Our aim with these planned series of back straightening exercises is to
give you with an exercise program, which when practiced regularly, will
help you get rid of round back and discomfort in the spine and give you
an optimal posture. If you are diagnosed with a spinal or back injury,
consult with your doctor if this exercises are suitable for you.
Cat and Camel or Cow Pose
Initial position. Start with your hands and knees on the exercise mat.
Your knees should be directly below your hips and your palms under the
shoulders. Keep your pelvis and spine in a neutral (straight) position,
by engaging your abdominal muscles to support your spine.
● Pull your abdominal muscles in as you arch your back up like a stretching cat and simultaneously let your head and tailbone drop down toward the floor;
● Return to the initial position;
● Extend the upper part of the spine upwards, supporting it with your
abdominal muscles. In the beginning, at this point you can return to the
starting position. Later on, as you advance in the exercise, supplement
it by moving your tailbone and hips up as well. Make sure your neck is a
long extension of your spine and don’t let the head fall back;
● Return to starting position. Repeat 5 times.
Back Extension
Initial position. Lie on your stomach and put your forehead on the
exercise mat. Place your arms at your sides and press your palms on the
thighs. Straighten your elbows. Put your legs together drawing out the
toes slightly.
● Exhale. Gradually lift the head, chest and upper abdomen from the mat, keeping the feet and hands in the initial position;
● Inhale. Slowly lower the trunk and head to the initial position. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
* Please make sure to start from the 1st exercise and only after
perfecting it work your way up to the more demanding ones to ensure a
gradual progression and avoid any injuries.
Back Stretching
Initial position. Sit on the mat and straighten your back. Stretch
your legs in front of you and place them apart – slightly wider than
shoulder width. Toes are pointing upward (dorsiflexion). Lean
straightened hands on a mat near the pelvis.
● Pull your abdomen in and at the same time tilt your head forward,
bending your upper back and stretching your arms in front of you. Glide your hands forward on the mat, between your legs;
● Straightening your body, return to the initial position. Repeat the stretch 5 times.
* Please make sure to start from the 1st exercise and only after
perfecting it work your way up to the more demanding ones to ensure a
gradual progression and avoid any injuries.
Supplementary Exercise for Back Stretching
In a supine position (on your back, face up), bring your knees to your
chest. Hold the stretching position with medium to strong intensity.
Avoid sharply increasing the intensity of the stretching. Keep the chest
straightened, shoulders relaxed and the shoulder blades together.
Breathe freely.
Heel Kick
Initial position. Lie on your stomach and leaning on the arms, lift
the upper torso. The forearm should be placed so that the angle between
the shoulder and the body was about 90 degrees. The hands are clenched
into fists and touching each other. Legs are extended and closed, toes
slightly pointed.
● Inhale. Lift both legs about 5 cm from the floor. Vigorously bend one leg at the knee, trying to touch the buttocks with the heel;
● Exale. In the same energetic movement straighten your leg at the knee,
bending the other one and going for the buttocks. Repeat the exercise
20 times (10 per leg).
* Please make sure to start from the 1st exercise and only after
perfecting it work your way up to the more demanding ones to ensure a
gradual progression and avoid any injuries.
Double Impact
Initial position. Lie on your stomach, putting your chin on mat. Bend
your elbows and bring your hands behind your lower back. The hands
should lie on the sacrum. Lift both legs approximately an inch (2-3 cm)
from the mat. Straighten your knees and gently pull the toes.
● Vigorously bend your knees, trying to bring the heels towards the buttocks, as shown in the illustration;
● Lift the chest off the mat, straighten
your arms at the elbows, turning the back of the hand towards the feet.
Simultaneously, straighten your knees, trying to lift them as high as
possible off the floor. Hold the position briefly then return to the
initial position. Repeat 6 times.
* Please make sure to start from the 1st exercise and only after
perfecting it work your way up to the more demanding ones to ensure a
gradual progression and avoid any injuries.
Swimming
Initial position. Lie on your stomach, stretch your arms in front of
you, palms facing downwards. Slightly lift the chest, arms and legs of
the mat. Keep the legs and toes extended.
● Raise your right arm and left leg;
● Then raise the left arm and right leg, while returning their opposite
to their initial position. Continue the exercise for 10 exchanges. The
exchange of the opposite limbs is quick, but smooth.
* Please make sure to start from the 1st exercise and only after
perfecting it work your way up to the more demanding ones to ensure a
gradual progression and avoid any injuries.
Stomach Rolls
Initial position. Lie on your stomach, bend your knees and bring them
on your hip. Take hold of the feet with your hands, as shown in the
figure. Now, lift the head, chest and knees on the mat.
● Breathing in, roll forward onto your belly, as shown in the figure;
● Breathing out, roll in the opposite direction, from your stomach to the pelvis. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
* Please make sure to start from the 1st exercise and only after
perfecting it work your way up to the more demanding ones to ensure a
gradual progression and avoid any injuries.
Diving Swan
Initial position. Lie on your stomach and leaning on the arms, lift
your chest off the mat. Elbows should be pushed forward and placed wider
than shoulders and the hands should be touching. Legs and toes are
extended.
● Breathing in, straighten the elbows and raise them to the sides on
level with the shoulders and then raise your chest even higher. At the
same time, lift slightly both legs off the mat;
● Breathing out, roll forward onto your belly, as shown on the last illustration;
● Breathing in, roll back into the intended position. Repeat 5 times,
accompanying the rolls forward with exhalation, and the rolls back with
inhalation.
* Please make sure to start from the 1st exercise and only after
perfecting it work your way up to the more demanding ones to ensure a
gradual progression and avoid any injuries.
Diving Swan Alternative Variant
Diving Swan can also be performed by raising his hands above the head
rather than keeping them wide apart, as shown in the illustration
above. The same hand position is maintained on the reverse roll as well.
This increases the load of spine extensor muscles, but also helps to
maintain a uniform curvature of the spine during the rolls.
* Please make sure to start from the 1st exercise and only after
perfecting it work your way up to the more demanding ones to ensure a
gradual progression and avoid any injuries.
