3 Feel-Good Yoga Stretches for Flexibility (and Less Stiffness!)

Have you noticed that your body feels a bit stiffer these days, especially in the morning?

You’re not alone. As we age, our bodies naturally tend to lose some flexibility – but the good news is that gentle, mindful movement can help us maintain and even improve our range of motion.

Today I’m sharing three of my favorite therapeutic yoga stretches that can help you feel more comfortable and mobile in your body. I use these with my yoga therapy clients AND in my own routine!

What makes these stretches so beneficial is how they work with multiple areas at once while remaining gentle and accessible.

Puppy Pose: Release Upper Back Tension

If you spend time at a computer or looking at your phone (and who doesn’t these days?), you might notice tension building in your upper back and between your shoulder blades. Puppy Pose helps counteract that forward-rounded posture while creating space in your thoracic spine. It’s also a fantastic shoulder stretch.

Many of my students tell me this stretch feels like a peaceful way to “undo” the effects of daily activities that cause us to hunch forward.

How to Practice Puppy Pose:

1. Start on hands and knees, with your hips directly above your knees.
2. Walk your hands forward while keeping your hips where they are.
3. Lower your chest toward the floor.
4. Rest your forehead on the mat or a cushion.
5. Let your upper arms and chest sink toward the floor.

Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose: Breathe Easier

This pose works multiple areas simultaneously, making it particularly effective for overall flexibility. It stretches the intercostal muscles between your ribs, which can help you breathe more fully and easily. At the same time, it creates length through your hamstrings and inner thighs – areas that often get tight.

Remember, the goal isn’t necessarily to reach your toes. Instead, focus on maintaining length in your spine and your side.

How to Practice Revolved Head-to-Knee Pose:

1. Sit comfortably, using a blanked under your hips if that helps you sit up taler.
2. Extend your right leg long out into a diagonal.
3. Bend your left knee and bring that foot toward your right inner thigh
4. Ground through your sitting bones and grow tall through your spine.
5. Begin to walk your left hand down the left leg, taking hold of either your ankle or your big toe.
6. Stretch the right arm up and over your head into a side bend.
7. Repeat on the other side.

Seated Spinal Twist: Support Natural Movement

Think about reaching for something in the back seat of your car or turning to chat with someone behind you – these everyday movements all require spinal rotation. This gentle twist helps maintain that natural range of motion while releasing tension in your hips and lower back.

What I love about this pose is how it reminds us that yoga isn’t about contorting into extreme positions – it’s about supporting the movements we do every day. When we practice mindful twists like this, we’re investing in our ability to move comfortably through life.

How to Practice Seated Spinal Twist:

1. Start seated with your left leg extended.
2. Bend your right knee and cross that foot over your left leg.
3. Place your right hand behind you for support.
4. Wrap your left arm around your right knee (no need to hook your elbow).
5. Repeat on the other side.

Want me to guide you?

Want to see these stretches in action? This video will walk you through each pose step-by-step, including modifications to make them work for your body.

Remember, consistency matters more than intensity when it comes to improving flexibility. Even five minutes of mindful stretching can make a difference in how you feel throughout your day.

This practice is part of my approach to aging vibrantly through gentle, therapeutic yoga. If you’d like to explore more practices like this, you can find my full collection of gentle yoga videos and programs here inside of Lifelong Yoga Online.

Let me know in the comments: Which of these three stretches feels best to you right now?