Category: Twists
Level: beginner
Hold: 5–10 breaths per side
Type: Asana
Breath: Inhale to lengthen up through the crown, exhale to turn a little further.

Simple Seated Twist

Parivrtta Sukhasana — "revolved easy posture"

Also known as: Easy Twist, Easy Pose Twist

Cross-legged, sitting tall, turning gently to one side — the simplest twist there is. A good way to start or end almost any practice, and the shape most other twists grow from.

Step by step

1Sit cross-legged with your hips elevated on a folded blanket or cushion.
2Rest your hands on your knees and inhale to sit as tall as you can.
3Exhale and turn to the right, bringing your left hand to your right knee and your right fingertips to the floor behind you.
4Let the twist start low in the spine and travel upward, with the head turning last.
5Stay for a few breaths — inhale to grow taller, exhale to rotate gently, never forcing.
6Return to center on an inhale and repeat to the left.

Benefits

✓ Rotates the spine gently through its full length.
✓ Loosens the mid back and shoulders after sitting.
✓ Takes almost no setup, so it works anywhere — including a desk chair.
✓ Teaches the basic twist mechanics you'll use in every stronger twist.

Make it yours

· Sit on a blanket, bolster, or block so your knees settle below your hips — the twist improves immediately.
· Sit sideways on a chair and hold the chair back with both hands for an upright, supported version.
· Place the back hand on a block if the floor feels far away.

Take care

With a recent spinal injury, keep the rotation very small or wait until you have guidance.
If any position of the twist pinches, ease back — a twist should feel like a stretch, not a strain.

This is general practice guidance, not medical advice. If something hurts, ease out of it.

Practiced in

Props that help here

Cork blocks (set of 2) — Bring the floor closer in lunges, folds, and triangle — and a block between the shoulder blades turns a backbend into something you can hold. find one

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