Lower back, hips and shoulders

Sphinx: Supported

A blanket under your ribs softens the extension, providing gentle spinal opening with extra comfort: helpful for easing into back extension exercises.

How to do it

1. 1

   Fold a blanket into a soft, broad shape

   Aim for an even, soft fold with no hard edges or corners, laid across the mat.

2. 2

   Lie face down with the blanket under your lower ribs

   The blanket sits under the lower ribs, not under the stomach and not under the hips. It does the lifting for you, which is what softens the angle.

3. 3

   Set your forearms down and let yourself rest

   Place the forearms wherever they are comfortable. Because the blanket is already holding your chest up, the effort you add is very small.

4. 4

   Stay for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, breathing wide

   Let each breath travel into the back and sides of the ribs. Use a thinner fold for a gentler version.

What to watch for

Building the blanket so thick that it becomes a firm ridge under the ribs. It should feel like a soft, broad lift, so if pressure gathers along one line, flatten the fold out.

Ways to adjust it

• Reduce depth or use a simpler variation

Other ways to do this movement

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

• Sphinx: Classic
• Sphinx: Low Forearms Forward

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.