Thread the Needle

A kneeling rotation: one arm slides under the body and the shoulder and side of the head rest on the floor, rotating the thoracic spine passively.

How to do it

1. Start on all fours with the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips.
2. Slide one arm underneath the body, palm facing up, until the shoulder and the side of the head rest on the mat.
3. Keep the hips stacked over the knees and walk the top hand forward or wrap it behind the back.
4. Hold the twist for the prescribed time, breathing into the upper back.
5. Press the top hand into the floor to come up and repeat on the other side.

Tips

• Keep the hips high over the knees; dropping them turns the rotation into a side bend.
• Rest the head on a block if the shoulder cannot reach the floor comfortably.
• Let the shoulder settle with the breath instead of pushing the twist deeper by force.

Muscles

Primary: Rear deltoid, Traps

Secondary: Erector spinae, Obliques