Draft
Every direction it's built for
A spine is built to fold forward, arch back, twist each way, and drop into a squat.
That's a fuller range than most days call on.
Yoga, a far older science built on direct experience, holds that taking the spine through its full range each day keeps the body supple. And that it matters more as you age, not less. Some research backs part of that: yoga may gently ease back stiffness and pain over time.
Which direction has yours not been in lately?
What you'll need
- A clear patch of floor
- Loose clothes you can bend in
- A minute when you're not stiff-cold, after a short walk, say
Method
Move slowly through each shape. Fold forward and let your head hang, then rise and arch gently back, hands at your lower back.
Twist to one side, then the other, turning from the waist. Then lower into a squat as far as is comfortable, and rise.
Do the round once a day for a couple of weeks, and notice which direction feels tightest, and whether it opens up as the days go on.