Day 338- Kneeling Side Kick Circles

This exercise is a variation of the kneeling side kick.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start kneeling and then lean over to one hand so that you are supported by your knee and your hand.  Inhale as the leg floats into the air, and then exhale as you circle the leg back and down. Inhale as you circle the leg forward and exhale as you repeat 8-10 times.

Things to think about
It will be difficult to keep the hip still as you are circling the leg.  Be sure to line the pelvis up above the thigh this alignment will help free up the hip.

If the bottom wrist is having trouble with this position, you can make a fist to support the arm.

Day 321- X Rolls on Ball

This exercise uses the large exercise ball to challenge the proprioception of the body during spine rotation.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a large exercise ball.  Start by lying on your belly on the ball with your arms lengthened out to the side.  Inhale as you rotate your spine to the side, which will open the arm and the chest to the ceiling.  Continue rotating the spine until you are almost lying on your back on the ball.  At this point bring the bottom leg out from underneath the top so that you are on your back.  Then reverse the motion by rotating the spine in the opposite direction.

Things to think about

There is a very good chance that you will fall off of the ball when learning this exercise.  That’s what makes it fun.  Be sure that you have plenty of space around the ball. 

During this exercise, imagine suspending your bones through the balanced tension of you’re myofascial system.  Allow the length of the muscles support the bones as they roll.

320- Crescent Rolls with Balls

This exercise challenges the core to synthesize the connections built in the x rolls

To do this exercise you will need a mat and two large exercise balls.  Start lying on your back with your arms and legs in the air.  Hold one ball between your hands and hold the other ball between your ankles. Inhale into the back of your ribcage and then exhale as you roll to your side allowing the balls to move above your head and below your hips respectively.  Exhale as you roll onto your belly working to keep the balls from touching the ground, and then inhale as you roll to the other side.  Finally exhale as you roll back to your back lifting the balls along with your arms and legs to the ceiling.  Repeat 5-8 times in each direction.

Things to think about

If you reach through your hands and legs to make your body as long as possible, it will be very easy to roll all the way around.  Keep the balls off the floor by reaching through your hands and legs.  If you concentrate on lifting the balls away from the floor this will shorten your axis and make it harder to roll.

Day 276- Banana

This exercise adds lateral spine flexion to the lift of both legs.  It will increase engagement for the entire lateral side of the body.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your side with your head, ribs, hips, and heels in a line.  Find the longest possible spine and inhale into the back of the ribs.  As you exhale reach your head and your heels away from each other and then allow your legs and shoulders to rise into the air as your body bends into a bow like shape.  Inhale as you release and the repeat 8-10 times.

Things to think about

Reaching the head away from the tail will put tension (the good kind) on the lateral myofascial line of the body.  This prevents any crunching on the side of the body, which will cause strain.

Be aware of your neck in this exercise.  The cervical spine is the most mobile and thus will try to do the work of the entire spine.  Be sure that the lateral flexion is also in the thoracic spine as well.

Day 275- Lift Both Legs

This exercise adds a balance challenge to the side leg lift.  In this exercise abduction and adduction are combined in the movement of the legs.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your side with your head, ribs, hips, and heels in a line.  Find the longest possible spine and inhale into the back of the ribs and exhale as you reach through your heels and lift both legs into the air.  Inhale as you release and exhale as you lift. Repeat 8-10 times 

Things to think about

It is really easy in side lying exercises to allow the waist to fall to the floor.  As if you’re taking a nap.  But to get the best length in the spine you want to imagine that there is a little mouse hole underneath your waist.

The top shoulder will also try to roll forward and the hips with try to rock back.  The most important part of this exercise is to keep the hips and shoulders stacked one on top of the other.

Day 258- Elbow Plank Wave

This exercise adds spine articulation to the elbow plank. (How is that possible?)

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your belly with your elbows under your shoulders.   Inhale to prepare and then exhale as you lengthen your neck and widen your shoulder blades.  Inhale while maintaining this length and then exhale as you lift your sternum and your ribs.  Inhale to maintain the new lengthen and then exhale as you lift your belly and your hips so that your spine is long and suspended between your knees and your elbows.  Then Inhale as you curl your toes under your feet and finally exhale as you reach the heels away from your tailbone to suspend your knees in the elbow plank.  Repeat 8-10 times.

Things to think about

This exercise goes between two extremes.  The exercise starts by allowing you to hang on your ligaments in a position that doesn’t feel so great, and then through a series of breaths you begin to find your myofascial system, which will suspend your bones within the balances tension of the muscles and fascia.

Be sure that your neck stays long and that your shoulders stay connected to the hip socket towards the end of the exercise the tendency is to lost these connections. 

Day 253- Quadruped: Ipsilateral

This exercise strengthens connections on the lateral side of the body.  And it also provides a proprioceptive challenge to the body.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by standing on your hands and knees, with your head lengthening away from your tail.  Inhale into the back of your ribs as you shift the weight of your body to the right.  Then, exhale as you lengthen the left arm and leg away from the floor.  Inhale replace the arm and leg to the floor and then exhale as you shift the weight to the left and lengthen the right arm and right leg away from the center.  Repeat 3-5 times on each side.

Things to think about

This exercise might feel a bit wobblier than previous quadruped exercise.  When accomplishing this exercise you are narrowing the base of support for the body, which would make any exercise challenging.

You are going to feel the side of the hips and the side of the shoulder on the standing leg and arm.  The stabilization in this exercise will transfer to walking both on your hands and feet.

Day 221- Swimming with Extension

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your belly with your legs and arms lengthened away from your body. Inhale as you extend your spine and lift your head, neck, and shoulders away from the floor.  Then exhale as you hollow your abdomen and lift your arms and legs.  Maintain extension in your spine as you lift your right arm and left leg higher, and then switch to the left arm and right leg.  Keep switching your legs as you breath continuously, and maintain a hollow abdomen.

Things to think about

One of the important parts of this exercise is differentiating the movement of your limbs from the movement of your spine.  Be sure that as you lift the opposite arm and legs, that you maintain a strong and stable spine and that the movement is only of the arms and legs.

Connecting the pubic bone to the ground and hollowing the abdominals will keep your low back safe, and help maintain the longest possible spine