Today we’re working with a yoga pose that has a Sanskrit name I can’t pronounce so we are sticking with sphinx pose. This is a floor exercise, but can be done from a chair.

It is a gentle back bend and helps with posture, spinal strength, and can relieve back and neck pain.

We begin by lying on our belly and legs extended behind. Place your forearms flat on the ground, parallel to each other and elbows directly under your shoulders. Make sure your feet are comfortable and then press up onto your forearms. Then hold the position and look straight ahead. Roll your shoulder blades down your back so your shoulders aren’t hunching up to your ears.

Don’t try to over stretch here. We aren’t doing cobra, we are doing sphinx and you adjust to keep a slight bend, not an acute angle. If it hurts, lower yourself. Pain isn’t the goal. Do not do this if you have serious spinal conditions.

From a chair, sit on the forward part of the seat, lean forward, place your elbows or forearms on your knees or thighs. This will give you a curve and you can lift your chin for a deeper stretch. If you would rather, you can sit in chair, hold on to the top or sides of the back of the chair, pulling your chest forward and upward as this will also give you a slight curve and stretch.

Today’s workout:
WARM UP
2-3x
8 baby steps also called heel-to-toe walk (4 forward and 4 backwards)
30-60 second sphinx hold
CIRCUIT
2-3x
8 DB or KB sumo deadlift high pull (DB is 4/side; KB is 8)
6-8 lunges (walking if possible; if not alternate legs with 3-4/leg)
add or subtract weight as needed
rest as needed

I have been doing yoga for years and do a 20 minute stretching session each day before I come down to the gym. I do 6 moves for 3 minutes each and have a 30 second pause to reposition between each move. Once a week, I do a 3 minute sphinx pose. It really does help my back. I hope that works for you, as well.

Yoga poses are nice for stretching and for making you hold a position for some time. I would highly suggest that instead of counting seconds, you set a time and try to breathe in and out, deeply and with awareness. It helps with the whole yoga experience.

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