12-Minute Gentle Yoga Practice for Back Pain Relief

Modern life can be tough on your back. Hours-long commutes, days spent hunched over laptops, and the constant curve of necks and spines as you fixate on your phone make back pain a universal experience. Practicing yoga for back pain relief is all about undoing all that straining with targeted stretching and strengthening.

Yoga teacher Taylor Lorenz’s accessible yoga for back pain flow features seated and reclined poses, which are ideal whether you’re loosening up for the day ahead or unwinding your body as things slow down. They can ease tension and strengthen muscles—so long as you ease up at the first sign of pinching or pain.

12-Minute Yoga for Back Pain Relief

This practice is short, but allow yourself room to remain in any pose that brings relief for as long as you please. Send your breath to the parts of your back (and body) experiencing the greatest stretch.

Easy Pose

To begin, come into a comfortable seat. You can choose to kneel or sit in a cross-legged pose, with or without the support of a block beneath your sit bones. Allow your palms to rest on your thighs, facing down for grounding or upward to invite more opening and relaxation. Stay here for 7 cycles of breath.

Seated Upward Salute

Inhale as you raise your arms overhead. As you exhale, let your arms drift back down to your sides. Inhale, bringing your arms up, and exhale, lowering your arms to your sides.

Seated Side Bend

Inhale to reach skyward, and as you exhale, bring your right palm flat on the mat and sweep your left arm up and over to the right in a side bend. Stay here for 2 cycles of breath.

Dynamic Heart Opener

Inhale to reach your left arm straight up to the sky. Bend your left elbow and bring your hand to the side of your head. Inhale as you reach through your left elbow.

Exhale as you bring your left elbow toward your right elbow.

Repeat for 3 cycles of breath.

Seated Twist

Inhale as you reach both arms toward the sky. Exhale as you twist to the right. Your right hand should land behind you while your left hand comes to your right knee. Stay here for 3 cycles of breath.

Cross-Armed Forward Bend

Keep your left hand where it is. Bring your chest back to center and cross your right arm over your left arm, bringing your right hand to your left knee. Exhale as you round through your spine and tuck your chin toward your chest and fold forward, feeling the stretch between your shoulder blades.

Seated Side Bend

Inhale as you sit tall and reach both arms skyward. As you exhale, bring your left palm flat on the mat and sweep your right arm up and over to the left in a side bend. Stay here for 2 cycles of breath.

Dynamic Heart Opener

Inhale as you reach your right arm straight up to the sky. Bend your right elbow and bring your hand to the side of your head. Inhale as you reach through your right elbow.

Exhale as you fold toward your left arm, bringing your right elbow toward your left elbow.

Repeat for 3 cycles of breath.

Seated Twist

Inhale as you reach both arms toward the sky. Exhale as you twist to the left. Your left hand should land behind you while your right hand comes to your left knee. Stay here for 3 cycles of breath.

Cross-Armed Forward Bend

Keep your right hand where it is. Cross your left arm over your right arm, bringing your left hand to your right knee. Exhale, round through your spine and tuck your chin to your chest to fold forward.

Inhale your arms overhead.

Cat-Cow

Exhale as you land your hands in front of you and come to Tabletop. Inhale as you drop your belly and lift your chin and chest in Cow Pose.

Exhale as you round your spine and tuck your chin in Cat Pose.

Repeat for 4 cycles of breath.

Child’s Pose

With your next exhale, bring your toes together and sit your hips back in Child’s Pose. Extend your arms forward and rest your forehead on the mat as you lengthen through your back body. Send your breath into your low back. Stay here for 5 cycles of breath.

Sphinx Pose

Press into your palms and elbows to lift your chest and draw yourself forward into Sphinx Pose. If this feels like too much for your low back, gently guide your elbows farther forward to minimize the backbend. Stay here for 5 cycles of breath.

Windshield Wipers

Make a pillow with your hands and exhale as you rest your forehead there. Draw your heels toward your bottom and let your legs fall from side to side like windshield wipers.

Repeat for 2 cycles of breath.

Dynamic Baby Cobra

Extend your legs long and press the tops of your feet into the ground. Bring your hands beneath your shoulders, keep your elbows tight toward your sides, and inhale as you lift your chest in Baby Cobra Pose.

Exhale as you lower your chest back to the mat.

Repeat for 3 cycles of breath.

Knees to Chest

Release fully down and flip onto your back. Draw your knees toward your chest, rocking from side to side for a gentle lower back massage.

Supine Twist

Extend your arms wide into a T shape, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the ground. Cross your right leg over your left or keep your legs together as you draw your knees toward your chest and send them to the left for a Supine Twist. Stay here for 8 cycles of breath.

With your next inhale, draw your legs back up through center. If your legs are crossed, uncross and then recross them with your left leg on top. Let your legs fall over toward the right. Stay here for 8 cycles of breath.

Constructive Rest

Use your exhale to carry your legs back through center. Uncross your legs and bring your feet wide, allowing your knees to knock toward each other in Constructive Rest. Stay here for as long as you need.