Day 245- Child's Pose with Wide Knees

This exercise allows you to open the hips and the low back along with the added length of the child’s pose.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start kneeling with your feet together and your knees apart and then allow your body to rest forward between your thighs.  Take five to ten breaths in this position. 

Things to think about

Often people enjoy the child’s pose with the knees apart because it allows more space in the hips and low back. 

You can also take this opportunity to walk your hands farther forward in space to lengthen your spine.  See how far you can reach.

Day 244- Child's Pose with QL Stretch

This exercise is a recuperative exercise that increases the length in the ribcage and waist.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start kneeling while folding your body over your thighs and reach your hands along the floor in front of you.  Breath in this position and then walk your hands towards the right to increase the stretch on the left side of your torso.  After a few breaths walk your hands to the left to increase the stretch on the right side of your torso.  Take a few breaths here and then walk your hands into the center.

Things to think about

This exercise should feel good, but sometimes people feel discomfort in the knees in this position.  Always feel free to roll a towel or place a soft pillow behind the thighs to make this more comfortable.

Using a unilateral breath will allow you to increase the stretch on either side.  Imagine breathing into the specific side of the ribcage.  See if you can feel the ribs spreading when you inhale.

Day 68- Lumbar Spine Stretch with Pelvis on Soft Ball

This exercise is intended to lengthen the fibers of the lumbar spine.  The soft ball increases the range of motion.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a soft ball.  Start by lying on the mat placing the soft ball underneath the pelvis. Hug both knees to your chest while continuing to breathe.  With each breath let the tissue fibers in the back move.  On the inhale they expand and on the exhale the spine releases towards the ground. Continue to breath.  With the pelvis on the ball you can also move the legs gently in the knee sockets to change the angle of the stretch. 

Things to think about

The soft ball adds a lot of proprioceptive feedback to the back as it stretches.  As you are hugging your knees to your chest you can use the soft ball to find tighter spots.  Consider it a fact-finding mission.  Is your back tighter on the right or left side?  Do you feel tightness directly along the spine, or do you feel tightness further out to the side?  Use the ball to find what you need to find.

Remember to be easy in the head neck and shoulders when your pelvis is elevated on the soft ball. 

Day 67- Lumbar Spine Stretch

This exercise is intended to lengthen the tissue around the lumbar spine or low back.  It is a gentle way to loosen the low back and makes a great start to any day.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back.  Hug both knees to your chest and breathe.  Breathe into the back of your ribcage, and with each breath imagine the tissues of your spine melting into the ground.  As the knees are hugging to your chest imagine the front of your spine melting into the ground.

 

Things to think about

It may seem antithetical but this exercise can also open the front of your hips.  If you imagine the psoas muscle as a rubber band, when you pull the ends of the psoas away from each other it is pulled taught like a rubber band, but if you bring the ends of the psoas closer to each other it might just let go a little bit very much like what happens when you bring the ends of a rubber band closer to each other.

Day 65- Psoas Stretch with Pelvis on Ball

This exercise is intended to increase the stretch at the front of the hip.  By elevating the pelvis the position of this exercise can increase the length found at the front of the hip.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a soft ball.  Start by lying on your back with the soft ball underneath your pelvis.  Then hug one leg towards your chest, and stretch the opposite leg long beneath your body.  Be sure to reach the heel towards the floor.  Continue your breath as you are reaching your leg long away from you.  Keep your heel connected to the ground.  To continue opening the hips along different fascial lines you may also do ankle circles with your heel connected to the ground.  Repeat with the other leg reaching out long beneath you.

Things to think about

The soft ball provides a certain amount of support for the pelvis, but you want to be sure that the back remains neutral as opposed to over arching.  If you feel like your spine is bending too much then hollow out the abdominals and try to pull the pelvis away from the legs.

Day 64- Easy Psoas Stretch with Ankle Circles

 

This exercise is intended to continue the process of opening up the hips.  The ankle circles allow you to ease the front of the hips through several fascial planes at the top of the thigh

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with one leg hugged towards your chest and the opposite leg lengthened long along the floor.  Begin breathing being sure that your heel is connected to the floor.  Then as you continue breathing circle the ankle around the axis of the heel.  Feel how the movement of the ankle can reverberate through the lower leg, the thigh, and into the hip joint.  Do about five ankle circles in each direction and then switch legs.  Keep your breath continuous and full.

 

Things to think about

As with all Pilates exercises it is important to be mindful of the breath in this exercise.  Especially because the Psoas which runs along the front of the spine is connected fascially to the diaphragm and taking full deep breaths can aid in the success of the exercise.

 

Also keep the heel connected to the ground, You might even imagine that you are pressing the foot into the ground.  This helps to engage the fibers of the hamstrings at the top of the thigh, which as antagonists to the hip flexors, will aid in the release.

Day 63- Easy Psoas Stretch

Easy Psoas Stretch

This exercise is intended to begin the process of opening up the front of the hips.  It is a great exercise for those of us who suffer from low back stiffness.  This exercise is also beneficial at the beginning of the day before our feet hit the floor.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back and hug one knee to your chest by holding on to the back of the thigh.  Lengthen the other leg long beneath you. Continue breathing as you stay in this position.  As you exhale imagine that your leg is reaching further away from you, and as you inhale feel the breath expand the back of the ribcage.  Stay in this position for 5-10 breaths. Then hug both legs to your chest and continue on the other side by stretching the opposite leg long beneath you.  Keep your breath moving in and out of your lungs in a continuous manner.  Repeat twice on each side.

Things to think about

This is a recuperative exercise.  Keep breathing even if you don’t feel a stretch.  The inhale in the back of the ribcage will encourage the muscles at the base of your ribs to loosen and release for easier movement.

Day 60-Knee Stirs

This exercise is recuperative and intended to create fluidity in the hip socket and release in the low spine.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back and hug your knees to your chest.  Place one hand on each knee and gently begin circling the knees to the right.  Let your breathing continue through the movement, and feel the ease in your low back.  After about five repetitions begin circling the leg in the other direction.

 

Things to think about:

This exercise should feel easy, as you are circling your thighs you want to be sure that your arms are doing most of the work.

 

Long deep breaths will increase release in the low back.