How to Do the Ultimate Twist

There are many yoga twists that help detoxify your internal organs and keep your spine supple and flexible. There is one twist in particular that fully rotates your spine from top to bottom. Best yet, this pose uses gravity to accomplish this feat.  Parivrtta Virabhadrasana (Revolved Warrior, otherwise known as Fallen Warrior) is a unique pose to incorporate into your flow, or a cool way to wind down your practice before Sivasana.

Yoga Teddy Bear creator K. Mae Copham shows the steps to get into and out of Fallen Warrior in a video on the Yoga Teddy Bear YouTube channel. To try it, begin in Downward Dog. Lift one leg up, then bring your knee toward your opposite elbow and kick your leg out to the side. Slide your feet apart in an “L” shape and lower to your hip. Bend your elbows and bring your belly and chin to the ground with your arms stretched out to your sides. Your leg is under your body. Keep your chest flat on the floor and turn your head to look away from your outstretched leg. Relax for a while before you press up to your arms and reverse the steps to come out of the pose. 

Special thanks to Robert Oakley for shooting our short how-to video. Happy 4^thof July, U.S.A.! Namaste.

Images: Fallen Warrior Coloring Page by coloring superstar Miss Michele Palumbo of Bay Shore, NY, from Yoga Teddy Bear's Big Little Coloring Book of 108 Poses. On sale now with free shipping! Add a cuddly Plush Teddy Bear for only $12. Photo by Robert Oakley of a young Yoga Teddy Bear practitioner in Fallen Warrior. Video of K. Mae Copham demonstrating Fallen Warrior by Robert Oakley. 

Let's Try Scorpion Pose!

I did my first Scorpion Pose (Pincha Mayurasana) at age 49. Technically, it's an arm stand because I don't incorporate the big backbend and my feet definitely don't even come close to touching my head! But the point is, arm stands can be learned by anyone at any age! Getting upside down has so many benefits: blood flow to the brain, strengthening arms and core, and my personal favorite, changing your perspective.

How did I overcome my fear and conquer arm stands? I tell the whole story here at Sivana East. Spoiler alert: no that is not me on the header image!

And for all those who follow this blog or the Yoga Teddy Bear YouTube channel, I made a little video showing my learning process, from a short warm up to summersaulting out of an arm stand attempt. Here is the link to the new post. (Or keep scrolling to the bottom of this post.)

Since we're required to mention this in our communications, just let me say that Yoga Teddy Bear does not share your information with anyone, and you are free to unsubscribe at any time. Thanks for your interest in the Yoga Teddy Bear project!

Images: Scorpion Coloring Page by coloring superstar Miss Michele Palumbo of Bay Shore, NY. Photo by Robert Oakley of K. Mae Copham in an arm stand next to a pond in New Paltz, NY.