Twisting poses are one of the most transformative asana categories in yoga. While we mostly focus on spinal rotation when performing twists, in this advanced class we will try to see how proper engagement of the hips can create the foundation for deeper, more expansive twists throughout the body.
The class begins with a basic sequence of Uttanasana and Adho Mukha Svanasana followed by Adho Mukha Vrksasana and Pincha Mayurasana to stabilise the core and energise the body. These inversions will help us find and activate the internal lift necessary for maintaining length in the spine during the twisting sequences that follow.
We continue with standing twists such as Parivritta Trikonasana and Ardha Chandrasana. Through those poses we can explore how the relationship between grounding and extension directly influences our capacity to twist. The standing poses reveal how hip alignment creates the stable foundation from which rotation can safely emerge without compression in the lower back.
In the middle of the class, we move on to asymmetric forward bends such as Janu Sirsasana and Triang Mukha Eka Pada Paschimottanasana, and the Simple Cross Legs Twist. These poses allow for deeper exploration into how the positioning of the hips—particularly the interplay between external and internal rotation—determines the quality and depth of spinal twisting. Throughout these postures, we maintain awareness of how the breath can create additional space between vertebrae, enabling more pronounced rotation.
We will go through Supta Padangusthasana 1 and 2, where we use the support of the floor to release tension in the hip flexors and hamstrings—muscles that, when tight, restrict our twisting capacity. This is then followed by two more supine poses that are aimed at our abdominal muscles.
We go into Setu Bandha Sarvangasana where the elements of backbending, hip work, and subtle rotation come together at the same time to further the actions we have so far performed while also helping us to release accumulated tension in the targeted areas.
We finish this session with the cooling inversions of Halasana and Sarvangasana, which help neutralise the spine after the intensive twisting work. These poses allow the nervous system to integrate the new patterns of movement we’ve established throughout the practice. The session closes with Savasana, giving practitioners time to absorb the effects of the practice and notice the newfound space in both body and mind.
Throughout the class, emphasis is placed on how proper hip alignment creates the conditions for safe, expansive twisting. By understanding this relationship, practitioners will discover how to access deeper rotation without added strain, finding freedom and mobility that extends beyond the physical practice.
Video stills from this sequence
