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- Hello, and welcome 
to Yoga With Adriene.

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I am Adriene, and today

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we are going to 
lean the Reclined Twist,

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which is like, a 
full body massager.

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Really great for the lower back

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and overall, a really nice,

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calming, cooling posture.

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So hop on the mat and 
let's learn Reclined Twist.

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(upbeat music)

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Okay, so, for Reclined Twist,

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we are going to start, surprise!

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On our backs, reclined, yay!

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So, I'm gonna come to a 
flat back position here,

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and rest the 
soles of feet on the mat

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just for a second.

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Take a deep breath in.
As you exhale,

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relax the weight of 
your body into the mat.

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And then, a little 
two-for-one here,

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I'm going to 
press up off my toes,

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hug my knees into my chest,

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wrap the arms around the
shins, and just take a second.

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Any time I can work this one
into my yoga practice I do.

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And rock a little 
side to side here.

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Just checking in with the back.

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Kind of massaging 
the lower back, here.

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Even checking in 
with the shoulders.

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Sometimes I use 
this as an opportunity

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to crawl my shoulders 
away from my ears.

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Just create a little space.

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Feels good.

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And then I'm ready to rock.

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So here we go.

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I'm gonna inhale,

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reach my fingertips 
up and overhead.

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Nice and easy breezy.

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And then exhale 
bring them to the side,

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left to right.
Kind of a Texas T, y'all.

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We say y'all here,
Texas T y'all.

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Then I'm gonna 
play a little piano.

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So I know this sounds cheesy
but just hang with me.

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I'm going to press 
into all 10 fingerprints,

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so just one by one here.

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And I do this, 
just to kind of bring

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my awareness all the way out.

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So I'm not just keeping it,

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a select focus here, right?

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Yoga is about 
expanding the awareness

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to all parts of the 
body and even beyond.

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To infinity and beyond!

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It was too easy I had to do it.
I'm sorry, okay.

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So I play a little piano here,

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all 10 fingerprints rooting.

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And then I'm gonna 
connect to my center

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a little subtle 
body movement here.

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By bringing my attention 
into the core, the belly.

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So, again, this is just a tiny,

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kind of, energetic, internal,
woo-woo, (chuckles) focus.

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So not a big movement,
but just imagine

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drawing your bellybutton, 
your navel, down

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and scooping your tailbone up.

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So that your lower back becomes

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super yummy flush with the mat.

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Now I'm ready to twist.

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So I'm gonna inhale in.
Deep breath.

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And on an exhale 
I'm gonna melt my knees

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towards the 
right side of the room,

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or towards the 
right side of my mat.

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I'm gonna move 
nice and slow here,

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keeping the back of my 
neck nice and long here.

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Chin tucked into chest.

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Just noticing the 
sensations as I fall in

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to especially that first twist.

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Checking in with 
the body, the spine.

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Taking a deep breath in,
and then exhaling.

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The weight of my legs

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completely to the 
right side of the mat.

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This already feels 
really yummy on my lower back.

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My belly's already 
getting a nice squeeze

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like a wringing of the sponge.

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Couple of action points.

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To go a little 
deeper into the twist,

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or just to check in 
with that full spine

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from the crown of the head
to the tip of the tailbone,

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I'm gonna notice 
that my left shoulder

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starts to peel up a little bit,

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which is sassy and stylish,

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but to get the 
most out of the pose

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I'm gonna send 
my awareness, my intention,

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down through that left shoulder.

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So essentially, 
I'm pinning my left shoulder

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down to the earth.

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Now, if my left shoulder

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doesn't come all the 
way down to the earth,

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then that's okay,

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I'm gonna be patient 
and kind to myself,

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as the yogic teachings describe

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and encourage us to do.

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And just let 
that be my intention.

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So even if it doesn't come
all the way down to the earth,

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those are my intentions.

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By bringing my awareness 
into that left shoulder,

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I start to get more of a 
sensation though my twist.

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Now I can take 
my right palm here,

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and use it to 
guide my left thigh

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a little bit 
deeper into the pose.

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So I'm pressing down 
through left shoulder,

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guiding my legs 
a little further,

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a little deeper, 
gently into the twist.

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Breathing deep 
into the belly here.

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And then finally 
there's the option

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to turn the head here,

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turning onto the left side

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looking past my 
left fingertips here,

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to just go a little 
bit deeper into the pose.

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Couple of nice, long, 
deep breaths, here.

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And then to come out,

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I'll take a deep breath in.

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And on the exhale, unravel,

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coming back gently, 
nice and easy through center.

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Noticing the 
sensations in the back

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as I come through and 
transition to the other side.

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So inhaling in.

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Exhale, melting the knees now

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to the left side of the room,

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or the left side 
of the mat here.

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Nice and slow, taking my time.

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Ooh, I heard a 
little bit of a pop.

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And now, of course,

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intending that 
right shoulder down.

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Going a little 
bit deeper perhaps,

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whenever you're ready by
taking the left palm, guiding,

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sometimes I even like to just
kind of pet my thigh, here.

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It's good, it feels good.
The power of touch.

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Just guiding in a 
little deeper into the pose.

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When I first started 
yoga and I did a twist,

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I'm pretty sure my 
legs only went this far.

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So give yourself a 
little bit of love and kindness

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as you even move 
into this Reclined Twist.

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Just give it time, 
and let each exhale

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be an opportunity, maybe, 
to go a little bit deeper.

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And then on an exhale, 
melting back to center.

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So the great thing 
about Reclined Twist,

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or any reclined 
asana for that matter,

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is you have the 
support of the earth

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more so then you do in 
standing postures, right?

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So use it.

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You can hang in the 
twist for quite a while.

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If it feels good, 
breathing deep, smiling,

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calming the mind, 
releasing the lower back.

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For more of a core activation,

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we can do a little tick-tock.

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So we can inhale in.

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Exhale, melt the 
knees to the right.

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Then inhale in.

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Exhale, melt the 
knees back to center.

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Inhale in. Exhale, 
melt the knees to the left.

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And inhale in, melt 
the knees back to center.

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So I'm essentially 
moving back and forth.

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You can move at your own rhythm,

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your own pace, 
massaging the back

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as you move through center.

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But I recommend, 
especially as a beginner,

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and for the Foundations of Yoga,

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to just hang out 
there for a little bit.

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Go through your checklist.

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Breathe, create space.

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Allow yourself the time

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to go a little bit 
deeper into the pose, right?

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It's usually after 
about that fifth breath

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that you dissolve 
into a little space

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that you never 
knew was there. (laughs)

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And then of course,

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we enjoy finding what 
feels good in each posture.

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Reclined Twist.

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Okay my friends, so 
that was Reclined Twist.

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Give it a try and 
let me know how it goes.

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In fact, if you're 
listening to me now

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then you have 
access to other videos

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of our 
Foundations of Yoga series,

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give them a try.

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Even if you can just 
try one in the whole month,

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I'm very curious 
to see how you feel.

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I'm looking for some feedback.

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So let me know 
how it goes for you.

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And we'll see 
you next time I hope.

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Namaste.

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(upbeat music)