Rising Sun Stretch
Start from a side-lying position. Flex the top leg so that your hip and knee are bent about 90 degrees. Place both hands out in front of you so that your elbows are straight and your hands are out in front at about chest level. Lift the top hand toward the ceiling, and as your body rotates back, let the weight of the arm gently pull you into rotation. Keep your hips in sidelying position and hold your knee down if needed with the other hand. In the photo, the left sidelying position is shown and the right arm is lifted up and back to help rotate your torso to the right. Hold this position for about 10 breath cycles, focusing on relaxing your position every time you exhale. You should not have any pain - but you may feel a stretch in the chest, ribs, hip or back. As long as it feels comfortable, you're in a good position. If it hurts, back off!Key Points• Start from sidelying, not on your back• Don't bounce, let gravity do the work for you• It is not unusual to be more flexible one direction than the other• If the stretch is too intense, you can flex BOTH hips/knees to 90 degrees and you can bend your elbow and rest your hand on your shoulder.