Revolved Abdomen
Jathara Parivartanasana
Getting Into the Pose
Breath Cue:
Photo Credit: Baron Baptiste
What to watch for
• Lifted shoulder
• Hip not lifted
Modifications
• Knees to side with (or without) bolster or blanket for support (shift hips first)
• Move knees down
• Bend both knees
• Advanced students straight legs or twisted roots
• Shoulders not grounded, bring knees back up toward ceiling and prop with bolster,
blankets or do a restorative version
Benefits
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Stimulates the liver and kidneys
Stretches the shoulders, hips, and neck
Energizes the spine
Stimulates the digestive fire in the belly
Contraindications
• Back or spine injury
• Advanced pregnancy
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
Half Lord of the Fishes
Ardha Matsyendrasana (ARE-dah MOT-seeen-DRAHS-anna)
Getting Into the Pose
Breath Cue:
Photo Credit: Baron Baptiste
What to watch for
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Rounded thoracic spine
Not sitting on sitz bones. Move the flesh away
Twisting from sacrum. Pelvic girdle is stable.
Left shoulder lifted toward ear. Shoulders level and away from ears.
No breath. Must inhale and exhale deeply
Leaning back rather than keep spine balanced between hips
Lifting the left sitting bone - both of them stay anchored throughout the twist
Twisting the neck and head before the belly, ribs, shoulders - eyes are the LAST to
follow. This is very common movement by students because it allows them to think
they are twisting because the neck can twist more easily than the spine, which
requires a very strong use of the core
• Jamming the weight into the back arm to force the spine to straighten and the twist to
deepen
Modifications
• Straighten bottom leg if sitting bones and hips are not level or foot on floor can stay
inside the knee or straight leg on the floor. Can substitute Sage Marichi
• Siting bones on a folded blanket
• New students may have to straighten both legs
• Place hand behind you on a block or folded blanket. Some students arms may not be
long enough to easily reach the floor.
• Keep head forward rather than turn head
• Turn neck in opposite direction of heart
• Advanced students may bind (most will need a strap to do so)
• Advanced students may straighten leg that has knee pointed to the ceiling in front of
them, holding it with their hand
• Wrap elbow around knee if it doesn't go past knee
• If elbow past knee, may straighten arm
Benefits
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Stimulates liver & kidneys
Stretches and opens hips, shoulders, neck
Increases circulation and energizes the spine
Stimulates the digestive fire
Relieves menstrual discomfort, fatigue, sciatica, backache
Common wisdom says it is therapeutic for asthma and infertility
Traditional texts say it increases appetite, destroys many deadly diseases, and awakens
kundalini
Contraindications
• Back, spine, neck injuries
• Pregnancy in third semester if complications
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
Sage Marichi
Marichyasana III (mar-ee-chee-AHSanna)
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Baron Baptiste
Breath Cue:
What to watch for
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Hips out of alignment and sitting bones not anchored during the twist
Weak extended leg - flex the foot and activate the leg
Weak core
Twist from the sacrum
Twisting the neck and head before revolving the spine because it makes students feel
as they they really are twisting
Leaning back
Too much weight for force on back arm
Shoulders not level and away from the ears
No breath
Modifications
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Blanket to level sitting bones
Block under back hand
Keep eyes forward
Or rotate head counter to torso
Advanced students move to Half Lord of the Fishes
Benefits
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Great counterpose for standing poses
Boosts blood flow to the vital organs and spine
Rinses lower and middle back, liver, spleen, and kidneys
Stimulates digestive organs
Stretches the shoulders
Stimulates the brain
Relieves sciatica and menstrual discomfort
Contraindications
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Serious back or spine injury
High or low blood pressure
Migraine or headache
Diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive/colon issues
Insomnia
Third trimester of pregnancy
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
Bharadvaja’s Twist
Bharadvahasana 1 (bah-ROD-vaJAHS-anna)
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Yoga Journal
Breath Cue:
What to watch for
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Hips and pelvis not level
Bent knees not on floor
Weak abdominal muscles
Weak neck twisting too far and before belly, ribs, and shoulders
Shoulders shaking or in pain from trying to reach too far and hard
Modifications
• If the back hip lifts and follows or if sitting bones not both on earth evenly, place a
blanket folded to the correct height under that sitting bone that IS attached to the
earth. This is counter-intuitive for most students, who will try to prop the raised hip.
This prevents compressing the lower back.
• If knees are not on floor, place folded blankets under them.
• May straighten the "following" leg
• Sit in the chair, sideways, with the chair back to your right. Bring knees together and
heels directly below knees. Exhale and twist toward chair back. Hold onto sides of
chair back and lift elbows up and out to the side, as if pulling chair apart. Use arms to
help widen upper back and move the twist into the space between the shoulder
blades.
• Use hands on wall
• May straighten both legs into Bharadvajasana II
• Advance students: If both knees on floor, may place front foot on following thigh
• Advance students: Inhale and exhale fold forward from the seated forward position.
Take another inhale and walk arms/hands as far in the direction of the forward knee
as possible. Hip behind can follow now. If very flexible in shoulders and spine, may put
elbows on floor or lay torso down. This is a Yin version of the pose and is called Deer.
Benefits
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Stretches spine, shoulders, hips
Massages abdominal organs
Relieves lower backache, neck pain, and sciatica
Helps to relieve stress
Improves digestion
Especially good in second trimester for strengthening lower back
Therapeutic of carpel tunnel syndrome
Contraindications
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Diarrhea
Headache
High blood pressure
Insomnia
Low blood pressure
Menstruation
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
Revolved Down Dog
Parivrtta Adho Mukha Svanasana
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Yoga Journal
Breath Cue:
What to watch for
• Hips out of alignment, which means the twist may be starting from the sacrum instead
of the belly button
• Sagging of spine or rounding of spine - check for core engagement
• Bending knees on or shift of weight to the leg in the direction of the twist
• Very flexible students may let rib cage sink too deeply toward the mat.
• Sliding forward into a hybrid of Down Dog and High Plank
• Inner thighs not engaged and revolved in proper direction
• Hand placement of hand on mat
• Engaged arm on the mat with shoulder away from the ear
Modifications
• To increase circulation, left hand slides all the way to the outside of right foot, ben
right knee while keeping left leg straight. Hold for several breaths, release and switch
sides
• Advanced students may place left hand on floor to outside of right foot, leave it there,
and on the inhale lift the right leg
• May do the pose in Dolphin position to protect wrists and shoulders
• Place heels on floorboard of walls behind
Benefits
• Full-body stretching, especially hamstrings, shoulders, torso, and ribs
• Improves overall balance
• Tones internal organs and releases toxins and waste
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Improved metabolism and digestion
Strength-building
Increased blood flow
Energized and rejuvenated nervous system
Relieves stress, headaches, fatigue, poor digestion, and back pain
Contraindications
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Severe carpel tunnel
Late-term pregnancy
Back, shoulder, arm injuries
High-blood pressure
Eye or inner-ear infections
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
Chair Prayer Twist
Parivrtta Utkatasana
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Baron Baptiste
Breath Cue:
What to watch for
• Abdomen rest on thighs - means its is not engaged
• When twisting to right, left knee pops forward which causes hips to come out of
alignment
• Unstable, uneven hips and pelvis - may indicate twist is beginning at the sacrum
instead of at the belly
• Legs begin to straighten and hips rise
• Student twists neck more than torso
• Strength of the twist comes from arms instead of from abdomen
• Weight starts to shift toward toes rather than staying in heels (80%)
Modifications
• Separate knees with block between thighs if trouble balancing or engaging thighs and
work toward bringing feet together over time. Squeeze thighs into block
• May gaze toward floor to protect neck
• If left elbow to outside of right knee, may open arms and fly. If left fingers do not
reach the floor, place palm for fingertips on a block
• To maintain balance in heels may use wall. Sit back a few inches toward wall until
tailbone can be slightly supported by the wall to learn correct weight distribution
• For students wanting to go deeper, lift onto the balls of feet and practice pose with
heels lifted
• For shoulder and back issues, may maintain the back of the chair (not lean forward
slightly) and then twist to right, hands at heart center
Benefits
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Creates strength in mid- and lower back
Squeezes organs of mid-back - kidneys and digestive organs
Increases flexibility in spine
Tones thighs, buttocks, and hips
Improves balance, posture, endurance, and confidence
Contraindications
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Headache
Pregnancy in all trimesters
Low-blood pressure
Insomnia
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
Revolved Triangle
Parivrtta Trikonasana
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Baron Baptiste
Breath Cue:
What to watch for
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Hips not level - they are the anchor of pose and must be stable
Impingement of shoulder, arm of arm that should reach for the sky
Weak back leg and ankle - back leg must be engaged
Back heel not grounded
Forcing front knee to straighten - may bend it slightly
Pulling out of low back instead of hingeing from hips
Front toes turning in or out instead of forward
Lazy inner thighs
If gaze is down, make sure head isn't hanging
Modifications
• If back heel is lifted slightly, walk foot forward a little more. If it continues to lift, (1)
keep pushing through the heel, (2) place heel again wall so it has something to push
into, (3) place heel on a folded blanket and keep pushing into heel until back-leg groin
opens
• May bind the raised arm behind the lower back
• May narrow the stance a bit but not as much as in Pyramid
• Slight bend in front knee is ok - don't lock the knee
• Hand to the inner foot, ankle, or shin is good for newer students to the pose
• Eyes can gaze down with neck in line with spine - not hanging
• Advanced students may move from this pose into Revolved Half Moon
Benefits
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Rinses liver, kidneys, spleen, colon, gall bladder
Releases lumbar spine and stretches entire spine
Strengthens and stretches legs
Stretches hips
Opens chest and improves breathing
Improves sense of balance
Contraindications
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Back or spine injury
Low-blood pressure
Migraine
Diarrhea
Headache
Insomnia
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
Revolved Side Angle
Parivrtta Baddha Parsvakonasana
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Yoga Journal
Breath Cue:
What to watch for
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Weak back leg - kneecap not lifted, thigh inactive
Rounded spine
Twisting from sacrum
Hips not level
Torso rested on front thigh
Shoulder blades lifted toward ears
Labored breathing
Weak abdominals
Modifications
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May place folded blanket or sandbag under back foot if it is lifted
Use block under hand to outside of front foot
Newer students to the pose may place block on inside of front foot
Use wall to press back foot into to activate back leg
Separate the heels a little bit (maybe an inch or two) to maintain balance but not as
far apart as if on railroad tracks
• May do pose with hands at heart center
• May look at side wall or down
• Advanced students may bind right arm around low back
Benefits
• Strengthens and stretches legs, knees, ankles
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Stretches groins, spine, chest, lungs, shoulders
Stimulates abdominal organs
Increases stamina
Improves digestion and aids elimination
Improves balance
Contraindications
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Headache
High or low blood pressure
Insomnia
Neck problems: look at side wall with long neck on both sides coming actively out of
spine (do not hang head) or look down with long, active neck
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
Revolved Head to Knee
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Yoga Journal
Breath Cue:
What to watch for
• Heart turned down toward extended leg. This pose can cause confusion because many
students don't realize that to open the heart and side bigs, they must turn twist
toward the leg with the bent knee first. The mind tells them that if they turn away
from the straight leg, they will not be able to reach the toes
• Sitting bone of bent legs leaves the earth
• Even with the twist done properly first, top shoulder dips to earth
• Weak abs
• Bent knee far off the floor or mat
• Inactive straight leg - toes turning to right or left
• Strain in neck
Modifications
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May bend knee of straight leg to keep shoulder or elbow in relationship to knee
May use bolster to inside of straight leg and slide arm down bolster
Have teacher anchor hips with hands in hip crease
Push foot of extended leg into wall to activate that leg more
Do pose with two straight legs (straddled legs)
Benefits
• Stretches lateral muscles and releases intercostals
• Stretches spine, hamstrings, shoulders
• Stimulates liver and kidneys
• Improves digestion
• Eases mild backache, fatigue, headache, and insomnia
Contraindications
• Diarrhea
• Weak knees
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)
Revolved Half Moon
Parivrtta Adha Chandrasana
Getting Into the Pose
Photo Credit: Yoga Journal
Breath Cue:
What to watch for
• Hips not level
• Rounded or "short" spine - spine should have length and there should be breadth in
lungs, collarbones, breastbone
• Toes of lifted foot pointing out, not down
• Toes of standing foot start to turn in or out, which throws pose (hips, spine, leg joints)
out of alignment
• Impingement of raised arm
Modifications
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Have a block under hand on floor
Keep hand on hip rather than raise it
May wrap that hand around low back
Do pose near a wall and bring raised foot to the wall when you lift leg up
Gaze down
Benefits
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Strengthens ankles, strengthens and tones thighs
Improves balance
Cleanses the organs
Improves balance and circulation
Contraindications
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Low-blood pressure
Migraine or headache
Insomnia
diarrhea
Anatomy (Lengthening, Shortening, Organ)