Twists

Benefits: Stretches IT band (great for runners), stretches abdominal muscles and massages abdominal organs. Breathing with the movement is calming and good for focussing the mind.

Sit on floor, legs stretched out in front. Arms resting at your sides. Bend knees and bring them toward left hip, the weight of your body resting on right buttock. The inner side of left ankle rests on the arch of right foot. Inhale lenthen spine. Exhale, twist upper trunk as much as possible. Right hand on floor, left hand the outer right thigh. Left hip grounds down. With a slight bend in the upper back, twist and feel its effects along the entire spine. Turn head, look over right shoulder. Lengthen the spine with each inhale. Deepen the twist with each exhalation. Hold pose for about a minute. Exhale, gently untwist. Repeat with right side. (You may want to rest your buttock on a thickly folded blanket during the twist.)

Benefits: Calming, stretches spine, trunk, shoulders, and hips. Massages abdominal organs, supports digestion and elimination
Contraindications: severe spine, hip disc problems. High or low blood pressure, insomnia, headaches, and diarrhea

Benefits: realigns, strengthens and stretches the spine, hips, neck and shoulders. massages organs, alleviates fatigue, back pain, sciatica and menstrual pain. therapeutic for asthma and infertility
Contraindications: pregnancy and menstruation due to the strong twist in abdomen. heart, abdominal or brain surgeries. peptic ulcer or hernia. severe spinal problems (those with mild slipped disc can benefit but avoid if severe)

Benefits: Massages abdominal organs, stretches shoulders, stimulates brain, strengthens and stretches spine, relieves mild back andhip pain, sciatica relief, aids in digestion, asthma, and mestrual discomfort
Contraindications: Serious back or spine injury, high or low blood pressure, migraine, diarrhea, headache, insomnia

Sit in Dandanasa (Staff Pose), bend right knee, foot on the mat, heel close to the right sitting bone. Left leg is strong, rotated slightly inward; ground thigh into mat. Press back of left heel and base of big toe away from pelvis. Press inner right foot into mat, but soften the inner right groin as you twist. Grounding the the areas that meet the mat will help lengthen the spine. Exhale, rotatetorso right, wrap eft arm around right thigh. Hold outer thigh with left hand, pull thigh up and release right hip to mat. Press right fingertips onto mat just behind pelvis to lift torso slightly up and forward. Lengthen the spine with each inhalation, deepen twist with each exhalation. Hug thigh to belly, lean back against your shoulder blades into an upper-back backbend. Complete twist by gently turning head right. Hold pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute, release with exhalation, reverse the twist to the left for an equal length of time.

Benefits: Massages abdominal organs, stretches shoulders, stimulates brain, strengthens and stretches spine, relieves mild back andhip pain, sciatica relief, aids in digestion, asthma, and mestrual discomfort

Contraindications: Serious back or spine injury, high or low blood pressure, migraine, diarrhea, headache, insomnia

Begin in table pose (on hands and knees, neutral spine). Knees below hips. Wrists and elbows below shoulders, in a straight line. Inhale, raise right arm to ceiling, keeping hips centered. Exhale, bring right back down, slide right hand between the left hand and left knee. Slide right arm out to the left bringing right shoulder and side of the head to rest on the mat. Rest here or deepen stretch by extending left arm to ceiling, reaching through the fingers. Hold pose for 3-6 breaths. Release, exhale, bring left palm mat, unwind and press back up to table pose. Repeat on the other side.

Benefits: Releases toxins by compressing and massaging internal organs. Opens chest. Therapeutic for depression. Stretches shoulders, arms, upper back and neck.Contraindications: Pregnancy. Serious back/spine injuries. Injury to knees, shoulders, or neck.
Modifications: To protect knees from stress, place folded blanket under them.

From staff pose (dandasana), open the legs out as wide as is comfortable -seated wide-legged straddle (upavistha konasana). Bend right knee, bring right sole the inner left thigh/groin. Left foot is flexed. Sit tall, elongate the spine. Lean torso over to left, bringing back of left forearm to floor inside left leg. (If not possible, bring arm to shin or the thigh if necessary.) Gently twist torso away from the left leg, opening chest to the right.( If left arm is inside the left leg, press it into the leg for resistance. Gaze upwards but do not over rotate the neck. Raise right arm overhead, right biceps over right ear. Hold position for several breaths and come up. Reposition and continue on opposite side. 

Benefits: Stretches spine, shoulders, and hamstrings. Stimulates abdominal organs. Improves digestion,
relieves mild backache, eases anxiety, fatigue, insomnia, and headache

Benefits: Opens the side of the body from feet to fingers. Energizes the body and strengthens legs.
Contraindications: Recent or chronic injury to the hips, knees, neck or shoulders.

Benefits: Strengthens and stretches legs, groin, hamstrings, shoulders, and spine. Opens the chest.
Contraindications: headache, uncontrolled high or low blood pressure. lower back, knee, or neck injury (keep head in neutral position if you have neck problems.)

Benefits: Strengthen legs. Stretches hips, groins, hamstrings, and muscles around spine. Opens chest and shoulders. Improves balance.
Contraindications: headache, uncontrolled high or low blood pressure. lower back, knee, or neck injury (keep head in neutral position if you have neck problems.)

Benefits: Stretches and strengthens leg muscles from ankles to hips, knees, abdominals, obliques, shoulders, chest, spine. Stimulates abdominal organs (improving digestion and elimination).
Contraindications: low blood pressure, heart conditions, headache, neck problems (keep head in neutral position if you have neck problems.)