Mobility & stretching

Seated upper-body twist

Turning your upper body while seated — keeps the upper back flexible.

Beginner Low impact Sturdy chair
Movement diagram for Seated upper-body twist: seated, arms crossed
Original diagram — start and finish positions.

How to do it

  1. Sit upright with your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Cross your arms and reach for your shoulders.
  3. Without moving your hips, turn your upper body to the left as far as is comfortable and hold for 5 seconds.
  4. Return to the middle and repeat on the right. The NHS suggests 5 times on each side.

Form tips

  • Sit tall before you twist.
  • Let your head follow your shoulders.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the hips turn too.

Easier and harder

Make it easier

Make the twist smaller.

Make it harder

Hold each side for longer.

Sources

  1. NHS: Sitting exercises — checked 3 Oct 2026

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