There’s just something so satisfying about a good side body stretch. In yoga, we do a lot of folding into poses like Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend), so incorporating side body stretches helps balance out your entire body.
Side body stretches, also known as lateral bends, help align our body’s systems. According to “Yoga Toolbox”, side body stretches balance systems including:
- Circulatory
- Digestive
- Immune
- Lymphatic
- Muscular
- Nervous
- Respiratory
- Skeletal
In the classes I teach, we usually do side body stretches in both the warm-up and in our flows. Here are some tips for side body stretching and some poses to incorporate into your practice to feel great all throughout your body.
Remember: always consult your physician before beginning a yoga practice.
Side Body Stretch Tips
While each yoga pose will have specific recommendations for safely getting into a pose and achieving the full benefits, there are a few general guidelines that can help you maximize the benefits of a side body stretch. In general:
- Keep your heart open. By that, I mean, don’t collapse your upper body down. Rather, open the heart to the front or even upward so that you’re stretching toward the side, rather than stretching into a forward fold or hunching your back.
- Stay grounded. As we stretch to one side, we may have the tendency to shift our weight into the side we’re stretching. For example, if you’re stretching to the right side while seated, you may notice your left hip is lifting off the ground. Or, if you’re stretching to the right while standing in a pose like Crescent Moon (Indudalasana), you may find that the right side of your body is carrying more weight than your left. Remind yourself to stay grounded in your seat or in your feet, so you continue to distribute your weight evenly, while stretching the upper body.
- Breathe deeply. We want to keep expanding our rib cage by taking deep breaths in our side body stretch. Keeping your heart open allows your rib cage to expand, while collapsing inward could constrict your breathing. Use the breath as a guide when you’re deepening the pose.
Like with any yoga pose, it’s helpful to use micromovements to go deeper and find your edge, without progressing to the point where a pose is painful. Ease into your side body stretch slowly, using your breath as a guide, while staying grounded and keeping your heart open.
Side Body Stretch Ideas
Both in class and in everyday life, you can incorporate side body stretches to balance your body’s systems. The following are some ideas.
- Easy side body stretch: While seated on your yoga mat, place your right hand down on your mat. Reach the left arm toward the right. Keep your heart open, and stay rooted in both your sitz bones. You can also do this seated in a chair at work, by placing your right hand on your hip instead. Breathe, and switch sides.
- Crescent Moon (Indudalasana): Standing, interlace your hands overhead, and release your index fingers toward the sky. Bring your biceps towards your ears. Inhale, and as you exhale, release your arms to the right. Inhale up toward center, and exhale to the left. Repeat as much as you’d like, elongating the hold if you’d like. Keep your heart open, and stay evenly rooted in both your feet.
- Bananasana (Banana Pose): Here’s a bedtime yoga idea. Lying on your back, bring your feet toward your left side. Reach your arms overhead, and bring them toward the left, also, to bring your body into a crescent moon shape. Breathe deeply, switch sides, and repeat.
What’s your favorite way to stretch out your side body? Leave your feedback in the comments.
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