Friday 24 May 2013

Spine stretch: Pilates exercises for beginners

Check out How to Do the Spine Stretch Forward Pilates Exercises for Beginners

The Spine Stretch Forward exercise in Pilates is exactly that — a stretch for the whole spine, especially the neck and upper back. In addition to the mat method described below, you can also do the Spine Stretch Forward against a wall.

1.Sit up tall with your legs straight and spread a little wider than the width of your hips.

You can bend your legs if it’s impossible for you to sit up straight with your legs straight, for example, if you have tight hamstrings.

2.Inhale: Sit up as tall as you can from the base of your spine. Flex your feet and reach through your heels to engage your leg muscles.

Your arms should be shoulder width apart and straight ahead, with your palms facing down.

3.Exhale: Round your back into a C Curve, starting by scooping out your low belly, then pulling the ribs in, and finally rounding your neck and head forward.
By the end of the movement, your whole back is making a C shape, with your arms reaching forward.

4.Inhale: Stack up your spine, bone by bone.

Ref: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-do-the-pilates-spine-stretch-forward-exerc.html



How to Do the beginner pilates move the Spine Stretch Forward

If you are looking a for a quick pilates reference, take a look at this pilates animation. This a quick & easy, clearly explained diagram of the pilates mat exercise: Classical Pilates for Beginners:

The Spine Stretch Forward. Pilates exercises focus on breathing, alignments of the spine & build strong torso muscles.

Setup for Spine Stretch Forward:

* Inhale and sit tall on your sit bones with your back against an imaginary wall.
* Legs slightly wider than your shoulders, knees pointing to the ceiling and heels lengthening away.
* Arms straight out in front, palms down.
* Roll your shoulder blades away from your ears.

Action for Spine Stretch Forward.

* Exhale, hollow your abdomen and peel off an imaginary wall vertebra by vertebra.
* Reach forward "up and over a barrel", and stretch forward.
* Inhale as you roll back up: your sacrum, your low back, your mid back, your upper back, and finally your neck and head.

Ref: http://pilates.wonderhowto.com/how-to/do-beginner-pilates-move-spine-stretch-forward-265717/


Setup for Spine Stretch Forward:

•    Inhale and sit tall on your sit bones with your back against an imaginary wall.
•    Legs slightly wider than your shoulders, knees pointing to the ceiling and heels lengthening away.
•    Arms straight out in front, palms down.
•    Roll your shoulder blades away from your ears.

Action for Spine Stretch Forward.

•    Exhale, hollow your abdomen and peel off an imaginary wall vertebra by vertebra.
•    Reach forward "up and over a barrel", and stretch forward.
•    Inhale as you roll back up: your sacrum, your low back, your mid back, your upper back, and finally your neck and head.

Ref: http://www.easyvigour.net.nz/pilates/h_cspinestretchfwdbeg.htm

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