Thread the Needle: An Upper Back Twist on Hands and Knees
From hands and knees, slide one arm under your body, palm up, until that shoulder rests on the floor, hips high over your knees. Twists your upper back.
Long hold · Shoulders · Upper back · 2 min read
Why it works: Chapter 23, Stiff people work harder for every stroke
How to do it
- 1
Start stacked
Hands and knees, wrists under shoulders, knees under hips, a folded blanket under your knees if they complain. Keep your hips right there for the whole pose.
- 2
Thread the arm through
Breathe out and slide your right arm under your body, through the gap between your left hand and left knee, palm up, until your right shoulder and the side of your head rest on the mat.
- 3
Rest on the shoulder
Your weight goes on the back of your shoulder and upper arm, not the top of your head. Let your head turn with your chest. If your head does not reach the mat, rest it on a folded towel.
- 4
The other hand sets the depth
Leave your left hand planted by your head for less, or walk it forward and reach long for more. That hand is your dial.
- 5
Hips stay high
Keep your hips up over your knees. If they drift back toward your heels, the twist leaves your upper back.
- 6
The test
A broad stretch across your upper back and the back of the threaded shoulder is the pose. Come back to hands and knees, then do the other side.
Watch for
- Hips sinking back toward your heels. The pose turns into a rest and your upper back stops turning.
- Resting on the top of your head. Your neck takes weight while twisted, and it aches afterwards.
- Forcing the reach with the planted hand. Your lower back twists instead of your upper back.