Kati Chakra Asan
(Standing Spinal Twist)
Katichakrasan consist of three words:Kati means waist,Chakra means wheel,Asana means pose.
So, Katichakrasan is a waist-wheel pose. we have to move our waist clockwise and anticlockwise to perform this yoga posture. This pose can be called a standing spinal twist. Katichakrasan means rotation of the waist.
This pose gives a nice stretch to your waist. We often feel stiffness in our spine and back because of sitting for too long. Though minor stiffness is not a big issue but probably gives us a feeling of discomfort. So, just to avoid this discomfort we must practice this pose. Katichakrasan is a very easy pose. it hardly takes 1 minute to practice. In a very less period, it gives you a lot of health benefits. It gives a nice stretch to your back and spine. This pose will strengthen and lengthen your spine. It will make your waist more flexible and supple. A very simple yet very effective yoga posture carries the power to heal constipation if practiced regularly and accurately.
This pose is best to lose excessive fat from your waist. it gives a gentle stretch to your waist and helps you to reduce excessive fat. It has its positive impacts on children who face the problem of constipation. This pose will help you in relieving fatigue, tiredness, stiffness in the neck and trunk region.
Standing Spinal Twist helps to increase the flexibility of your spine and upper back. This pose is also useful for stretching your shoulders and upper chest. Performing this pose also massages your abdominal organs, which helps to improve digestion. Standing Spinal Twist is commonly used as a warm-up pose and as a counterpose after forwarding bends and backbends.
As you perform Standing Spinal Twist, make sure you keep your hips even and your sitting bones in contact with the floor throughout the pose. Allow the twist to come from your spine, not from your hips.
If you have difficulty sitting with your legs crossed in Standing Spinal Twist, you can modify the pose so that one leg is bent and the other leg is extended in front of you. Make sure you twist toward your bent knee and you. Make sure you twist toward your bent knee and alternate which leg is straight when you switch sides.
Benefits:

• This pose will enhance the health of your spine. When we practice this pose, the focused area is our spine. The moment of the spine will lengthen and strengthen the spinal cord. It will enhance the overall health of our spinal.
• Burn fat: Katichakrasan is known for fat burn. This pose will help you in reducing excessive fat. Practicing this pose is very effective in reducing belly fat, love handles, and thighs.
• Relieve constipation: This pose can help relieve constipation. It overcomes the problem related to digestion and constipation. It soothes proper bowel moment.
• Respiratory problems: This is a powerful yoga pose that expands your chest and improves your respiration. Practicing Katichakrasan will expand your lungs which will help you to cure various respiratory problems.
• Strengthen arms: The hand moment in this pose plays a crucial role. Along with your waist, this toned up your shoulder. It strengthens the shoulders, arms, neck, back, and thighs.
• Frozen shoulder: Frozen shoulder generally occurs to an individual who does more physical work which includes hand movement. This pose will release tension and help you to cure frozen shoulder.
• Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s: It helps to ease muscular stiffness happen due to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
• Enhance digestion: This pose will enhance digestion. This pose will help you to enhance the peristaltic moment and improve digestion.
• Improve Manipura chakra: Manipura chakra is the center of vitality. It controls our energy balance and consolidates our health. Practicing Katichakrasan will help you to improve your Manipura chakra.
• Cures uterus problem: This pose will help you to cure uterus-related problems. Our uterus is considered one of the most sensitive parts of our body. it is very important to maintain the health of our uterus to perform better. The regular practice of this pose will cure fallopian tube-related problems.
• Kidney efficiency: The contraction and expansion of muscles will help you to squeeze out the impure blood and replace it with fresh blood. It also ensures the fluxing of adrenal hormones.
• Regulates menstruation: This pose will help you to regulate your menstrual cycle. The massage in your abdomen will help to stimulate the muscles and balance your menstrual cycle. It will also help in reducing menstrual cramps.

Technique:
There are two ways to practice Katichakrasan. The difference between them is hand posture.
Step 1: Stand straight with your feet close.
Step 2: Stretch your hands straight to the chest with your palms facing each other, parallel to the ground.
Step 3: Inhale and exhale naturally.
Step 4: Move your upper body in the left direction along with your hands. The movement should be of your hands and shoulder.
Step 5: Hold on to the side for a few seconds.
Step 6: Relax and get back to the initial position.
Step 7: Repeat the pose to the other side. Repeat all the steps to the rights side.
Step 8: Repeat the pose at least 10 times on both sides.
Pose 2:
Step 1: stand straight as in pose 1.
Step 2: Open your hands horizontally to the floor with your palms facing downward.
Step 3: Place your right hand on the left-back and your left hand on the right shoulder. Move your body toward the right. Make sure you do not move your lower body.
Step 4: Hold on to the pose for at least 30 seconds.
Step 5: Relax and get back to the initial position.
Step 6: Repeat the pose to the other side. The repetition on both sides will be considered a single time.
Step 7: Practice the pose at least 10 times to get visible results.
Precautions:

• Do not practice this pose if you have just recovered from surgery.
• Avoid practicing this pose during pregnancy.
• If you are suffering from a hernia, avoid practicing this pose.
• Consult your doctor before practicing if you have back pain.
• Consult your yoga teacher before practicing if you have a stomach infection.
• It is advisable not to practice the pose if you have high or low blood pressure.
• Avoid practicing the pose in case of abdominal swelling. This may worsen the case.
• Do not practice the pose if you are suffering from cervical spondylitis.
• Avoid neck, back, shoulder, waist belly surgery.
• Do not practice this pose in case of spinal disorder.
• Stop practicing the pose if you feel any discomfort while practicing.
• While practicing this pose your lower body must not move. During the practice of this pose your lower body should not move.

Props and modification:

• If you can’t stand comfortably, use the wall to support yourself.
• To give yourself a bit of a challenge keep some weight in your hands.
• You can ask your yoga instructor for help to perform the pose if you are unable to maintain balance.