The sequence
- Child’s Pose · 60 seconds. Give the back a folded start.
- Cat Pose · 40 seconds. Round on the out-breath.
- Cow Pose · 40 seconds. Arch on the in-breath.
- Puppy Pose · 50 seconds. Arms long, hips back.
- Sphinx Pose · 60 seconds. A supported backbend. Pubic bone down.
- Cobra Pose · 45 seconds. Lower than Sphinx. Shoulders away from the ears.
- Locust Pose · 30 seconds. On the belly. Lift the chest and the legs only a little. Palms can press into the floor beside you. Skip this if it feels sharp, and rest in Child’s Pose instead.
- Child’s Pose · 40 seconds. Sit back and let the back be round again.
- Downward-Facing Dog · 50 seconds. Bent knees, long spine.
- Mountain Pose · 40 seconds. Stand tall. Weight even in both feet.
- Standing Forward Fold · 40 seconds. Knees bent. Head heavy.
- Halfway Lift · 30 seconds. Hands on shins, chest forward, back long.
- Chair Pose · 40 seconds. Hips back, knees tracking over toes.
- Low Lunge · 40 seconds. Right foot forward, back knee down. Hands on the front thigh.
- Low Lunge · 40 seconds. Left foot forward.
- Bridge Pose · 70 seconds. Lift, or put a block under the pelvis and stay.
- Supine Twist · 50 seconds. Right knee across. Both shoulders heavy.
- Supine Twist · 50 seconds. Left knee across.
- Staff Pose · 40 seconds. Sit with the legs forward. Hands beside the hips. Sit on a blanket so the spine can be tall.
- Seated Forward Fold · 45 seconds. Knees bent. Hinge, do not yank.
- Corpse Pose · 300 seconds. Five minutes of rest is part of a back-friendly practice. Knees bent if you prefer.
If you are pregnant, injured, or dealing with back pain, consult a doctor before you follow this page. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, dizziness, or chest pain. This is movement education, not a diagnosis or a treatment. Read the medical disclaimer.
20-minute back and posture routine is a 20-minute practice written from the pose pages on this site. The longer back-friendly practice. Locust is included as a small lift. Read the pose page and skip it if lying on the belly bothers you. The player above is a timer and a list of cues. It is not a video class, and it is not next to an advertisement. Use the written sequence under the player if you would rather read than watch a clock.
The opening cues include: Give the back a folded start; Round on the out-breath; Arch on the in-breath. Follow the seconds as a suggestion. If a pose says to stay and your knee or your breath disagrees, come out early. Pausing the timer is part of using it correctly. You do not earn the practice by finishing a number.
Nothing in this routine is offered as a treatment. A short practice may help an ordinary stiff day, a loud afternoon, or the few minutes before sleep, depending on which routine you opened. It does not cure back pain, insomnia, anxiety, or an injury. If you are pregnant, hurt, or unsure whether a shape is appropriate, consult a doctor first. Stop for sharp pain, numbness, chest pain, or dizziness.
Read the pose page linked from any line you have not tried. The safety note there is more specific than this overview. Then come back and do the shorter version if the full 20 minutes is more than you wanted. A shorter honest practice is the one worth repeating.
20-minute back and posture routine stays inside this site’s pose library. The minutes on the page are a ceiling, not a target you have to hit. Come out of a shape early, use the modification on the pose page, and leave the last cue for another day if you want. The practice counts when it is calm enough to repeat, including a practice you cut in half.