Seated twist with one leg extended

This stretch gives you a rotational stretch for your core and a stretch in your buttocks at the same time. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your right leg straight in front of you, your left foot crossed over your right thigh, and your hands on the floor behind you (see Figure A).
2. As you inhale, bring your right knee toward your chest and sit up very straight, lengthening your spine (see Figure B).
3. As you exhale, look over your left shoulder, rotate your spine, and tilt your pelvis back. Pay close attention to the position of your pelvis. If you avoid tucking your pelvis under, and you really think about your tailbone reaching for the wall behind you, then you stretch your abs and back, but you also feel a stretch deep in your buttocks.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch with every breath.
5. Switch sides and repeat the same stretch on your other leg.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do bring your knee close to your chest before you twist.
• Do look over your shoulder to lengthen your neck muscles, too.
• Do lengthen your spine before you rotate.
• Don’t tuck your pelvis under or round your back.