How to do Side Bend Left

Instructions

From a standing position, pull your belly button to your spine for core activation. Press your feet down into the floor and tuck your coccyx (tailbone) slightly to your chest to feel length in your lower back. Reach your arms out wide and trace a big circle until reaching straight upwards. Have palms shoulder width apart at the top, activate your core once again and then lift your fingers tips up to the ceiling as you slowly bend to the side. Feel a continual lift of the hands, the head and the chest towards the sky. Only go as far to the side as feels comfortable in the spine.

A common mistake is to forget to activate your core which means the pose puts undue stress on the back. The core needs to be firmly activated and supportive as you lean sideways. If there is any feeling of compression or any feeling of discomfort in the back, go less deep into the side-bend.