Twists & Wrists

Twisting actions targeting the upper, middle, and lower spine combined with wrists and ankle stretches to strengthen important muscles around your joints.

Exercise Overview

Exercise Instructions

Rag Doll demonstration

1. Rag Doll

Instructions

  • Start from a standing position with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  • Inhale and extend your arms overhead, lengthening your spine.
  • Exhale and slowly bend forward at the hips, letting your upper body hang down.
  • Grab your opposite elbows and let your head and arms hang heavy.

Tips

  • Keep your weight evenly distributed between your heels and the balls of your feet.
  • Focus on lengthening your spine rather than reaching for the floor.

Modifications

  • Bend your knees more to avoid straining your back.
  • Use a block or chair to rest your elbows on if reaching the floor is difficult.

Benefits

  • Calves, Shoulders, Hips, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Glutes
Forward Fold demonstration

2. Forward Fold

Instructions

  • Start from a standing position with your feet hip-width apart and your hands interlaced behind your back.
  • Slowly bend forward from your hips, letting your upper body hang down toward the floor.
  • Extend your arms and let your hands fall forward over your head.

Tips

  • Let your head and neck relax completely.
  • Keep your legs straight but not locked.

Modifications

  • If interlacing your fingers is difficult, hold a strap or towel between your hands.

Benefits

  • Calves, Upper Back, Shoulders, Hips, Hamstrings, Chest, Glutes
Upward Dog demonstration

3. Upward Dog

Instructions

  • Start lying on your stomach with your legs extended and your hands under your shoulders.
  • Press your palms into the floor, straightening your arms to lift your upper body and legs off the floor.
  • Lift your chest, relax your shoulders, and look slightly upward.

Tips

  • Only the tops of your feet and your palms should be touching the floor.
  • Keep your arms straight but avoid locking your elbows.

Modifications

  • For less intensity, keep your thighs on the floor.

Benefits

  • Psoas, Spine, Chest, Abdomen
Twisted Sphinx demonstration

4. Twisted Sphinx

Instructions

  • Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
  • Extend one leg back and bring your other leg under your body, extending your foot straight out to the opposite side.
  • Lower your hips to the floor and rest your upper body on your forearms.

Tips

  • Relax your neck and shoulders and keep your gaze down.

Benefits

  • Spine, IT Band, Hips, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Glutes
Seated Twist demonstration

5. Seated Twist

Instructions

  • Start on the floor in a seated position with your legs extended in front of you.
  • Cross one leg over the other, placing your foot on the floor outside of your opposite thigh.
  • Rotate your torso and place your elbow on the outside of your top knee and your other hand behind you for support.
  • Continue to rotate your torso and turn your head to look behind you.

Tips

  • Lengthen your spine and keep your back straight.

Benefits

  • Spine, IT Band, Upper Back, Obliques, Hips, Chest, Lower Back, Glutes
Toe Squat demonstration

6. Toe Squat

Instructions

  • Start from a kneeling position with the tops of your feet on the floor.
  • Tuck your toes under and slowly sit back on your heels, putting weight on your toes.
  • Sit up tall with your back straight, relax your shoulders and place your hands on your thighs.

Tips

  • Focus on distributing your weight evenly across all your toes.

Modifications

  • If the stretch is too intense, keep your hands on the floor in front of you.

Benefits

  • Calves, Feet, Ankles, Toes
Wrist Extension demonstration

7. Wrist Extension

Instructions

  • Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position, with your palms flat on the floor.
  • Rotate your hands so your fingers are pointed towards your body.
  • Walk your knees closer to your hands, then slowly lean back and lower your hips towards your heels, while keeping your palms pressed into the floor.

Tips

  • Distribute your weight evenly across both palms.

Modifications

  • If kneeling is uncomfortable, perform this stretch standing up with your hands on a table.

Benefits

  • Forearms, Wrists, Fingers, Hands
Wrist Flexion demonstration

8. Wrist Flexion

Instructions

  • Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
  • Flip your hands so the tops of your hands are flat on the floor and your fingers are pointed towards your body.
  • Walk your knees closer to your hands, then slowly lean back and lower your hips towards your heels, while keeping your hands pressed into the floor.

Tips

  • Distribute your weight evenly across both hands.

Modifications

  • If kneeling is uncomfortable, perform this stretch standing up with your hands on a table.

Benefits

  • Forearms, Wrists, Fingers, Hands
Spinal Twist demonstration

9. Spinal Twist

Instructions

  • Start lying on your back with your legs extended and your arms at your sides.
  • Bend one knee and place your foot flat on the floor.
  • Gently lower your bent knee across your body towards the opposite side, allowing your torso and hips to twist.
  • Place your opposite hand on the outside of your bent knee and extend your other arm out to the side.

Tips

  • Keep your shoulders flat on the floor.

Modifications

  • If the twist is too intense, place a cushion or block under your bent knee for support.

Benefits

  • Spine, IT Band, Upper Back, Obliques, Chest, Lower Back, Glutes
Plow demonstration

10. Plow

Instructions

  • Start lying on your back with your legs extended and your arms at your sides.
  • Engage your core and lift your legs towards the ceiling, bringing them over your head.
  • Slowly lower your legs towards the floor behind your head, keeping your hands on your lower back for support.
  • If your feet reach the floor, extend your arms along the floor with your palms facing down.

Tips

  • Keep your legs straight and your toes pointing towards the floor.
  • Keep your neck relaxed and avoid turning your head.

Modifications

  • If your feet do not reach the floor, keep your hands on your lower back for support and hold your legs in a comfortable position.
  • Bend your knees slightly if straightening your legs is uncomfortable.

Benefits

  • Calves, Spine, Neck, Upper Back, Shoulders, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Glutes