Wendy Jardine Pilates
Pilates - West Dulwich

Wendy Jardine

For your back

Published on 4th April 2018

You'll need a chair and a couple of pillows. Sit on a chair that has a level seat.  Sit forwards on the chair, but feel free to put a pillow/s behind you.  Place your feet on the floor, hip width apart and in line with each other.  The heels should be aligned and the feet parallel.  Your knees should be slightly lower than your hips, if they're not then you need a higher chair.  Let your feet melt into the floor and place a couple of pillows on your lap. Rest your hands on top of the pillows.  Relax your shoulders and open your chest throughout, breathe deep and wide.  When you're ready, as you exhale, push your hands down into the pillow and imagine you're about to stand up.  Feeling the pull of the imaginary threads.  I'm pulling the threads out of the top of your ears right up to the ceiling, I'm pulling the top of the ears out of hips, your neck lengthens so does your spine.  As you inhale release your hands but don't let your spine collapse again, instead notice the muscles you've activated and keep them activated.  You'll remain sitting tall and, as you exhale, push down on the pillows again, and so on.  You'll feel your upper, middle and lower back muscles, sides and armpits.  Once you can feel this, try it through thought and activation only without the pillows and with your arms hanging down, and of course your chest open and shoulders relaxed throughout.  Finding your strength as you activate the muscles you found with the pillows, imagining you're about to stand up.  Breathe. (You can use as many pillows as you need behind you to support this position while you're sitting in your everyday life).

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