Thread the Needle

Parsva Balasana — "side child's posture"

Also known as: Revolved Child's Pose

From hands and knees, one arm threads under the other until shoulder and ear rest on the mat. A soft twist that targets the space between the shoulder blades better than almost anything.

Step by step

1Start on hands and knees, wrists under shoulders and knees under hips.
2Inhale and reach your right arm out to the side, then up toward the ceiling, opening the chest.
3Exhale and thread the right arm under your left arm, palm up, sliding it across the mat.
4Lower your right shoulder and right ear to the floor.
5Keep your hips stacked over your knees, and let the left hand press lightly into the mat — or reach it overhead for more stretch.
6Breathe into the back of the right shoulder for several breaths.
7Press through the left hand to unwind, return to hands and knees, and change sides.

Benefits

✓ Stretches the back of the shoulder and the muscles between the shoulder blades.
✓ Rotates the upper spine gently while the hips stay still.
✓ Releases neck tension as the head rests on the floor.
✓ Feels good after a day at a desk — no strength or flexibility prerequisites.

Make it yours

· Place a folded blanket under the down shoulder or head for cushioning.
· Pad the knees with a blanket if the floor is hard.
· Keep the top hand pressing into the floor to control how deep the twist goes.

Take care

With a recent shoulder, neck, or spinal injury, keep the thread shallow or skip this one.
If resting weight on the side of the head bothers your neck, support the head on a folded blanket or come out.

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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