Hot Yoga Pose Forums > Ardha Matsyendrasana: Half Spinal Twist
I feel like this pose is very cool looking. It's almost trippy when you start looking further and further.... At the aquarium I had the opportunity to count the vertebrae in a whale spine. I forget how many I counted but my fist fit inside the internal space where the spinal chord would be.
During Hot Yoga, The whole body is working towards detox yes? Which mainly is done in our liver... I've heard the reason why alcoholics get cirrhosis of the liver is because that organ can no longer detox the chemicals from the brain, blood, and spinal chord.
In really looking at this pose Would the twisting of the spine help push blood down to our liver and lower cavities further promoting detox?
AlexandriaS
Right on, Alex - I love this pose! After all the warming up to this pose, I feel a bit like the girl in the exorcist: my head just keeps turning! But what I really like about this pose, is that I can mark how much flexibility I've gained, I can twist more every time.
KristinaS
It also feels like a workout for my eyes! It's like by constantly looking for the next spot is a slight strain on the eyes, sometimes it even makes me dizzy. But afterwards they immediately feel better. I wonder how that effects your nervous system...and on your vision!
Melina
I never get dizzy but I can see what you're saying, Melina...and moving the eyes does build the optic muscle. Eye exercises like this are well known for helping people to strengthen their vision (Note the book, "Take off Your Glasses and See") And....perhaps you have to allow your eyes to go a little-out-of-focus if you want to see what's beyond the horizon....
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
This pose is amazing! I can feel the twist so much more deeply now and see so much further around. I do notice that I have a much harder time keeping my shoulders level on one side and really have to work to lift on the inhale.
Mallory Maier
Aimee, you can glance in the mirror just before you twist to level your shoulders; then you can see which shoulder needs a bit more pull down. Once the shoulders are level, lift the chest/inhale and begin the twist. Also helpful when you are in the twist is to move the shoulders around more - this is actually quite easy and it lets go of tension that might have you frozen and suddenly your whole twist goes inches further.
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
Love this one and the wringing out of my spine. I have gotten to the point where I can't really move my kick stand hand any further around so I have started holding onto the thigh for the extra twist.
GabbyL
No need to move the kickstand Gabby: like the locked leg of the standing poses the kickstand arm behind you gives you a stable point to stretch deeper from. But once you are fully stable you can indeed wrap her hand atop your thigh and twist even more... Just hold tight!
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I really focus on keeping my shoulders square in this pose while I'm twisting. While I really like this pose too at the end, wringing out that dirty sponge, I see it all too often where people are twisted but without shoulders square.
HeatherS
Yes, Heather, to get the most from the wringing, keep the spine lifted and straight, shoulders square and here's another tip: keep moving your eyes a little further, a little further: your body follows your gaze so as long as you never settle your gaze, that sponge just keeps wringing out the old and ringing in the new
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I have to keep checking in the mirror to make sure I'm keeping my spine straight and shoulders square. I usually cant hold my opposite knee but grabbing the mat and towel helps facilitate the twist. This pose used to feel better, my hips are tighter lately and I cant twist as much as I used to. But it does always feel good after wringing out the spine!
KimA
I have never held my opposite knee either Kim, until TODAY! Its ironic that I'm reading and posting this on the same day it happened.
In 8am music class, Rhonda said to me "Tina, grab your knee" I thought to myself, I can? And she was right i could, to my surprise! So i encourage you to try, you will surprise yourself. I also wrapped my arm around my waist too. That was fun and what a difference in the depth of the twist. My shoulder does come a little forward during the twist so i have to be conscience of really pulling it back.
Another thing i have learned to correct is keeping my chin down and head level as i move my eyes further back to look in the front mirrors.
TinaA
This is a great progression Tina. I am so happy for you. On some days I can hold my knee and on some days I feel I get more deeper extension and better alignment when I hold my towel. This is something that is work in progress for me right now. I would love to have the beautiful spinal twist.
Alfia
i like that u are continuing to go further into this pose, but listening to your body, alfia. i feel like sometimes when i wrap my arm around my waist i don't get the twist that i normally do when it is on the floor and i use my arm like a kick stand. my favorite part of this pose is when i can feel or hear the popping sound in my back! feels sooo good!
danielle bumber
Congratulations Tina and yes Alfia this pose is a work in progress and there always is a place to progress to. Grace at some point the kickstand becomes the obstacle; when you wrap your arm be sure to grab the thigh and use that leverage to twist deeper. Wrapping helps deepen the twist unless you are holing your shoulders forward rather than pulling them balck so as Tina said, mind the shoulders
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I have stopped using my "kickstand" in this pose and it feels so much better to me. I love the wringing out my back.
Becky
Yes, Rebecca, at some point, in order to twist further, you need to lift up that kickstand arm (just like riding a bike). Keep wrapping your arm around and reach with your fingertips for your inner thigh then brace yourself and twist further, deeper, stronger
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I have been able to remove my kick stand on a few occasions, but I feel the like most important part of this pose is the set up. When my back is sore, the proper set up gives me all that I need. Getting my leg up and over and getting my knee in the center of my chest and hips even on the mAt always feels good. It is a perfect way to recheck my posture and alignment after the back series. Pulling my collar bones apart helps the level my shoulders and this give me a great deal of back pain relief.
Brittany Yard
I love the feeling after we do this pose. It feels like I'm wringing everything out of my body. The script is really helpful with this pose, since, as Brittany says, the setup is so important. Once Rhonda gave me the cue to stretch my collarbones apart before beginning the twist, I feel like the pose completely changed for me. Now, I feel like I'm sitting up much straighter and can twist over a straighter spine.
Chrissy Graziano
Brittany, you hit all the nuances on this pose that make it so beautiful at the end of class...and Chrissy and Brittany the collarbones pull is such a lovely touch as it really makes this twist feel more like you are glancing over your shoulder - the "twist" is already accomplished in the small set ups and the ability to simply look further and further is just the next logical step. When yoga no longer feels like a great effort, you begin to feel its power.
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
I´ve come a long way in this pose and can look further around with my eyes as my neck muscles have elongated and stretched since starting my practice. I focus on keeping my shoulders in line, apart and down and pushing back my knee with my elbow and this helps my twisting and eyes to look further around. My kickstand arm is closer to my back when twisting around right then the left. I love the release of the back/leg /arm muscles and blood vessles after this pose.
Lisa O'Rourke
Lisa it seems like the whole body opens all channels in a twisting pose doesn't it? A yogi once told me that this pose clears all blockages ... from digestive jams to traffic Jams!
Rhonda Uretzky, E-RYT
What really makes this pose for me, is sucking my stomach in as I twist. It gives me so much more mobility so that I can feel that “wringing out” of toxins and blood like Lisa and Rhonda just described.
Stephanie
I was reading the previous posts and I'm intrigued by the book, "Take Off Your Glasses and See". I am going to look into that. I love the feeling of "stretching my eyes" and I have also felt a little dizzy doing this. I have wondered if it has to do with the vestibular system when this happens. Even though your not standing your eyes will work to keep you upright and level. Doin this can increase your line of vision.
The other points of focus for me in this pose are on keeping both hips to the ground. I feel a much deeper hip stretch when I do this. I also focus on keeping my upper body forward onto my hips. This takes more core strength and it is getting easier to stay without the use of my hand, especially rotating left.
Jeanne
This pose comes at the perfect time: you're wringing out the last of the toxins from the your spine after you've squeezed the gross toxins out for the last 85 minutes. Think of wringing out a dirty sponge as you twist more. The easiest way to go deep: never let your eyes settle on any one point; just keep looking for the next thing, the next thing, the next thing.