Marichyasana - Seated twist (variation)
The ribs support the thoracic cage. The lumbar vertebral facets travel forward and back, preventing any spinning, and the spine is prevented from doing much rotation. Only the T12–L1 junction, which connects the thoracic and lumbar spines, is responsible for much of the bending.
The strain generated by the twist, on the other hand, is maintained in the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae. As a result, the pose is also beneficial for osteoporosis. It's a great way to bulk up your bones.
Twist to the other side if you have a herniated disc. Be patient with yourself if you have facet arthritis or facet syndrome; the other poses suggested here might be better test cases for you. Since abdominal or back surgery, or a posterior hip replacement, avoid this position.
THE POSITION
1. Sit on a rug or fluffy mat with your legs spread forward.
2. Raise your back by pressing your palms flat on the floor beside you.
3. Bend your right knee and put your foot beside the thickest section of your left leg on the mat.
4. Tightly anchor the left leg down, extending the sole of the foot fully. Stretch the big-toe side of the foot in particular forward, leaving it upright.
5. Raise your neck and move to the right on the next inhalation.
6. Put your left upper arm in front of your right leg.
Slide it forward as far as you can without rounding your back to engage the outside of the folded knee as high up on the arm as possible. Lift your forearm and hand to vertical if desired.
7. Balance by pressing the outside of your left leg with the outside of your left upper arm or armpit, sliding your left forearm to the left of your right shin, reaching out behind you with the left hand, and walking your right hand out to the left on the floor.
It would even straighten your back and elevate your shoulders.
Here's the test:
- Is your belly being compressed by your right leg, preventing you from twisting any further?
- Are you unable to twist across your left leg because it is so thick?
- Straighten up with each inhalation and twist a bit harder when you exhale to test this. Walk your right hand around behind you into the left each time you twist to coax the right shoulder around. Pull your left shoulder blade back and propel your left breast forward and to the right (not your shoulder).
- Is the balance thrown off by buttock flesh?
- Is it difficult for your left arm to pass by your right thigh due to a lack of space?
If you answered yes to all of these questions, weight and dimension are important factors in your case. Of course, friction, a herniated disc, rotator cuff syndrome, and other causes unrelated to weight may make twisting difficult.
To see if it's fatigue or the size of your limbs and belly that's restricting you, compare your sitting-on-the-floor twist to the same twist standing up with your foot on a chair, as in the first pose above. If you're having difficulty judging, seek assistance.
