Twists and other back exercises

Exercise 1

Sidebend. Stand with your feet apart, straight back, right hand on the hip or upper thigh, left arm lifted up  and bend slowly to the right to the count of 1-2-3-4-5. While bending let your right hand slide down your leg for balance. Keep the legs perfect straight with no bend at all. Do 15 repeats on both sides.

Exercise 2

In this exercise you're going to do a frontbend with twist. The same way as the frontbends do it will loosen up your vertebrae for backbending.

Stand with your feet apart and bend forward. Grasp the right ankle with the left hand and left ankle with the right hand. If you feel comfortable and can keep the position you don't have to hold on to the legs. Keep the legs perfect straight with no bend at all. To the count of 1-2-3-4-5 twist the head and shoulders to try to face the front. Change legs and repeat the other way. 15 repeats.

Can be assisted to improve the twist.

Your goal in this exercise it to do the a total twisted frontbend as above.

One of the ways to easily get to the twists is to sit on a chair and do as above in the picture, at the floor holding on to a wall bar or to lie on your couch or bed and twist.

Assisted: There are many ways to assist twists, but one of the better is this one. Sit on the floor with your knees bent for stability as shown above. The assistant should hold your shoulders and help you with the twist firmly as far as possible and then hold for 45 seconds. Do 15 repeats to both sides.

This is what you should strive for.

Exercise 3

In this exercise you're going to do a frontbend with twist and then continue to a split. Grasp the right ankle with the left hand and left ankle with the right hand. Keep the legs perfect straight with no bend at all. To the count of 1-2-3-4-5 twist the head and shoulders to try to face the front. If you're not supple enough change legs and repeat the other way. 5 repeats. When you can, grasp the legs and have a good grip of the ankle – that is important and also hold the other leg.

Now commence to get the legs slowly wider apart while maintaining the twisted position.

Continue to split with the legs getting wider apart and maintain a good grip of the foot and hand on the other leg. Progress through the position as above...

...until you have sunk to the floor properly into a classic split and side bend. Repeat 15 times.