Move Of The Month
Purpose; to strengthen the abdominal muscles, mobilise and strengthen the back whilst flattening the stomach.
Action
 1. Sit in an upright position on buttocks knees bent with hands behind thighs
2. Inhale, contracting the lower abdominals and tilting the pelvis forward as you curl back. If possible lower back all the way to the floor allowing every vertebrae of the back to make contact with the floor.
3. If able to lower the back all the way to the floor then breathing is in at top and bottom without stopping movement flow. On lowering use your hands to help or place them to the sides palms facing upwards
4. As your back touches the floor completely outstretch your hands so that your fingertips and toes are pointing away from each other. On the next in breath raise your arms to point straight up to the ceiling. As you breath out draw the navel to the spine and engage the low buttock muscles. Starting with the your head, the chin dropped to the chest, roll up slowly into a sitting position. Return restacking the spine and keep hands at shoulder height.
Tips
1. Do not hunch your shoulders keep your gaze forward and keep chin parallel to the floor.
2. Do not roll onto neck.
3. If your stomach starts to bulge or quiver, they aren’t strong enough, do not roll all the way down to the floor. Simply reduce the range of movement.
4. Aim to use your spine segmentally on both the downwards and the upward phase.
[Updated 06/01/05]
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