16 Sidebending Poses to Prep for Pranayama
Stretching sideways can activate core muscles, expand breathing, and bring feelings of spaciousness and levity.
The Practice Asanas that open the sides and expand the ribs can help access core muscles and viscera (organs), where blood and energy flow through the body’s main channels. This sidebend sequence helps create interior space for abdominal organs, widens the diaphragm, and allows the collarbones and sternum to lift and spread. As a result, the breath can expand and deepen, allowing prana to flow—an effective preparation for pranayama practice.
See alsoA Beginner’s Guide to Pranayama
Mind-Body Benefits Besides lengthening and deepening respiratory rhythm, these poses help improve circulation and stretch your spinal nerves by releasing compression between the vertebrae. Sidebends also bring greater elasticity and range of motion to the spine, which brings a feeling of lightness and buoyancy to the chest, neck, and skull, often translating to feelings of serenity and happiness.
Key Focal Points Root through your legs to better align muscles throughout your body, thereby accessing your core, which connects and supports other musculature. In each of the poses, extend your front body, and use your breath to expand the side ribs (imagine the way helium expands a balloon), sensing the effect on your diaphragm, internal organs, ribs, and connective tissues. Direct your breath to where you feel the greatest resistance.
See also Jason Crandell’s videoThis Side Up: Sidebend for Space
Preparatory Sidebend
Before You Begin Lie on your back for a minute and breathe. Allow the lateral margins of your pelvis, waist, side ribs, neck, and skull to relax and expand.
Interlock your fingers behind your head. Slide your left elbow toward the wall behind you as you pivot your right elbow toward your hip. Keep your elbows on the floor, and push out through your left heel. Alternate right and left 6 times, breathing deeply.
Reclining Eagle Pose, variation
Supta Garudasana
Cross your left knee over your right leg then lower both knees left on inhale, letting gravity provide traction. Looking left, return upright on exhale. Repeat 6 times; after doing 3, rotate your head right. Switch sides.
See alsoEagle Pose
Child’s Pose, variation
Balasana
Come to your knees, set them hip-width apart, and lengthen forward. Sweep your trunk over your right knee, shifting your belly right. Remain stable in your pelvis in order to get a deeper side-body stretch. Hold for 2 minutes; switch sides.
See alsoDo Less with More Awareness: Child’s Pose
Easy Pose, variation
Sukhasana
Slowly sit up, cross your legs, and place your feet under your knees. Fold forward, and lengthen over your right knee. Aim your breath along the left flank and buttock. Hold for 2 minutes; switch sides.
See alsoYour Get-Happy, Take-It-Easy Pose
Downward-Facing Dog Pose
Adho Mukha Svanasana
Come up, and step back into Down Dog. Set your feet as wide as your mat. Lengthen your spine forward, while drawing back your legs. Stretch your torso’s two sides congruently. Hold for 2 minutes.
See alsoMust-Know Yoga Pose: Downward-Facing Dog
Sidebending Mountain Pose
Parsva Tadasana
Step forward and stand up. Squeeze a block between your inner thighs, and with arms raised, catch your left wrist and sidebend right, initiating from the squeeze of the block. Hold for 1 minute; switch sides.
See also Space Odyssey to the Side Body
Gate Pose
Parighasana
Move to the floor and kneel. Stack your left hip over your left knee, extending your right leg to the side. Reach your left arm up and to the right, spinning your ribs upward and stretching and elongating your waist. Hold for 1 minute; switch sides.
See alsoTaking Sides: Gate Pose
Extended Triangle Pose
Utthita Trikonasana
Spread your feet 3 to 4 feet apart, then turn your right foot out and left foot in. Rock your pelvis toward your back leg, and draw the left side of your waist away from the pelvis. Extend your arms as pictured. Hold for 1 minute; switch sides.
See alsoExpand Mind + Body: Extended Triangle Pose
Extended Side Angle Pose
Utthita Parsvakonasana
Set your feet 4 to 6 inches wider than Triangle. Place a block to the inside of your right foot, sidebend to your right, and rest your hand on the block. Spiral your trunk toward the sky. Hold for 1 minute; switch sides.
See alsoWhole-Body Wake-Up Call: Extended Side Angle Pose
Wide-Legged Forward Bend, variation
Prasarita Padottanasana
Angle your feet inward; fold forward. Center yourself, then swing to your right and hold your right ankle; pull to sidebend your left trunk. Hold for 2 minutes; switch sides.
See also Watch + Learn: Wide-Legged Forward Bend
Head-to-Knee Forward Bend
Janu Sirsasana
Sit down and draw your left heel to your groin. Push your right heel forward. Clasp your right foot with the left hand and draw your right ribs back, left ribs forward. Feel the twist deep into your organs. Hold for 2 minutes; switch sides.
See alsoNot Flexible? You Need This Seated Forward Bend
Side Seated Wide Angle Pose
Parsva Upavistha Konasana
Sit up and spread your legs, pressing both thighbones down. Sidebend, and latch your right hand to the inside of your right foot; extend your left arm. Revolve your trunk skyward. Hold for 1 minute; switch sides.
See also5 Revolved Seated Foward Bends
Revolved Head-of-the-Knee Pose
Parivrtta Janu Sirsasana
Draw your left foot to your inner thigh, and press your right thigh down. Sidebend as in the previous pose. Raise your navel, spiral your trunk, and expand and broaden your abdomen. Hold for 1 minute; switch sides.
See alsoA Practice with a Positive Spin
Revolved Seated Forward Bend
Parivrtta Paschimottanasana
Push out through both heels, and press your thighbones down. Latch your right elbow to the outside of your left shin, grab your feet, twist, and elongate your left side. Hold for 1 minute; switch sides.
See also5 Steps to Parivrtta Paschimottanasana
Bridge Pose
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana
Raise your hips and prop up your sacrum with a block. Keep your thighs and inner feet parallel; lengthen the tailbone. Set your arms to the side, palms up. Elongate your torso and relax your internal organs. Hold for 3 to 5 minutes.
See alsoWake Up Your Mind and Body with Bridge Pose
Final Seated Posture + Savasana
Sit in any comfortable position, and align your cranium over your pelvis. Float the back of your skull upward and gently lower your chin. Raise your side waist up. Broaden your ribs and deepen your breath. Feel the lateral expansion. Stay for 5 minutes.
To Finish Rest in Savasana (Corpse Pose) for several minutes.