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Posted on Wed, Dec 1, 2010 : 9 a.m.

Pilates Advent Calendar Day 1: Spine rotation warm-up exercise

By Heather Glidden

Glidden-Spine-Rotation2.JPG

This is what the spine rotation will look like when your arm is opened all the way to the back. Be sure to let your spine turn with it! My dog Laramie is helping to keep me motivated.

Photo by Matt Wilson

Hello! I apologize for my absence the last two weeks. I am back now and ready for a bit of a marathon. Last night my husband mentioned that he is excited about today’s return of 24 Ways (a self-described “advent calendar for web geeks”), and I was inspired! So I bring to you a (very non-religious) advent calendar of Pilates exercises. Think of this as your daily vacation in a month that is so often laden with stress!

Today we’ll start with a simple warm-up exercise. This one as always been a favorite of mine:

Spine Rotation
Begin by lying on your side on the floor with your legs bent, like they would be if you were sitting in a chair, and your arms straight in front of you. Inhale and watch your top hand as it reaches up to the ceiling, then exhale and continue watching the hand as you move your arm all the way behind you, to the floor if possible. Allow your spine to turn and your top hip to rock backward just a bit so your top shoulder can relax as far down toward the floor as possible.

Stay here for a full inhale and exhale, then inhale to reach your top arm back up to the ceiling and exhale to close. Repeat twice more on this side and then three times on the other side. Congratulations — you are off to a serene start to the month!

Heather Glidden owns Willow Wellness Studio in downtown Ann Arbor where she teaches Gyrotonic and Pilates and practices massage. She is passionate about helping people to learn more about their bodies. Got a body question? Email her at info@WillowWellnessStudio.com and she will do her best to answer it or find someone who can!

Comments

Heather Glidden

Wed, Dec 1, 2010 : 6:50 p.m.

Sarah - That is a good exercise as well -- I like to alternate which one I use as this version tends to target more of an upper back stretch while your version tends to target more of a lower back stretch. Thanks for the comment!

Sarah Rigg

Wed, Dec 1, 2010 : 3:32 p.m.

I'm already doing this, but was taught to lay on my back and let the legs fall to each side. I like the idea of starting with the legs on the side and moving the torso/arms instead- a different way of getting into the same pose!