Twist Round: squat, plank, cobra and fold

Intermediate 5 poses

Squat, strength, backbend, rotation, and fold

In this flow your spine moves in every direction within a single round: first a squat and strength, then a backbend, rotation and a forward fold. The level is intermediate. Skip it during pregnancy, with spinal disc herniations, especially in the lower back, and during a flare-up of stomach or bowel conditions.

With a wrist injury, hold Plank on your forearms, and if back pain flares up, swap Cobra for Sphinx and bend your knees in the forward fold.

  1. Goddess Pose Goddess Pose 1
  2. Plank Pose Plank Pose 2
  3. Cobra Pose Cobra Pose 3
  4. Seated Twist Seated Twist 4
  5. Seated Forward Fold Seated Forward Fold 5

Why this order

You stand in a wide stance and lower into Goddess Pose on an exhale. The next two cycles go to placing your palms and stepping back into Plank, and from there you open into Cobra on an inhale. Seated Twist on the floor goes right and left each time through, and afterward Seated Forward Fold draws your back long.

Inhales go to opening, exhales to twisting and folding, so your breath itself tells you which way to move. From the fold you stand up, and Goddess begins a new round.

Cautions

  • Knee injuries (Goddess Pose)
  • Wrist injuries — practice on your forearms (Plank Pose)
  • Diastasis recti (Plank Pose)
  • Lumbar disc herniation (Cobra Pose, Seated Forward Fold)
  • Pregnancy (Cobra Pose, Seated Twist)
  • Flare-up of peptic ulcer disease (Cobra Pose)
  • Spinal disc herniation (Seated Twist)
  • Flare-ups of digestive disorders (Seated Twist)
  • Flare-up of back pain — bend your knees (Seated Forward Fold)

This site is for general information and is not medical advice. If you have pain, an injury, a chronic condition, or are pregnant, check with a qualified professional before practicing.