‘Advanced Exercises’

Side lift advanced

Saturday, July 30th, 2011

Benefits: tones the waist, hips, shoulders and legs.

Step 1: Side lying resting on your lower elbow and legs outstretched and feet flexed. The top arm can be positioned in front on the floor to help you balance.

Step 2: Inhale to prepare. Exhale push your elbow into the floor and lift your pelvis off the floor so you balance on your elbow and the edge of your lowest foot. Inhale to lower. Repeat 5-10 times each side .

Step 3: Advanced variation in the lifted position float the top arm and leg towards the ceiling, repeat 3-5 times.

Modify by: bending your lower knee to 90 degrees

Avoid if: you have a shoulder problem.

Side lift advanced - step

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Side lying advanced

Saturday, July 30th, 2011

Benefits: core strength, tones muscles of hip, and balances muscles of the front and back of the thigh.

Step 1: Lie on your side with your head resting on your arm and legs straight stacked on top of each other. Lift the top leg so it is at hip height.

Step 2: Inhale float the leg forwards

Step 3: Exhale to bring the leg back. Ensure the pelvis and spine stays still throughout.

Side lying advanced - step 1

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Leg pull front

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

Benefits: Strengthens arms, stabilizers of the shoulders, abdominals, legs and backside.

Step 1: Start at the Quadraped position first, knees underneath hips and wrists beneath shoulders.

Step 2: Extend one leg at a time to a plank position, maintaining width across the shoulders and deep abdominals drawing in to stabilize the spine and pelvis

Step 3: Exhale to extend and lift one leg with your toes pressing towards the back. Inhale to lower the leg and repeat on the other leg. Keep length in your lower back by drawing in abdominals and avoiding arching your back.

Leg pull front - step 1

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Hundreds

Thursday, July 14th, 2011

Step 1: Lie on your back with knees in table top position. Have you arms at your side palms down, keep your shoulders away from your ears and abdominals drawn into your spine.

Step 2: Inhale to prepare. Exhale to roll head, neck and shoulders off the floor looking across the room and hover the hands off the floor. The spine should be lightly pressing into the floor.

Step 3: Pump the palms up and down with your breath, breath in for 5 pumps, breath out for 5 pumps.

Step 4: For more challenge, straighten your legs out and continue to pump your palms up and down with your breath. To avoid injury only do this advanced variation if you can keep your lower back lightly pressing into the floor.

Hundreds - step 1

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