How long should you hold reclined figure-four spinal twist?

Hold 5 to 8 slow breaths per side, or about 30 seconds, and repeat once more per side if the hip still feels tight. Let the legs settle closer to the floor over time as the outer hip opens, rather than chasing more rounds.

How do you make reclined figure-four spinal twist easier or harder?

Make it easier by supporting the lowered knees on a bolster or stacked pillows so the hip does not have to release as far, or by lowering the legs only partway. Make it deeper by letting the legs lower further and keeping the crossed foot flexed as you relax with each exhale.

What is reclined figure-four spinal twist good for?

It combines a deep glute and outer-hip stretch with a gentle spinal twist in one shape, useful after lower-body training or a long day of sitting. It is a poor choice for a fresh knee injury on the crossed leg, since the figure-four position puts sideways load directly through that joint.

Beginner

Reclined Figure-Four Spinal Twist

This pose links the classic reclined figure-four glute opener with a low-back-friendly spinal twist, so you stretch the outer hip and rotate the spine in one shape. Crossing the ankle over the thigh and lowering the legs to the side reaches the deep glutes and obliques together. It is a soothing, accessible pose that works well at the end of a session or after sitting all day.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Back, Glutes
Type: Stretching, Yoga
Browse by muscle: Gluteus Maximus, Gluteus Medius

How to do it

1
Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
2
Cross one ankle over the opposite thigh just above the knee to form a figure four.
3
Extend the arms out to the sides at shoulder height, palms down.
4
Let both legs lower toward the same side until the outer hip opens.
5
Turn the head the opposite way and relax into the twist as you breathe.
6
Float the legs back to center, uncross, and repeat on the other side.

Tips

Support the lowered knees on a bolster if they hang far off the floor.
Keep both shoulder blades grounded so the twist comes from the mid-back.
Flex the crossed foot to protect the knee of the figure-four leg.

Variations

Common mistakes

The crossed foot points and relaxes instead of staying flexed, letting rotational stress land on the outside of that knee instead of the hip.
Once both legs drop too far to one side without support, the top knee hangs unsupported and pulls hard on the hip you are trying to stretch gently.
Letting the far shoulder blade lift off the floor as the legs lower shifts the stretch out of the mid-back and into the shoulder instead.
The ankle sits low near the knee instead of above it, cranking the crossed knee sideways rather than opening the outer hip.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold reclined figure-four spinal twist?: Hold 5 to 8 slow breaths per side, or about 30 seconds, and repeat once more per side if the hip still feels tight. Let the legs settle closer to the floor over time as the outer hip opens, rather than chasing more rounds.
How do you make reclined figure-four spinal twist easier or harder?: Make it easier by supporting the lowered knees on a bolster or stacked pillows so the hip does not have to release as far, or by lowering the legs only partway. Make it deeper by letting the legs lower further and keeping the crossed foot flexed as you relax with each exhale.
What is reclined figure-four spinal twist good for?: It combines a deep glute and outer-hip stretch with a gentle spinal twist in one shape, useful after lower-body training or a long day of sitting. It is a poor choice for a fresh knee injury on the crossed leg, since the figure-four position puts sideways load directly through that joint.

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