Lower back, hips and knees

Gate Pose: Movement

Flowing gently in and out of the side stretch mobilises your side body and spine with rhythm and breath, never holding long enough to strain.

How to do it

1. 1

   Kneel on one knee with the other leg extended

   Set the position the same way as the held version, then plan to keep moving rather than settling.

2. 2

   Bend to the side as you breathe out

   Reach the top arm over and travel only to the middle of your range. You are passing through, not arriving.

3. 3

   Come back upright as you breathe in

   Return all the way to tall. The travelling in and out is the practice here, not the end position.

4. 4

   Keep repeating slowly for thirty to sixty seconds

   Let the range grow only as long as the movement stays smooth. A chair version or a smaller arc are both fine.

5. 5

   Change sides and work the second side

   Reset the kneeling padding before you start the second side.

What to watch for

Using momentum to reach further than a held version would allow, and bouncing at the end of the bend. Stop where the movement can still be reversed smoothly.

Ways to adjust it

• Smaller range
• Chair
• Blanket under knee

If this one is too much today

Try the gentler version instead. It asks less of you and does much the same work.

• Gate Pose: Seated Chair

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits. See all Gate Pose versions in one place, ordered from gentlest to strongest.

• Gate Pose: Classic
• Gate Pose: Seated Chair

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.