat on the other side.

Why choose Long Lunge with a Twist?

Lots of reasons! Here are the benefits of this posture:

  • Strengthens the lower extremity
  • Increases proprioception
  • Improves balance
  • Lengthens the front and inside of the thigh
  • Lengthens iliopsoas and fascia that connects to the GI system
  • Rotation at the thoracolumbar junction (where the mid and low back meet) where the diaphragm inserts
  • Offers rotation in the ribs

Who is this posture good for?

All of us! We all need to move, but this posture might be especially helpful for those who suffer from constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, hip pain, and back pain.

Make Long Lunge with a Twist work for you

Here are some ways to tailor this posture to your needs:

  1. Sensitive Knees? Roll your mat under your knees, or use a small cushion.
  2. Still hurts your knees? Try this in a high lunge with the back knee straight.
  3. Balance an issue? Lay in your bed on your left side. Curl your left knee in a little closer to your chest. Bring your right leg back with your knee bent. Use a towel or strap attached to your ankle or foot to support your stretch. You’ll feel this in the front of your leg.

Be careful if you have:

  1. Sacral pain
  2. Pain with back extension

Enjoy and move easefully!