It’s week 2 of Fix Your Posture Challenge! Questions about week 1:
How did you like the table-top twists?
Did you notice if one side was tighter than the other?
Did you get a chance to try it once a day for 7 days?
If so, your upper back and shoulders should be feeling better already and ready for the next exercises. This week’s challenge will focus on improving extension of the spine.
Let’s begin!
Challenge #2: Sphinx pose and/or Bow pose
These exercises should be done in order of Sphinx pose first, followed by Bow pose. If you’re a beginner, stick to Sphinx, you can eventually progress to Bow at the end of the week. If you’re used to Bow, I would still recommend warming up with Sphinx.
What to do:
Sphinx:
Lie down flat on your belly with legs extended out behind you and toes flat on the floor.
Resting on your forearms, elbows under shoulders and arms parallel to each other.
Take a deep breath in, tuck in your tailbone towards the floor to protect the lumbar region and push your forearms into the floor to lift your chest and shoulders back.
Extend out the crown of your head as if someone has a string lifting the weight up and look up slightly at your third eye, between your eyebrows, to enhance extension of the posterior chain tissues.
Pause. Feel the stretch across the front of your body, at the same feeling the back muscle engage.
Exhale and release pushing into the floor.
Repeat 12 times for 3 sets.
Bow:
Once you’re warmed up, move onto Bow pose to get a deeper stretch.
Lie down flat on your belly with arms extended out behind you, fingers pointing toward your toes.
Forehead resting lightly on the floor to help support the cervical spine.
Bend the knees and grab your ankles from the outside (or inside- could be different for each person).
Knees together or hip-width apart (again, this is different for each person's comfort).
Take a deep breath in, tuck in your tailbone towards the floor to protect the lumbar region and kick the legs back into the hands causing the chest to lift off the ground.
Pause. Look up slightly at your third eye, between your eyebrows, to enhance extension of the posterior chain tissues.
Exhale to lower back down slowly. Keep holding on to the ankles during each set of 12, release the hold only to take a break between sets.
Repeat 12 times for 3 sets.
That’s it, you’re done!
Don't get off the floor too quickly, come into a table-top position once you're done. From there either push yourself up to stand slowly or sit back to rest for a while if you don't have to rush off.
Do one or both exercises everyday for the next 7 days until the next challenge comes out next week.
Type “Yes” if you’re joining the challenge!
Keep me posted on your progress and enjoy!