The spine stretch exercise helps to promote good posture and strengthen the abdomen and the back muscles. Have a look at the details of Pilates for beginners exercises.
1.Sit up tall with your legs straight and spread a little wider than the width of your hips.
You can bend your legs if it’s impossible for you to sit up straight with your legs straight, for example, if you have tight hamstrings.
2.Inhale: Sit up as tall as you can from the base of your spine. Flex your feet and reach through your heels to engage your leg muscles.
Your arms should be shoulder width apart and straight ahead, with your palms facing down.
3.Exhale: Round your back into a C Curve, starting by scooping out your low belly, then pulling the ribs in, and finally rounding your neck and head forward.
By the end of the movement, your whole back is making a C shape, with your arms reaching forward.
4.Inhale: Stack up your spine, bone by bone.
Ref: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-do-the-pilates-spine-stretch-forward-exerc.html
Modifications for Spine Stretch
1. If your hamstrings are tight, sit on a little lift, like a folded towel. You can also try this exercise with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor (click on the photo above to see a demonstration of this).
2. It also works quite well to do this exercise with the fingertips running across the floor in front of you. This variation will take some pressure out of the shoulders and upper back.
Ref: http://pilates.about.com/od/pilatesmat/a/SpineStretch.htm
Pilates for Beginners: Spine Stretch Forward
The Spine Stretch Forward is an essential Pilates exercise for beginners. This basic exercise, which is all about the articulation of the spine, can be performed at home and requires nothing more than an exercise mat and some practice. It's a great stretch to perform after a long workout. Follow along with the instructions below and watch the accompanying video for a helpful visual guide.
To prep for the Spine Stretch Forward, sit on an exercise mat with your legs out in front of you. Relax your shoulders and rest your arms down beside you, with your palms pressed into the mat.
1. Inhale to feel tall in your spine.
2. Exhale as you drop your chin to your chest and peel your spine forward slowly, one vertebra at a time, relaxing through the shoulders and keeping your abdominals pulled in.
3. Inhale to hold and exhale again as you roll your spine back up.
Ref: http://www.divinecaroline.com/self/wellness/essential-pilates-beginners-spine-stretch-forward
3 Ways to Perform Pilates Spine Stretches
1. Rock and Roll
While the body roll may not feel like a stretch, it is one of the best pilates exercises for the back and abdomen, massaging and lengthening the spine while strengthening the core. Sit upright on your mat and draw your knees into your chest, wrapping your arms around your legs. Lift up through the spine, engaging the abs and balancing on your sits bones. Inhale deeply and as you exhale, roll your body back as far as you can and then roll back up to sitting. Extend your spine up, balancing for a moment, and then roll back again on the exhale. Continue the body roll, complete 10 to 20 before laying on your back with your legs extended and resting.
2. The Classic Pilates Spine Stretch
The pilates spine stretch is the classic pilates stretch for the back and also stretches the hamstrings, strengthens the abdomen and helps to promote good posture. Sit upright with your legs straight in front of you and spread just a bit wider than shoulder width. Flex your feet, drawing your toes up towards your torso and inhale deeply, lifting your arms straight overhead. As you exhale, draw your arms down so that they are parallel and directly above your legs while bending forward as you round the spine. Drop your chin to your chest to accentuate the curve of your spine and tighten your abs. Remember, the goal of this stretch is not to drop forward onto your legs or even to touch your feet, but to stretch the spine by forming a strong curve. Hold the stretch for 3 to 5 deep breaths and then lift your arms up to the ceiling as you exhale. Repeat the stretch 5 times.
3. Back Extension For Beginners
When it comes to yoga and pilates stretches for the spine, backbends are the best, as the force your muscles to stretch in the opposite direction they are accustomed to; however, backbends can be quite intimidating, particularly if you are just beginning. The forward back extension is a great way to get you started, and can eventually help you to build the strength and flexibility needed for more advanced back extensions.
Ref: http://www.livestrong.com/article/6915-perform-pilates-spine-stretches/
This was all about spine stretch Pilates for beginner’s exercise.
You may also like: Pilates Beginners
1.Sit up tall with your legs straight and spread a little wider than the width of your hips.
You can bend your legs if it’s impossible for you to sit up straight with your legs straight, for example, if you have tight hamstrings.
2.Inhale: Sit up as tall as you can from the base of your spine. Flex your feet and reach through your heels to engage your leg muscles.
Your arms should be shoulder width apart and straight ahead, with your palms facing down.
3.Exhale: Round your back into a C Curve, starting by scooping out your low belly, then pulling the ribs in, and finally rounding your neck and head forward.
By the end of the movement, your whole back is making a C shape, with your arms reaching forward.
4.Inhale: Stack up your spine, bone by bone.
Ref: http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-do-the-pilates-spine-stretch-forward-exerc.html
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| Photo Source:www.freemotion.biz |
Modifications for Spine Stretch
1. If your hamstrings are tight, sit on a little lift, like a folded towel. You can also try this exercise with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor (click on the photo above to see a demonstration of this).
2. It also works quite well to do this exercise with the fingertips running across the floor in front of you. This variation will take some pressure out of the shoulders and upper back.
Ref: http://pilates.about.com/od/pilatesmat/a/SpineStretch.htm
Pilates for Beginners: Spine Stretch Forward
The Spine Stretch Forward is an essential Pilates exercise for beginners. This basic exercise, which is all about the articulation of the spine, can be performed at home and requires nothing more than an exercise mat and some practice. It's a great stretch to perform after a long workout. Follow along with the instructions below and watch the accompanying video for a helpful visual guide.
To prep for the Spine Stretch Forward, sit on an exercise mat with your legs out in front of you. Relax your shoulders and rest your arms down beside you, with your palms pressed into the mat.
1. Inhale to feel tall in your spine.
2. Exhale as you drop your chin to your chest and peel your spine forward slowly, one vertebra at a time, relaxing through the shoulders and keeping your abdominals pulled in.
3. Inhale to hold and exhale again as you roll your spine back up.
Ref: http://www.divinecaroline.com/self/wellness/essential-pilates-beginners-spine-stretch-forward
3 Ways to Perform Pilates Spine Stretches
1. Rock and Roll
While the body roll may not feel like a stretch, it is one of the best pilates exercises for the back and abdomen, massaging and lengthening the spine while strengthening the core. Sit upright on your mat and draw your knees into your chest, wrapping your arms around your legs. Lift up through the spine, engaging the abs and balancing on your sits bones. Inhale deeply and as you exhale, roll your body back as far as you can and then roll back up to sitting. Extend your spine up, balancing for a moment, and then roll back again on the exhale. Continue the body roll, complete 10 to 20 before laying on your back with your legs extended and resting.
2. The Classic Pilates Spine Stretch
The pilates spine stretch is the classic pilates stretch for the back and also stretches the hamstrings, strengthens the abdomen and helps to promote good posture. Sit upright with your legs straight in front of you and spread just a bit wider than shoulder width. Flex your feet, drawing your toes up towards your torso and inhale deeply, lifting your arms straight overhead. As you exhale, draw your arms down so that they are parallel and directly above your legs while bending forward as you round the spine. Drop your chin to your chest to accentuate the curve of your spine and tighten your abs. Remember, the goal of this stretch is not to drop forward onto your legs or even to touch your feet, but to stretch the spine by forming a strong curve. Hold the stretch for 3 to 5 deep breaths and then lift your arms up to the ceiling as you exhale. Repeat the stretch 5 times.
3. Back Extension For Beginners
When it comes to yoga and pilates stretches for the spine, backbends are the best, as the force your muscles to stretch in the opposite direction they are accustomed to; however, backbends can be quite intimidating, particularly if you are just beginning. The forward back extension is a great way to get you started, and can eventually help you to build the strength and flexibility needed for more advanced back extensions.
Ref: http://www.livestrong.com/article/6915-perform-pilates-spine-stretches/
This was all about spine stretch Pilates for beginner’s exercise.
You may also like: Pilates Beginners
Thanks for sharing. I just wanted to mention that beginners should not be discouraged from trying out classes in Best Pilates exercises in New York City for spine stretch. When I started doing Pilates workouts, I was a complete beginner who hadn't worked out regularly in a long time. A good instructor can easily modify the moves and adjust the resistance for a beginner, while still making sure the person gets a good workout.
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