Yin Yoga · Beginner

Reclined Twist

Reclined Twist yin yoga pose
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At a glance

Hold
2–5 minutes per side
Level
Beginner
Target areas
spinelower backhips
Meridians
gall bladderurinary bladderliverspleen
Props
cushionbolster
Counterpose
Rest on your back with knees bent, feet on the floor, and let the spine re-center for a few breaths. · A gentle knees-to-chest hug to neutralise the lower back.

Time your hold

Three soft ticks and a bell when you're done, so you can close your eyes and stop watching the clock.

How to do it

  1. Lie on your back and hug both knees in toward your chest for a moment.
  2. Let both knees drop over to one side, stacking them where they naturally want to land — you don't need to force them all the way to the floor.
  3. Where you place the knees changes where you feel the twist: drawn higher toward the chest, the rotation moves into the upper back; lowered toward the floor, it settles into the lumbar and sacrum. Play until it feels right for you.
  4. Open the opposite arm out along the mat and turn your gaze softly toward that hand.
  5. If your top shoulder floats up, that's fine — let it rest wherever it lands rather than pinning it down.
  6. Find your edge — about 60–80% of your capacity, a real stretch but never forcing — then let the shape do the work.
  7. Slide a cushion under the knees if the twist feels sharp, so the prop takes the strain instead of your spine.
  8. Be still, soften your jaw, and let each exhale melt you a little deeper.

Why practice it

Before you go

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Take care

  • Ease off if you have disc trouble or any history of disc injury — keep the twist gentle and let a cushion under the knees carry the weight rather than deepening the rotation.
  • Twisting should never create sharp or shooting sensations; if it does, back out and take less.
  • In later pregnancy, favor an open twist (knees only lightly to the side) rather than a deep closed one.
  • If you rest the top arm overhead and feel tingling in the hand or fingers, bend the arm, lower it, or rest it on the ribs — tingling is a sign a nerve is being compressed.

Coming in & out

Into the pose

  • From lying on your back, hug the knees into the chest, then let them drop to one side.

Out of the pose

  • Come out slowly — draw the knees back to center using your belly, and pause on your back before the second side.

Common questions

What does a Reclined Twist stretch?

It rotates the whole spine and releases the muscles along it, opens the outer hip and IT band on the top side, and stretches across the chest as the top arm reaches away. Where you feel it most depends on how high or low you drop the knees.

How long do you hold Reclined Twist in Yin Yoga?

Most people hold it for 2–5 minutes per side. It's one of the most restful, Yin-like shapes there is — a classic final pose before rest — so settle in and stay as long as it feels good. Come out a little sooner if you ever need to.

Is a Reclined Twist safe for the lower back?

Kept gentle, it's one of the calmest ways to move the spine. Let the knees rest wherever they land rather than forcing them down, and slide a cushion under them to carry the weight. Ease off, and keep the twist shallow, if you have disc trouble — a twist should never create sharp or shooting sensations.

What's the difference between a Reclined Twist and Cat Pulling Its Tail?

Both twist the spine while lying down, but a Reclined Twist keeps both knees together and stacked, while Cat Pulling Its Tail splits the legs — the top leg bends back and the bottom leg reaches forward — adding a quad and hip-flexor stretch to the rotation.

Practice it

In a routine

Gentle Beginner Yin 19 min · A gentle 19-minute beginner Yin Yoga routine — simple, well-supported shapes with an easier option in every pose, and a built-in hold timer. No props, no experience needed. Shoulders, Neck & Desk Relief 19 min · A 19-minute Yin routine for the shoulders, neck and upper back — open the chest and unstick tight shoulders after a day at the desk. Morning Wake-Up 21 min · A gentle 21-minute morning Yin routine to wake the body — soft backbends, an easy twist and gentle hip openers, with a built-in hold timer.

More classes like this

Yin Yoga for Lower Back Every class in the library for this part of you Yin Yoga for Hips Every class in the library for this part of you

In a class

Bend Like Bamboo 90 min · A 90-minute full-body Yin practice for flexibility — shoulders, back, hips and legs, held long and slow. Every pose has a gentle version and a deeper one, so it meets you wherever you are today. Movie Night Yin 90 min · A 90-minute full-body Yin class with a playful movie-night theme — long, deep stretches from shoelace to sphinx to build body awareness and quiet a busy mind. All levels. Deep Relaxation Yin 60 min · A 60-minute beginner-friendly Yin class for deep relaxation and stress relief — gentle, supported holds to unwind body and mind. Class 1 of the monthly series.

Related poses

Cat Pulling Its Tail Cat Pulling Its Tail is a reclined twist variation that adds a quad and hip-flexor stretch. Cues, hold times and gentle disc-safe cautions. Banana Banana is a gentle yin side-body stretch that opens the ribs and outer hips. Cues, hold times and simple cautions to keep the hips grounded. Happy Baby Happy Baby is a gentle yin opener for the inner groin and lower back. Cues, hold times and cautions to keep the head and shoulders grounded. Corpse Corpse Pose is the final rest in Yin Yoga, calming the nervous system and letting your practice settle. Learn how to rest well, with props and cautions. Reclined Swan Reclined Swan, or Eye of the Needle, is a gentle figure-four hip opener done on the back — kind to the knees. Learn the cues, benefits, hold time and cautions.

Put it all together

When you want the whole practice

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