Are you looking for a quick yoga stretch routine that you can fit into a busy day? Below you can find a short 5 minute guided hatha yoga twist sequence which is focused on spinal twists. I’ll also explore in this blog what hatha yoga sequences are and the benefits of twists in yoga.
Want to jump right into the practice? Follow Irene’s guided 5 minute yoga twists practice on YouTube.
Hatha Yoga Sequences
The difference between hatha yoga sequences and vinyasa yoga is that hatha yoga sequences involve less flowing, dynamic transitions between different yoga postures. Instead more focus is on pausing statically in the yoga poses.
In hatha yoga you are also encourage to bring attention to your physical alignment and ability to breathe freely in the postures. The movements between poses are kept simple. This means that although sun salutations are likely to be done at the start of a hatha yoga class you tend to not transition from one pose to another via a sun salute.
Due to the simplicity of transitions between yoga poses, a hatha yoga sequence can be easily tailored for beginners. I also think for this same reason hatha yoga can make great quick 5 minute yoga sequences, where you can focus on the time spent in the yoga poses themselves.
Twists in Yoga: What Are the Benefits?
Twists encourage us to move our spine. Many of us suffer from back pain at one point in our lives. Spinal twists bring mobility to our spinal muscles. Which can help us with functional movements in life where we might have to quickly turn and twist our spine to one side.
Twists in yoga can also feel energizing and so useful to do when you’ve perhaps been sitting still for a long period and notice your energy levels are dropping.
Hatha Yoga Twist Sequence
Try out these short hatha yoga twist sequence that is made up of three yoga poses or be guided by Irene in her quick 5 minute yoga twists video.
(1) Easy Seated Twist Pose | Parivrtta Sukhasana
Allow here your hips to be heavy and spine long. Inhale, as you reach your arms up and over the head. Exhale, as you twist your torso to the side. You could try first warming up the body by moving in and out of the twists before staying a few breaths in the twist.
(2) Low Lunge with Twist | Parivrtta Anjaneyasana
Set up your position in a Low Lunge Pose with your back knee on the ground and use your inhale to lengthen your spine. On your exhale start to twist to the side of your front leg. You could try bringing your palms together and if you have the space hooking your elbow to the outside of your front thigh. Pause and breath slowly in the pose before changing to the opposite side.
(3) Half Lord of the Fishes Pose | Ardha Matsyendrasana
Allow your bent knee to hug in towards your belly and use your exhale to ground through your hips. Then on your next inhale start to grow tall through your upper body and twist to the side of your bent knee. You can use your arm to hug the knee into your chest and keep focusing on lengthening on your inhale and twisting on your exhale.
Getting Started
I hope you find these tips helpful to do a short yoga practice with twists. I’ve found personally that twists can both be soothing and therapeutic or more energizing and dynamic depending on what your body feels it needs at a specific time.
If you’re interested to learn more breathing in twists—something that sounds simple but is actually quite challenging—check out my other blog post: breathing in twists.
Happy practicing!
X Irene
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