Yoga for Men, Part II: Closed Twists

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by guest blogger Holly Walck Kostura, certified Iyengar Yoga teacher

Dear Male Yogis,

Last month, in Yoga for Men, Part I: Forward Bends, we learned a sequence that shines some light on poses that are both challenging and necessary for men's bodies to practice. We started the process of stretching the muscle groups around the hips, low back, and backs of the thighs. I hope you learned something about the way your body stands, sits, and bends forward.

In today's sequence, we're going to go deeper and build upon the work we've done by adding in some "closed" twists (turning toward a bent leg), and we'll end with a pose that will open you back up again.

As a preparation for this sequence practice, try Yoga for Tight External Rotators and/or Downward-facing Dog Pose (Adho Mukha Svanasana).

Yoga for Men, Part II: Closed Twists

Reclining and Revolved Hand-to-Big-Toe Pose (Supta Padangusthasana I & Parivritta Supta Padangusthasana)



Intense Stretch Pose (Uttanasana) on a chair, knees bent and legs apart



Seated Twist dedicated to Sage Bharadvaja (Bharadvajasana) on a chair, with a block between the knees



Seated Twist, dedicated to Sage Marichyi (Marichyasana III)



As a preparation for the chest and shoulders in the next pose, Intense Stretch of the East, practice Utthita Hastasana at the wall.

Intense Stretch of the East Pose (Purvottanasana) with hands on blocks



As always, end with a deep Corpse Pose (Savasana).

Namaskar,

Holly

Holly Walck Kostura uses the healing practices of Ayurveda and Iyengar Yoga to secure her to the core of her being. Combining her bachelor's degree in nursing with her certification in Iyengar Yoga gives her the ability to approach her students from a place of wholeness and infuse her yoga classes with a unique flavor. Find her online at yogawithholly.com.

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