Modifications for Meridian Stretch Exercises
Lung/Large Intestine!
!
Problem: Can’t get your thumbs to interlace due
to shoulder discomfort?
Try holding on to a broom handle to practice extending your shoulder backward.!
Breathe deeply into your whole body as you sustain the posture. The Large Intestine
meridian is stretched and felt in the front of the extended arm and shoulder.
Lung/Large Intestine Continued…
Lung/Large Intestine Stretch Modification!
!
Modified posture: hold a scarf or strap between
your hands as you do the complete posture. This
way you can do the full posture even if you can’t
interlace your thumbs.
Stomach/Spleen Modifications
Problems: Tightness in your ankles? Pain in your knees?
Try a pillow under the
ankles for ankle tightness
Try a pillow between the
butt and feet to relieve the
knees
Use both pillows if both
your ankles and knees give
you troubles.
Stomach/Spleen Modifications Continued…
Don’t be shy about using a lot of pillows!!
!
If you are experiencing a lot of discomfort in the
legs and ankles, then there is no need to try to
add the backbend. Just sit in seiza position with
the quantity of pillows that allows you to activate
and breathe into the meridians without undue
discomfort.!
!
Supported seiza sitting, all by itself, is beneficial
for the Stomach and Spleen meridians.
Stretching the torso without the
seiza sitting position!
!
If you don’t do the backbend in
seiza position, then here is another
way to stretch the Spleen and
Stomach meridians in the torso.
Put some pillows under your low
back and head, and some pillows
under your arms so you can recline
with your arms overhead and a
gentle stretch through your
stomach, chest and front of your
neck.
Supported Backbend!
!
If your knees and ankles are doing
fine, but the backbend to the floor
doesn’t feel right or causes back
pain, try using a tall stack of pillows
to support your back in the
backbend.
Stomach/Spleen Modifications Continued…
Extending the hip another way!
!
If you prefer to omit any reclining
backbend position, here is another way
to stretch the stomach and spleen
meridians in the torso and hip.!
Heart/Small Intestine Modifications
Problem: Forward bending just
causes your low back muscles to
work overtime?!
!
Solution: Sit on a pillow and it will
be easier to lean your belly forward
Problem: The posture causes pain
in the ankles, knees or hips?!
!
Solution: Put pillows under your
knees so that your legs don’t open
as wide.
Heart/Small Intestine Modifications Continued
Combine both types of pillows as
needed: one to sit on, one under
each knee
Try starting with your back against
a wall for extra low back support.
Special Alert: Bulging/Herniated Disks: If you have dislocated discs in between any of the
vertebrae, forward bends such as the Heart/Small Intestine stretch (or any of exercises C-F) may
risk worsening the dislocation of the disc. If you feel persistent back pain that increases with any
of these exercises and does not result in an overall improvement of back pain within 10-20
minutes after the exercise, discontinue the forward bends and instead do the options marked
“safe for sensitive backs”.
Safe for Sensitive Backs!
!
Instead of doing a forward bend,
you can just stretch the Heart &
Small Intestine meridians in the
arms in this way, one arm at a time.!
!
One hand reaches back to touch
the upper back. The other hand
reaches over to hold the elbow and
stretch the arm back.
Bladder/Kidney Modifications
Using the wall for support!
!
If your low back muscles are
working too hard without getting
you forward, consider using the
wall for support. !
!
You can also place a pillow under
your seat and under your knees to
get a more advantageous angle to
let gravity help you. In that case,
the pillow that you are sitting on
helps you overcome gravity, and
the pillows under your knees help
protect your knees from
hyperextending.
Safe for Sensitive Backs!
!
This posture allows a gentle stretch
of the meridians without requiring a
forward bend.!
!
This position with the legs up the
wall is known as Kidney Repose,
and it also helps drain blood and
fluid towards the low back to
support and strengthen the low
back.
Bladder/Kidney Modifications Continued…
Using a strap to stretch the meridians in one leg at a time (safe for sensitive backs)
Set one foot flat. Bring the knee to the chest.
Hook the strap around your foot, just under the ball of the foot. Extend the leg.
It’s okay to have your other foot
flat if having that leg straight
bothers your back.
You can even stretch both legs at once with the strap.
Pericardium/Triple Heater Modifications
Bolster under the legs as needed!
!
As with the Heart/Small Intestine
exercise, add extra cushions under
your knees/legs if you’re having
pain in your hips, ankles or knees.
Stretching Pericardium without a forward bend (safe for sensitive backs)
Pericardium Arm Stretch!
!
If forward bends aggravate disc problems for you, here is a
way to isolate the meridian in the arms without a forward
bend.!
!
Extend the hands in front of you. Peel them apart and draw
a wide arc out in front of you, as though you could touch the
middle fingertips together behind your back. Breathe
deeply into the whole body as you maintain the pose.
Stretching Triple Heater without a forward bend (safe for sensitive backs)
Triple Heater Arm Stretch!
!
One arm reaches across to the
opposite shoulder and rests on the
chest. The other arm holds at the
elbow to stretch the arm across the
chest.
Liver/Gallbladder
The illustrations in the meridian exercise guide are not ideal for Liver and Gallbladder. Above is a
better illustration of the basic Gallbladder stretch. Lift up and away from your seat, while keeping
your sitz bones planted on the ground. You may find it helpful to look up towards the ceiling as you
bend towards the side.
Modified Gallbladder Stretch!
!
You may find it easier to practice with only one
leg extended. Be sure that your sitz bones both
stay on the ground. If your sitz bone is coming
off the ground, you’re going too far.
Concentrate on elongating between the floor
and your arm, and breathing into the whole
body. Don’t worry about how “far” you stretch.
Liver/Gallbladder Continued
Basic Liver Stretch!
!
Let the belly drop towards the floor.
That is enough forward bend. Your
arms reach up towards where the
ceiling meets the wall.
Modified Liver Stretch!
!
Problem: Too painful on the inside of
the thigh? (adductor muscles)!
!
Try extending only one leg at a time.
The stretch is not so intense in this
position. Change legs and repeat.
Liver/Gallbladder Continued
Liver Meridian Stretch Modification!
!
Problem: legs don’t open very wide? Low back working too hard? Try propping under
the seat and under the knees. Then creep the fingertips gradually out. Be sure to lift
your spine up and out of your hips, drop your belly towards the floor.
This way
Not this way
How to practice the Gallbladder stretch if your legs don’t open wide.!
!
If your legs don’t open very wide, please note that when you bend to the side you
should bend more or less straight sideways. Don’t try to bend “over your leg”. Make
sure that your sitz bone on the side that is elongating stays rock solid on the ground.
Sidebend only to the degree that you can maintain your sitz bone on the ground.