Basic Yoga Twists: A Spine-Smart Guide to Rotation, Stability, and Choice

Sarah Westbrook
Jan 9
7 min read

Updated: Jan 9

A yoga therapy perspective for teachers and curious students

Twists are everywhere in yoga: seated twists, revolved standing poses, supine twists at the end of class. They’re often framed as cleansing, detoxifying, or wringing tension out of the spine. And yet, twists are also one of the most common sources of discomfort, confusion, and SI joint irritation we see in students.

The problem is not twisting itself.

The problem is how we twist — and where we expect movement to come from.

In this article, we’ll slow twists down and look at them anatomically, functionally, and practically. We’ll explore how different regions of the spine are designed to rotate, why improper twisting can destabilize the sacroiliac (SI) joint, and how to approach twists differently in warm-ups, standing poses, and cool-downs.

This is not about eliminating twists. It’s about making them work for real bodies.

The Spine Is Not One Thing: Why Location Matters in Twists

One of the biggest misunderstandings in yoga is treating the spine as a single, uniform structure. In reality, the spine is made of regions with very different jobs — and very different capacities for rotation.

Understanding this alone can change how you practice and teach twists.

Cervical Spine (Neck): Built to Rotate

The cervical spine has the greatest capacity for rotation in the entire spine. The upper cervical vertebrae (especially C1–C2) are designed to turn so we can look around our environment.

If a student cannot comfortably turn their head in a twist, it’s often a clue that:

The thoracic spine has not rotated enough
They are twisting from the bottom of the neck instead of the top
The head may be forward or tilting to the side

When the rest of the spine is twisting correctly, neck rotation feels effortless.

Thoracic Spine (Rib Cage): The Primary Twisting Zone

The thoracic spine is where most yoga twisting efforts should live.

This region:

Is designed for rotation
Needs rotation to loosen up restrictions
Responds well to breath: inhales lengthen the spine and exhales recruit the correct abdominals that help us rotate

All twists in yoga are improving thoracic rotation, even rotating the lower body is really to improve thoracic rotation and expansion.

However, the thoracic spine often feels stiff — not because it can’t move, but because it hasn’t been prepared. Side bending, conscious breathing, and gradual rotation are often more effective than forcing a deep twist using the arms.

Lumbar Spine (Low Back) & Sacrum/Pelvis: The Anti-Rotation Center

The lumbar spine has very limited rotational capacity. Its facet joints are oriented for flexion, extension, and side bending, not twisting.

When we ask the lumbar spine to initiate the twist— especially over a fixed pelvis — we are increasing the odds of:

Compression
A “crunchy” or sharp sensation
Low back or sacral pain
SI joint irritation or the S-I joint “goes out”

This is why so many people say, “Twists hurt my low back.”

The twist itself isn’t the issue. The location of the twist is.

Twists and the SI Joint: Why Improper Rotation Causes Instability

The sacroiliac joints are designed to be very stable with limited mobility. There is minimal movement available there — but flexible students tend to unintentionally make this area more unstable by:

Overstretching the hamstrings
Uneven hamstrings (one leg is tighter)
Habitually tucking the pelvis

Problems arise when:

The pelvis is fixed (like in seated twists)
The lumbar spine tries to rotate anyway
One half of the pelvis tilts backwards
Side-bending is combined with forward folding and twisting

This often creates torque at the SI joint, leading to:

A dull, aching pain at the back of the pelvis often mislabeled as “low back pain”
Pain in Triangle Pose, Janu Sirsasana and Seated Twists
Symptoms that worsen with stretching the area

Protecting the SI joint means:

Allowing the pelvis to turn with the rest of the spine, especially during warm-ups
Using the abdominals to actively “counter-rotate” when the pelvis is fixed
Preventing pelvis tucking and maintaining active “back of the core” muscles

Warm-Up Twists: Turning Is Not Only Okay — It’s Smart

Warm-up twists are about preparing tissue, not achieving depth.

Key Warm-Up Principles

Turning the whole body is appropriate here
Gradual range builds trust in the spine
Don’t overdo leverage with the arms but do emphasize the breath

Allowing the pelvis, rib cage, and shoulders to rotate together reduces shear forces and helps hydrate spinal tissues.

Use Side Bends to Prepare for Twists

Side bending is one of the most effective ways to prepare the rib cage for rotation. It creates space between ribs and improves breath capacity — both essential for thoracic rotation.

Breath Is Not Optional

Good twisting depends on breath. Inhales literally lengthen the spine and exhales recruit the muscles that both twist and protect the lumber spine from excessive rotation.

Beware Over-Leveraging with the Arms

In warm-ups especially, avoid using arms to pull yourself deeper. Mix in open twists (away from the front leg) with gentle closed twists (towards the front leg).

Standing Twists: Turning vs. Twisting

Standing poses introduce complexity because the legs are involved — and the pelvis now matters even more.

Turning vs. Twisting

Turning: pelvis and torso rotate together
Twisting: ribcage twists one way while the lumbopelvic area resists following.

Turning is often safer and more accessible (but doesn’t teach essential anti-rotation abdominal skills).Twisting requires preparation, clarity, and good cueing.

Open vs. Closed Twists

Open twists (away from the front leg) are safer and prepare the torso to do closed twists
Closed twists (like revolved lunge) can be done as a “turn” letting the pelvis follow, or as a twist, resisting letting the pelvis and low back follow.

Start with open twists. Then close the twist as a turn. Once fully warmed up, then start to resist the pelvis following.

Twist First, Not Last

The spine rotates best when it is closest to neutral (not side bending, not forward folding and not backbending).

Deep flexion or extension reduces rotational capacity and increases risk that the less stable lumbar spine or sacrum may unintentionally twist. This is why twisting first — while upright — often feels better than trying to add rotation at the end of a standing or seated pose.

Counter-Twisting to Protect the Low Back & S-I Joints

Healthy twisting needs active counter-rotation, especially in basic standing poses:

Lengthen the spine maximally with an inhale
Exhale, turn your ribcage while actively resisting letting the pelvis follow.
Then move into the final version of the standing pose. Twist first; not last.
Feel the pelvis trying to turn opposite of the ribcage, especially if you are flexible or have S-I issues.

This balance protects the lumbar spine and SI joints while still directing the rotation where it should be: higher up the spine.

Cool-Down Twists: Offset the Pelvis or Not?

Supine twists at the end of class are often done passively in order to calm the body — but how they’re done matters.

Lumbar Extension-Oriented Bodies

These students often benefit from:

Hugging thighs in to the midline (using a block is great)
Avoiding offsetting the pelvis prior to twisting as it can overarch the low back
Reducing range: focus on anti-rotation and control, not how far you can drop your legs

For them, not off-setting the pelvis focuses the effort in the “front of the core” so their typically underactive abdominals can do their stabilizing work.

Lumbar Flexion-Oriented Bodies

These students may feel better with:

Windshield-wiper-style twists, wider legs
Pelvis offset before rotation to preserve “neutral spine”
Allowing more range to stretch their typically shortened abdominals.

For them, offsetting the pelvis focuses the effort in the “back of the core” so their typically underactive low back muscles can protect their low back and sacrum from flexing and tucking.

The Real Rule: Experiment Intelligently

Instead of prescribing one version, invite students to notice:

Where they feel the twist: big areas of muscle (good) or in the hip crease or spine (bad)
Whether the twist feels soothing or irritating to their usual areas of pain
How comfortable Savasana is will let them know if they protected their back correctly

Final Takeaways: Teaching Twists That Support the Spine

The spine twists the least lower down and the most higher up
Most yoga twisting should happen in the thoracic spine and (effortlessly) in the neck
The lumbar spine and pelvis are the anti-rotation center of the body
Turning is often a smart and skillful choice, especially warming up
Neutral spine allows the deepest, safest rotation
Twisting gets sophisticated and riskier when the spine is also side bending and rounding
Cool-down twists must be adapted to spinal tendencies

Depth in twisting is an advanced skill that is earned through skillful core work, focused presence, and patience. The more the ego seeks range, the more likely the spine will twist where it shouldn’t.

When twists are taught with clarity, patience, and respect for anatomy, they stop hurting — and start liberating.

🎧 Teacher Callout: How to Apply This in Class

If you’re teaching twists in a mixed-level or mixed-body class, consider these guiding principles:

Name the intent of the rotation (casual warm-ups with turns, active core counter-twisting, or nervous-system settling turns)
Keep calling attention to whether the pelvis follows or not. Build your students’ self-awareness.
Cue the core, front AND back (corseting action narrows the ribcage while tone at the back of the pelvis prevents unintended tucking
Twist first, then go deeper into the pose. This is especially relevant for S-I destabilizing poses like Triangle, Janu Sirsasana.
Use the arms and core to create opposite effects: the arms guide the ribcage while the core is resisting the twist.