Half Spinal TwistSave PDF
Ardha Matsyendrasana
ard-ha maht-syen-DRAH-sah-nah
Stretches shoulders and hips
Tones liver, pancreas, kidneys and adrenal glands; expels toxins
Relieves fatigue
How to perform Half Spinal Twist
- Sit with your legs stretched in front of you. Bend your left leg and place your left foot flat on the floor, just outside of your right knee.
- Bring your left fingertips to the floor about a foot behind you. Gently push into the floor to lengthen your spine.
- Reach your right arm up with an inhale.
- Bend your right arm with an exhale, press the elbow against the left knee and twist to the left. Gaze over your left shoulder.
- Hold the pose and take slow, deep breaths.
- Untwist with an inhale. Change sides.
Alignment cues
- Position foot just outside of knee
- Lengthen spine vertically and then twist
- Draw shoulders down
- Press elbow against knee
More yoga poses to discover
Half Spinal Twist (Ardha Matsyendrasana in Sanskrit) is a beginner yoga pose that belongs to the hip openers and seated and twists categories. This asana targets glutes & hip flexors, shoulders and spine, and also involves neck & upper traps muscles. Half spinal twist tones liver, pancreas, kidneys and adrenal glands; expels toxins; stretches shoulders and hips and also relieves fatigue. Refer to the illustration and instructions above for how to perform this posture correctly. Discover more yoga asanas and yogic breathing exercises in our free yoga pose directory – a visual resource for yoga teacher training students as well as practitioners of all levels. Finally, shop our best-selling Yoga Cards products!
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