A 40-minute Iyengar Yoga practice dedicated to side bending and lateral extension. Through a carefully sequenced series of poses, you'll create length through the sides of the body, improve spinal mobility, and discover how lateral movements can leave you feeling both physically spacious and mentally refreshed.

In Iyengar Yoga, flexibility is never pursued for its own sake. Rather, mobility becomes a tool for creating balance, awareness, and resilience. This practice explores how opening the body through side bends can also encourage greater openness in the mind, helping us respond to challenges with curiosity rather than rigidity.

Continue your practice inside Po Online where we build on these foundations with structured classes, progressions, and deeper study.

About This Practice

Side bending is often one of the least explored categories of movement, yet it offers tremendous benefits for the spine, rib cage, shoulders, and hips. By lengthening the sides of the body, students develop greater freedom of movement while improving overall balance and posture.

This practice also invites a broader reflection on flexibility. Physical stiffness and mental rigidity often share common patterns. As we learn to create space in the body, we may also become more receptive to new perspectives, possibilities, and ways of responding to life's challenges.

The sequence is both energizing and restorative, offering an opportunity to move with precision while cultivating openness on and off the mat.

What You'll Practice

• Side bends and lateral extensions

• Improving spinal mobility

• Creating length through the sides of the body

• Opening the rib cage and shoulders

• Developing balanced flexibility

• Improving posture and body awareness

• Exploring the relationship between physical and mental flexibility

When to Use This Practice

• When feeling physically stiff

• To improve spinal mobility

• When seeking greater openness through the torso

• As a full-body stretching practice

• When looking to reset both body and mind

Who This Is For

• Students wanting greater spinal mobility

• Practitioners exploring side bends

• Anyone looking to improve flexibility with stability

• Students seeking a refreshing, full-body practice

• Both beginner and experienced Iyengar Yoga practitioners

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are side bends important in Iyengar Yoga?

Side bends improve mobility through the spine and rib cage while helping create balanced length throughout the torso. They also develop awareness of movements that are often overlooked in daily life.

Is flexibility the primary goal of this practice?

No. While flexibility may improve, the emphasis is on creating balanced movement, greater awareness, and intelligent organization throughout the body.

How do side bends benefit the spine?

Lateral extensions encourage the spine to move in a different plane than forward bends or backbends, helping improve overall mobility and maintaining balanced spinal health.

Can this practice help improve posture?

Yes. By creating length through the sides of the body and improving awareness of spinal alignment, many students find side bending practices support healthier posture.

Why connect physical flexibility with mental flexibility?

Yoga invites us to observe how we respond to challenge. As we cultivate greater adaptability in the body, we often become more receptive, resilient, and open in other areas of life as well.

Is this practice suitable for beginners?

Yes. The sequence is accessible while providing enough depth and refinement to keep experienced practitioners engaged.

Continue Your Practice

If you enjoyed this class, you can continue your practice across the Studio Po ecosystem:

• Practice in-person at Po Toronto

• Explore full-length classes inside Po Online

• Read reflections and insights on Stephanie’s Blog