Yoga Twists: What They Do and How to Twist Safely

Yoga twists are poses in which you rotate your spine, turning the chest one way while the hips stay steady or turn the other way. They move the middle back, stretch the muscles along the ribs and waist, and train the obliques that make the rotation. The popular claim that twists wring waste out of your organs does not hold up: your liver and kidneys do that work, twisting or not.

What happens in your body when you twist

Your spine does not rotate evenly. The neck turns the most. The middle back, the thoracic spine where the ribs attach, turns a fair amount. The lower back, the lumbar spine, turns only a few degrees at each vertebra, because the joints between those vertebrae face each other and block the movement. So most of what you feel as a twist happens above your waist.

The muscles that turn you are the obliques, working as a pair: the external oblique on one side of the belly and the internal oblique on the other. The small deep muscles along the spine, multifidus and the rotatores, help and steady each vertebra. On the side you turn away from, the muscles between the ribs and around the waist get a stretch.

Twists come in two kinds. In an open twist you turn away from the bent or front leg, and the belly stays open. In a closed twist you turn toward the bent or front leg and the belly presses against it, as in Revolved Chair or a deep seated twist. Closed twists feel stronger and compress the abdomen more.

Do twists wring waste out of your organs?

No. This is the claim most people have heard, and it is the one to drop. The idea usually goes like this: twisting squeezes the organs, pushes out stale blood full of waste, and fresh blood rushes in when you let go.

The image comes from a good teacher. B.K.S. Iyengar described twists as a "squeeze-and-soak" action for the organs of the torso. As a cue on the mat it works: you compress as you turn, then let go and breathe. As physiology it does not. Blood in your organs is moved by the heart, around the clock. The liver breaks down waste products and the kidneys filter them out of the blood. No study shows that a twist speeds up either of them.

The tradition is older than Iyengar. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a 15th century text, says Matsyendrasana fans the digestive fire and destroys disease. That is the language of Hatha yoga, where digestion is described as a fire, agni, and it is worth reading as tradition. The promise that a pose clears waste from the body is much newer, and comes from wellness marketing of the last few decades.

What twists can do for you

• Move the middle back. A day at a desk keeps the thoracic spine still. Twisting takes it through a range it rarely uses.
• Train the obliques. Holding a standing twist, or turning against your own resistance, works the sides of the waist. Our guide to core and yoga covers the rest of the trunk.
• Stretch the ribs and waist. You feel it along the side you turn away from, often into the back of the shoulder.
• Help a sluggish belly, for some people. Gentle movement of the trunk can help gas pass, and many students say a lying twist settles the stomach. The evidence for twists in particular is thin, so treat this as a common experience, not a promise.
• Slow you down. A twist asks you to breathe into a compressed ribcage. A slow, long exhale shifts the nervous system toward rest, which is why a lying twist near the end of class feels calming.

How to twist well: five cues

1. Lengthen first. Inhale and grow tall through the crown of the head. A slumped spine twists poorly and puts the load on the lower back.
2. Turn on the exhale. Breathe out and rotate. Inhale and lengthen again. Turn a little further on the next exhale if there is room.
3. Start from the belly. Let the turn begin at the navel and travel up through the ribs, the chest, and last of all the head.
4. Keep the pelvis honest. In a seated twist, keep both sit bones heavy. In a standing twist, decide where the hips point and keep them there.
5. Use the arms lightly. An arm against the knee guides the turn. It should not crank you further than your trunk can go by itself.

Who should skip or modify twists

• Osteoporosis or osteopenia: avoid deep twists combined with a rounded forward bend. Twist gently with a long spine, and ask a teacher or physiotherapist which positions suit you.
• Disc problems in the lower back: bending forward and twisting at the same time loads the discs. Practise upright, shallow twists and stop if pain travels down a leg.
• Pregnancy: choose open twists that turn away from the belly, and skip closed twists that press the abdomen against the thigh.
• Recent abdominal or back surgery: wait for your doctor's go-ahead.
• Sacroiliac pain: let the hips turn a little with the chest in seated twists instead of locking them square.

Common mistakes

• Leading with the head. The neck turns easily, so it can make a twist look deep while the middle back stays still. Turn the head last and only as far as is comfortable.
• Collapsing the chest. Rounding forward shortens the spine and makes the twist smaller.
• Levering with the arm. Pulling hard on the knee forces the lower back, which has the least rotation to give.
• Holding the breath. If the breath stops, back off until it moves again.

Three twists to try

Parivrtta Trikonasana (Revolved Triangle Pose)

A standing twist with a strong stretch in the back of the front leg. Level 1-2. A block under the hand helps most people. Read more in our guide to Trikonasana and its variations.

1. Stand with your feet about a leg's length apart, right foot forward, back foot turned in about 45 degrees. Point both hips forward.
2. Inhale and raise your left arm.
3. Exhale and hinge forward over the right leg with a long spine. Place your left hand on a block, inside or outside the right foot.
4. Turn your chest to the right and reach the right arm up.
5. Stay 5 breaths, lengthening on each inhale. Come up and repeat on the other side.

Parivrtta Ardha Chandrasana (Revolved Half Moon Pose)

A twist on one leg, so balance and core strength come into it. Level 2. Use a block. Learn the upright version first in our guide to Ardha Chandrasana (Half Moon Pose).

1. From Revolved Triangle with the right leg forward, bend the right knee and put your left hand on a block about 30 centimetres in front of the right foot, under your shoulder.
2. Shift your weight onto the right leg and lift the left leg to hip height, foot flexed, toes pointing down.
3. Straighten the standing leg and keep both hips level.
4. Turn your chest to the right and place the right hand on the hip or reach it up.
5. Look down at the block if balance is shaky. Stay 3-5 breaths, then step back and change sides.

Ardha Matsyendrasana (Half Lord of the Fishes Pose)

The classic seated twist, and the one the Hatha Yoga Pradipika names. Level 1. Sit on a folded blanket if your back rounds. Full guide: Ardha Matsyendrasana step by step.

1. Sit with both legs forward. Bend the right knee and place the right foot on the floor outside the left thigh.
2. Keep the left leg straight, or bend it and bring the left heel beside the right hip.
3. Place your right hand on the floor behind you, close to the sacrum.
4. Inhale and lift the left arm. Exhale and hug the right knee with the left arm, or hook the left elbow outside the knee.
5. Inhale to lengthen, exhale to turn to the right. Stay 5-8 breaths, then change sides.

More twists and where they fit

Once these feel steady, Revolved Chair from our guide to Utkatasana (Chair Pose) and its variations and the revolved version of Utthita Parsvakonasana (Extended Side Angle Pose) are the next standing twists. A twisted lunge from Anjaneyasana (Low Lunge) is a gentler place to start. For the belly, Pavanamuktasana (Wind-Relieving Pose) before a lying twist is a traditional pairing. Parsva Bakasana (Side Crow) is a twist on your hands, for later.

In a sequence, twists often come after backbends, to settle the spine, and near the end of class as a lying twist before rest. In Yin yoga a lying twist is held for three to five minutes.

To practise, try Happy Hour: Seated Twists, 45 minutes at level 1 with two blocks, or the 20-minute Twisted Twists flow.

Frequently asked questions

Do yoga twists help digestion?

Some people find that gentle twists and lying poses help gas pass and settle the stomach. There is little research on twists in particular, and no good evidence that they change how well you digest food. If a twist feels good for your belly, use it.

Do twists flush waste out of the body?

No. Your liver and kidneys clear waste products from the blood all the time, and no study shows that twisting speeds that up. The idea grew from Iyengar's "squeeze-and-soak" image, which is a useful cue on the mat and not a description of physiology.

Why do I feel emotional or sleepy after twists?

Twists slow the breath and often come near the end of class, before rest. A long exhale shifts the nervous system toward rest, which can feel like sleepiness or a wave of feeling. It is common and harmless.

Which side should I twist first?

Many teachers start with the right side, turning the chest to the right, and some traditions give a reason tied to the organs. The evidence for that is weak. Do both sides for the same number of breaths and the order matters little.

Are twists safe for the lower back?

For most people, yes, when the spine is long and the twist comes mostly from the middle back. Avoid combining a deep twist with a rounded forward bend if you have disc problems or osteoporosis, and back off if pain travels down a leg.

Can I do twists when pregnant?

Open twists that turn away from the belly are usually fine. Skip closed twists that press the abdomen against the thigh, and check with your midwife or doctor if you are unsure.

How long should I hold a twist?

In an active class, 5-8 breaths per side. In a lying or Yin twist, where the body is supported, three to five minutes per side.