Spine Curls are a great exercise to help rebalance around the hip by activating the glutes (often underactive) and opening up the front of the hip by encouraging length at the front of the leg (often tight and overactive). Try adding a set of 8 into your routine regularly. When you are strong enough, try…
This Table Top exercise is another way of engaging those underactive butt muscles. Make sure you maintain a long neutral spine and don’t be tempted to raise the leg too high which will take the movement into the lower back – keep it hip level. Alternate for 5 on each leg.( The opposite arm reach…
Feeling stressed? In my next few posts I’ll be giving some simple tips you can use to help ease stress and unwanted tension in the body. Try this 7/4/11 breathing technique:- Breathe in through the nose for the count of 7, hold for 4 and breathe out through the mouth for the count of 11.…
We tend to carry a lot of tension around the shoulder/neck area. Try these simple shoulder shrugs to help ease this. Breathe in gently but deeply through the nose as you float the shoulders towards your ears, and then breathe out through the mouth as you slowly release them all the way back down feeling…
Feeling anxious and stressed is the body’s normal response to danger that sends us into ‘fight or flight’ mode. So absolutely necessary in the appropriate situation. What is unhelpful is having this response when it’s not so appropriate. In ‘fight or flight’ we are ready to fight or run, so one of the best things…
To help combat anxious thoughts, practice mindfulness. *When your thoughts are racing try to focus on the phyisical senses, the contact with your feet on the ground, bottom on the chair, the sensations in the body etc. *Look in detail at whats around you – focus on shape, colour, texture, light and shadow). *Allow sound…
This week Id like to focus on the movement of the spine. Pilates helps to improve the health of the spine and reduce back pain by encouraging the natural articulation of the joints. Try The Cat. On all fours – hands under shoulders, knees under hips – start from a neutral spine. Articulate from the…
We need to keep the spine mobile in all directions in order to maintain good health and movement. Today the focus is on rotation (twisting) – if we lose the ability to twist then we become very stiff as it will be a component of many of your every day movements. Twisting happens mostly in…
To mobilise the spine through lateral flexion (Side bend), try Standing Side Reach (this also encourages lengthening and strength in the waist). Stand in good posture with feet at hip width. Breathe in and raise one arm towards the ear. Breathe out to tilt the spine sideways from head to waist, keeping the pelvis still.…
For the extension of the spine and to get those underactive upper and mid back muscles working, try a Baby Cobra. Lie face down on the mat with the arms out to the sides and the legs a little wider than hip width. Try to relax the shoulders. You can place a cushion under your…