Vinys
All movements

Lower back, hips, knees, neck, upper back and shoulders

Supine Full-Body Release

A fully supported, lying-down sequence that gently releases the lower back, hips, chest, and neck before your practice begins: the most passive of the four options.

Restorative240 to 300 seconds
Start your first sessionFree · no credit card · your session is built from it

How to do it

  1. 1

    Lie on your back with your knees bent

    Feet flat on the floor, hip width apart, arms resting by your sides. Let your back settle into the shape it naturally makes and stay for a few breaths before anything moves.

  2. 2

    Draw one knee gently in toward your chest

    Hold behind the thigh rather than over the kneecap, and bring it only as close as it comes on its own. Set that foot down and change sides.

  3. 3

    Cross one ankle over the opposite thigh

    Keep the bottom foot on the floor so the opening stays mild, and do not pull anything toward you. If the crossing is not comfortable, leave this part out and rest both knees on support instead.

  4. 4

    Open your arms wide with your elbows bent

    Let the backs of the arms rest on the floor so the chest opens without you pushing it open. If the shoulders will not settle, take a smaller arm position or rest the arms alongside your body.

  5. 5

    Let the base of your skull soften into support

    A folded towel under the head keeps the neck long. Turn the head a small distance each way if that is welcome, or leave the turning out and simply rest facing up.

  6. 6

    Stay with the whole sequence for four to five minutes

    Nothing here is a stretch to work at. If you want it gentler, use less range and shorter holds throughout.

What to watch for

Pulling on the crossed leg to get more. If the front of the crossed hip pinches, take that part out and rest both knees on support instead, because this sequence only works while everything in it stays effortless.

Ways to adjust it

  • Reduce range
  • Shorter hold
  • Remove Figure-4
  • Knees supported
  • Remove Figure-4 component
  • Remove head rotation
  • Neutral support
  • Reduce cactus-arm range
  • Arms alongside body instead of cactus

Other ways to do this movement

Every version below is the same movement set up differently, so one of them usually suits.

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.

One movement is a start. A session is the thing.

A few questions about your body and how it is today, and Vinys builds a session around it, including which movements to leave out.

Start your first session

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.