Jathara Parivartanasana Or The Abdominal Twist Pose: Steps, Benefits, Contraindications, Variations

Jathara Parivartanasana gets its name from Sanskrit where “Jathara” means “Abdomen”, “Parivartana” means “Revolved or to completely revolve” and “Asana” means “Posture” or “Pose”. Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose tones the abdomen and makes the hips and spine more flexible.

Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose works directly with the abdomen which is called the home of digestive fire. This yoga poase strengthens digestion by improving the function of the abdominal organs.

Jathara Parivartanasana balances the functioning of vital organs including the liver, pancreas, and small intestine. You should have a strong Lower Back while practicing Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose.

It is considered very beneficial when Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose is practiced early in the morning. However, if because of some reason, you are not able to practice it in the morning, you can practice this yoga pose in the evening as well. Mornings are preferred as the food is digested and your body has the energy to perform the asanas. But make sure that when you are practicing Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose in the evening, you should have your food five to six hours before you practice as your food takes this much time to digest.

• To practice Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose, lie down on the floor or on the yoga mat in Supine Position i.e. on your back with the legs outstretched straight.
• Stretch your arms out to the sides so that your shoulders are at a 90-degree angle forming the letter ‘T’ and your palms are on the ground.
• While practicing Jathara Parivartanasana , press the lower back into the floor and lengthen the spine.
• Press your feet firmly into the ground and lift your hips up an inch or two moving them off to the left slightly. Lower the hips back down. With an exhalation, lower your knees to the right while practicing the Abdominal Twist Pose.
• Now, stretch the opposite arm to provide a counterpoint to the twist
• At the same time, keep your shoulder blades grounded or you might sprain your upper back and neck.
• While practicing Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose, turn your head to the opposite side and focus your gaze on the fingertips of the hand.
• With the arms stretched on both sides, your chest should be broadened in this position.
• Stay in this position for 3-4 minutes or for as long as you can.
• Practice this yoga pose for as long as you can. Stop when you feel discomfort in your legs or spine.
• Release the pose by inhaling and bringing your gaze and knees back to center. Bring your hips to a neutral place.
• You should pause for a few breaths while taking the twist in the opposite direction.
• This completes one round of Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose.
• Practice the same asana from another side. You can do 3-4 rounds for as long as your body feels comfortable.
• Lie down in relaxation asanas like Shavasana for one to two minutes.

• Inhale while stretching your arms to the shoulder length.
• Deeply exhale while stretching your knees to the side.
• Maintain a constant breath in the final Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose.
• Exhale deeply while bringing your body to the center again.
• Maintain a normal breath for a few seconds after releasing the pose.

• Preparatory Poses: The various preparatory poses for Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose are Adho Supta Matsyendrasana or Reclined Lord of the Fishes Pose, Pawanmuktasana or The Wind Relieving pose and Ananda Balasana or The Happy Baby Pose.
• Follow-Up Poses: The various follow-up asanas for Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose are Locust Pose or Salabhasana and Purvottanasana or East stretch pose.

• Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose tones the digestive system and helps in relieving constipation with regular practice.
• It also improves the functioning of the reproductive system.
• Jathara Parivartanasana strengthen the supporting muscles and tissues, resulting in more efficient, balanced structural alignment and improves the posture
• Abdominal Twist Pose also improve physiological functioning of the human body.
• This yoga pose is beneficial in improving blood circulation throughout the abdominal area.
• It is also a relaxation pose which eases you and makes you feel refreshed if practiced after a very tiring day at work.
• When practiced regularly, it helps in relieving stress and energizes the whole body.
• Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose calms the nerves, alleviated stress and helps in getting rid of mild depression.
• Jathara Parivartanasana massages the abdominal organs and stimulates the digestive system thereby improving digestion.
• Abdominal Twist Pose stretches and strengthens the hips, lower back, and spine.
• With regular practice, Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose is beneficial in making the spine flexible.
• This yoga pose is said to hydrate the vertebral discs and open the rib cage to promote deeper breathing.
• It increases the body metabolism and helps in releasing toxins from the body.
• Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose is also beneficial for people suffering from frequent headaches and migraine.

• While practicing Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose, make sure that you do not let your knees to shift below your pelvis. This will put a strain on the lumbar vertebrae.
• Make sure that your arms and shoulder blades are touching the ground all the time while practicing Jathara Parivartanasana . If your arms and shoulder blades are lifted, this will put a strain on the upper back, neck, and shoulders.
• People suffering from any injury in the back, knees, and hips should not practice this yoga pose.
• People who have had any surgery of knees, spine, hips or back recently should also not practice the Abdominal Twist Pose until they are completely healed.
• People suffering from Hiatal Hernia are not supposed to practice Jathara Parivartanasana .
• People with a very weak Sacro Iliac Joint are also not supposed to practice this exercise pose.
• Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose should not be practiced by people suffering from GERD or the Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease.
• Get out of the pose or release the pose if you feel a sudden sharp and shooting pain in your legs or abdomen.
• If you have any doubts about your condition, consult a physician before practicing Jathara Parivartanasana and always practice asana under the supervision of a trained yoga expert.
• Do not over exert yourself while practicing Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose. Do not push yourself beyond the limits. Go only as far as your body allows.

• While practicing Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose, You can rest your head on a blanket or pillow to support your neck.
• When we twist while practicing this pose, it indicates that we have gone too far into the pose. You can ease out a bit and make sure that both shoulders stay equally grounded.
• You can also use a support like a blanket under your knees while practicing Jathara Parivartanasana . Gradually with consistent and conscious efforts, you will no longer need support and will be able to practice the asana with ease.

• VARIATION 1: To make your sacrum and lower back safe, you can modify Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose by placing a blanket or Yoga Block between your knees. Make sure that you put the block between your knees before taking a twist and squeeze the block while twisting to the side from your upper leg. This allows deeper rotation of the lower back. Like in the normal pose, remember to move your belly away from the knees while practicing this variation of Jathara Parivartanasana .
• VARIATION 2: You can practice another variation of Jathara Parivartanasana or the Abdominal Twist Pose to deepen your breathing. Take a strap and tie it around your upper back and shins. Always keep the buckle of your belt near the knees so you can tighten and loosen the strap after twisting the knee. This pose brings your knees very close to your belly and promotes deeper breathing.
• VARIATION 3: This variation is for the advanced practitioners. While twisting to the opposite side, instead of touching the leg on the floor, you can keep your lower leg one or two inches above the ground in the air.

You can also put a blanket under your pelvis to strengthen the lower spine and support your pelvis.