Stance #7: Exercises for the Lumbar Spine. Complicated course

23 Lying on a ball: arms(the former name is “Bug, arms”)

• SP is lying on your stomach on a training ball. The ball must take up all the space under your body when you are down on all fours. 
• Your head is slightly raised. Your hands and feet are resting on the floor.
• Stretch one arm straight forward. Hold this position 30-60 seconds.
• Repeat with the other arm.
• Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

24 legs(The former name is “Bug, legs”)

•  SP is lying on your stomach on a training ball. Hands and feet are resting on the floor.
•  Stretch one leg straight backwards. Hold this position 30-60 seconds.
• Repeat with the other leg.

Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

25 Lying on a ball: arms and legs (the former name is “Bug, arms-legs”)

 This complicated exercise combines the two previous ones.

• SP is lying on your stomach on a training ball. Hands and feet are resting on the floor.
• Stretch the opposite arm and leg (for example, right leg and left arm). Hold this position 30-60 seconds.
• Repeat with the opposite extremities.

Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

26 Lying on a ball: neck (the former name is “Hands behind a head”)

• SP is lying on your stomach on a training ball. Hands and feet are resting on the floor.
• Put both your hands on the nape of your neck and lock your fingers.
• Raise your head and straighten your neck.
• Hold this position 30-60 seconds.

Repeat 1-3 times.

27 “Lying on back: maximum bend (the former name is “Rolling into a ball”)

• SP is lying on your back with your legs bent and crossed: your right foot is lying on top of your left leg, just a little higher than your kneecap.
• Put your left hand on your right knee and push down.
• At the same time, bend your neck and lift your head off the floor.
• Hold this state of tension for 10-30 seconds.
• Now relax: move the bent knees and straight arms apart. You will feel how the muscles of your arms, legs, and body relax.
• Keep relaxing for 15-30 seconds.
• Reverse the position of your arms and legs and repeat the exercise.

Repeat the exercise 1-3 times. 

28 Sitting on a ball(the former name is “Throne”)

 To do this exercise, you have just to sit on a training fitness ball. While doing this, you have to keep your balance and strain your abdomen, meaning, draw in your anterior abdominal wall. You can do this exercise while watching a movie or doing anything else you do while sitting. This exercise perfectly trains your spine as a whole and makes a positive impact on all its various components.

Advice

Exercising on a fitness ball forces you to maintain your equilibrium and puts most of your body’s muscles to work.  This creates an isometric load that’s needed for training the spinal stabilizers.  You can watch your favorite television program or movie sitting on a fitness ball instead of being a lump on the sofa.  It will not only unload your spine, it will also get you in the habit of holding your back in the right position. 

29 Crawling on all fours (the former name is the same)

Not only children, but also the most active adults will like this funny exercise. No matter how simple it may seem, it’s very important! To make it easier, you can put on gloves and knee pads to protect your hands and knees and it’s best to crawl on a soft surface like carpet.  Effectiveness of this exercise is connected with micro-movements of every, I repeat, every vertebra!

Think about crawling for a minute: Crawling on all fours is what a child does when his spine is just starting to strengthen and develop. While crawling, slight movements in every vertebra help to develop the spinal muscles and ligaments. This leads to relaxation of muscle spasms, and strengthening of the spinal column at the same time. That’s why the period of crawling is critical in the development of a child’s spine and skeleton as a whole.  And that’s also why young parents do not need to be in a hurry to make their child walk. The longer the period of crawling lasts, the healthier a spine will be. The adults who understand how useful crawling is, should not forget that they have to KEEP THEIR ABDOMEN STRAINED (DRAW IN) WHILE DOING THIS EXERCISE. How long you choose to crawl on all fours is up to you. From 1 to 5 minutes is a good range.

Advice

Dear young parents, Do not be in a hurry and do not encourage your small child to walk: the longer a child crawls, the healthier his or her spine will be!  

30 Lying on your back: neck and leg

(the former name is “Bowing in a lying position with a raised leg”)This exercise is a more complicated version of the previous one:  “Lying on your back: bending your neck.”  

• SP is lying on your back.
• Put both of your hands under your lower back to support your lumbar flexion. 
• Raise your head and bend your neck forward, and at the same time, raise one leg straight up.  If your knee joint does not allow you to do this, you can bend your leg at the knee.
• Hold this position for 15-30 seconds, and then rest.
• Repeat with the opposite leg.

Repeat the exercise 1-3 times.

31 Lying on your back: crossing legs (the former name is “Scissors)

• SP is lying on your back, legs are straight, one hand is under your lower back and the other one is on the back of your neck.  This way you are supporting both your lumbar and cervical flexions.
• Put one straight leg on top of the other one.
• Return to the SP without stopping and put the opposite leg on top.
• Strain your back and abdomen muscles in the isometric regimen while doing this exercise.
• Repeat the exercise 10 times.

a Longyour back: crossing legs, complicated variant”(the former name is “Complicated scissors”)

To make the previous exercise more complicated, cross and uncross your legs at the same time.  Your feet should be just slightly raised, not touching the floor.

Repeat this exercise 10 times.

32 Lying on your back: bicycle (the former name is “Bicycle”)

• SP is lying on your back. One hand is under your lower back and the other one is on the back of your neck. 
• Alternately straighten your legs and bend your knees at right angles in a rotating motion, as if you are pedaling a bicycle. During this exercise, isometric tension of your back and abdominal muscles take place.
• Repeat the exercise 10 times clockwise.
• Repeat the exercise 10 times in the opposite direction.