Check with your doctor before undertaking this or any new exercise programme, especially if you have a medical condition.Not all exercises are suitable for all individuals. 2patricias accept no responsibility for injuries resulting from undertaking these exercises. It is advised that you do not exercise lying on your back if you are pregnant.

Before starting Pilates exercises, find your neutral spine position. To do this, lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor, hip distance apart.( For a back problem, never flop down backwards from sitting, as this increases pressure on the spine. Go onto your side with knees bent & feet supported by the floor, then gently using the arm for support, take yourself over on to your back. To get up, also roll to the side.) Ensure your eyes are looking straight up to the ceiling, if the head tilts back, pop a cushion underneath. To find neutral spine when lying down, imagine you have a string tied to your tummy button. Let that string pull your spine gently upwards from the tummy button arching the spine a little (if you have any back issues, take this very gently). Then imagine the string releases gently, lower the tummy button easing it down to the mat imprinting the spine. Repeat several times genty arching and imprinting the spine, gradually make the movements smaller and smaller until your reach a mid point where you can no longer go up or down. This is your neutral spine.( If it feels uncomfortable, take yourself a little way back towards where you feel more comfortable. If you have a back problem, you can also place a folded hand towel in the gap to give you a little support).

The Bridge for Spinal Mobility

Lie on your back, knees bend, feet flat on floor hip distance

apart, heels under knees. Find your neutral spine and draw

your tummy in as if you are wearing tight jeans as described

previously. Keep your breath flowing.

Tilt your pelvis so that your mid spine goes to the floor, the buttocks start to lift just a little. Curl the lower spine away from the floor as you imagine it is a string of pearls you are lifting away from the mat one pearl at a time. Then reverse the process replacing the spine back down curling it as you return to the mat. The last pearl to come off the mat is the first one to go back down and so on. Breath out as you lift the spine, in as you lower it.

Easier - Work only your lower spine lengthening as you work.

Harder -Start with the lower spine as above, then after about three repetitions curl and lift futher through the spine until your body is in a straight diagonal line. Change your breath so that you breath out to lift the spine, in as you hold the postion at the top, then out to come down the spine and in at the bottom.

Watchpoints : If you need a cushion or block under your head just work your lower spine (in case your neck would be cricked by the angle as you lift).

Keep your corset muscles engaged all the time and keep breathing.

When you lift the body, check you are in a diagonal line and are not pushing up too much into an arch.

Spine Twist

Pilates exercise for spinal mobility & to tone the waist

Caution: Do not try this without checking with your doctor if you have a disc issue or low bone density. If given permisssion to go ahead, stay at the very beginning levels of the exercise and keep your turns to the side very small. If in doubt, do not do this exercise.

Sit on the floor with your feet together, knees out to the side. ( For a hip, knee problem or low bone density keep your legs in parallel, knees bent). Ensure that you are sitting on your sit bones (the bony bits in your bottom) and lengthening up through your spine. Maintain the natural curve to your spine, if this is difficult try sitting on a cushion or fitness block to raise your sit bones. Your eyes should look directly ahead, hands are placed into the prayer position, shoulders are drawn down away from your ears.

Either draw your pelvic floor up a little or draw your tummy in (if you feel both working when you work one that is fine as they work together naturally, you do not need to do both together deliberately as this can lead to over tightening). Keep your breath flowing.

Gently spiral from the waist to turn to one side breathing out as you do so (for disc issues and low bone density keep these rotations small). Keep lengthening up without tilting to the side or lifting your sit bones (imagine you have a £50 note under both your sit bones you do not wish anyone to take). Return to the centre on the in breath. Repeat to the other side. Repeat up to 10 times.

Need a seated exercise?

Exercise as above sitting on a chair.

Harder.

Cross your arms and work in the Kossak position, keeping your shoulders drawn down throughout.

Watch Pilates Spine Twist at EncycloMedia.com