Lateral movement in yoga refers to stretching to the left and right sides. Other than reaching for your suitcase, you may not have to move laterally much in your daily life. By focusing on yoga poses that require lateral motion, also known as lateral flexion, you can open your lungs, tone your internal and external oblique muscles, and work your leg and back muscles.
Find Calm
While the generally more familiar Sun Salutations work the front and back of your body, Moon Salutations provide a side-to-side workout that results in a cooling, calming effect that opens your hips, increases flexibility, improves your balance and minimizes sports injuries, according to Sage Rountree, a USA triathlon coach and author of "The Athlete's Guide to Yoga." The sequence includes standing stretches to your left and right, then flowing from Goddess to Triangle to Pyramid Poses into a forward lunge on your right. You'll do a side lunge from right to left and reverse the entire sequence on your left side, all the way back to the standing stretches. Then, repeat the entire sequence starting on your left.
Improve Flexibility
Another advantage of lateral poses is to improve flexibility and speed for running sports such as soccer, basketball, tennis and volleyball. One vinyasa -- or flowing -- sequence starts in Warrior II. Then you exhale into Side Angle Pose, inhale up to Warrior II, exhale into Reverse Warrior II and inhale back to Warrior II. Do this five times on both right and left sides. As you progress, you can gradually add Half Moon -- by straightening your front leg and lifting your back leg -- after Side Angle Pose. Then exhale into Side Angle Pose and continue the sequence.
Breathe Better
Do Gate Pose to elongate the intercostal muscles between your ribs to improve breathing and digestion, tone your spine and lose those love handles. Start from a kneeling position and stretch your right leg out straight to your side. Place your foot flat on the floor facing front. Inhale and stretch your left arm up and place your right hand on your right shin. Exhale and stretch to your right side. Hold for a few breaths, then come up and repeat on your left side.
Cool Down
At the end of your yoga practice, use lateral stretches to cool down. Try asanas such as Seated Wide Angle and Head to Knee Poses, stretching to both your right and left. From a seated position, lengthen your neck to the left and the right. Then, place your right hand on the floor and stretch to that side with your left arm overhead. Repeat on your left side. End in Child's Pose for a few breaths before you do Savasana, or Corpse Pose.
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