by Namrata Purohit; Entrepreneur, Fitness Expert, and Partner – The Pilates Studio
Spinal health is crucial because the spine controls the body’s vital functions. It is the spine that provides structural support to our body and helps us to maintain an upright posture. It protects the spinal cord & nerve roots and assists us to move and perform our everyday tasks. Without a healthy spine, day-to-day activities like walking, getting up, and bending over can become extremely difficult.
5 Pilates Exercises for Your Spine
Hip Rolls:
Starting Position:
Lie on your back on the mat. Keep knees flexed and feet hip distance apart. Rest the arms alongside the body.
How to:
- Inhale to prepare
- Exhale Starting with the tailbone, pick your spine off the mat until your weight rests on your thoracic (upper) spine.
- Breathe in to maintain the position.
- Exhale and lower your spine back on the mat and into the neutral spine position.
- Repeat this 5-8 times.
- After the last rep stays up in the position and do mini pulses, a minimal movement lifting your pelvis up and down.
Works out:
The abs, obliques, and muscles beneath the obliques—the transversus abdominis—as well as the glutes, back (specifically, the multifidus muscles), and shoulder blades.
Keep in mind:
Do not rock your pelvis. Make sure you are articulating your spine while rolling up and down. Do not over-extend the back.
Breast Stroke Prep
Starting Position:
Lie on your stomach, face down. Rest your hands on the ground close to your shoulders with your elbows touching the ground. Your vision should be down and your nose hovering. Legs should be a little wider than shoulder distance apart, with the toes pointed and relaxed.
How to:
- Exhale: to prepare
- Inhale: Press into your hands, keep the elbows on the ground, and come up into a slight extension.
- Exhale: Return to the starting position.
- Repeat 5-8 times
- After the last rep if you feel you have the strength, stability, and flexibility repeat the above but come up into a full extension, slowly lifting yourself higher and straightening your elbows.
Works out:
The muscles in the upper, mid, and lower back. As well as the core and glutes. It helps open up the shoulders and back.
Keep in mind:
Do not over-extend the neck, keep the neck aligned with the spine. Don’t rush to do the full version, slowly build up to it.
Plank Knee Taps
Starting Position:
Start in a plank position, with your elbows under your shoulders and body in a neutral alignment with the core engaged.
How to:
- Inhale to prepare
- Exhale: Bend one knee and tap the ground, while maintaining the plank position.
- Inhale: straighten the knee and return to the starting plank.
- Exhale: bend the other knee to tap the ground
- Inhale: return to the plank
- Repeat for 10 reps on each side, a total of 20 knee taps
Works out:
the entire core area, transverse abdominis, the deep core stabilizers, shoulder stabilizers, glutes, quads, and the calves too. Helps you work isometrically as well as with a certain amount of instability to maintain the neutral alignment of the spine.
Remember:
don’t rock the pelvis while doing the knee tap, the obliques should be engaged and the pelvis should be stable. Make sure not to sync in your shoulders. The shoulders should stay relaxed and open.
Side plank
Starting position: start sideways with your elbow placed under the shoulder on the mat. The hip can be resting on the ground with the top foot slightly forward of the bottom foot.
How to:
- Exhale to lift your hip up and maintain the side plank position.
- Inhale to stay.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute
Works:
the obliques, pelvic stabilizers, glutes, and shoulder stabilizers. Helps prevent instability in the hip region and be more balanced through the core.
Keep in mind:
keep your shoulder relaxed and not extended. Don’t sink in the hip. Stay nice and lifted. Keep breathing.
Hip Abduction
Starting Position:
come to a 4-point kneeling position. Hands under the shoulders and knees under the hips. Ensure your core is engaged and your back isn’t extended.
How to:
- Inhale to prepare
- Exhale: keeping the knee bent, abducting the leg, lifting the knee to the side and up. Opening at the hip joint.
- Inhale: bring the knee back down
- Repeat for 15-20 repetitions and then change sides.
Works:
the obliques, shoulder, back, and glutes.
Keep in mind:
Don’t tilt the pelvis while performing the exercise. Keep your shoulders relaxed and stable. There should be no movement in the upper body.
