503-705-4762

Tag: Pilates and yoga for back strength

The September Five For Core Strength, Spine Extension, and Mobility

The September Five are here! Can you commit to doing these moves for one minute everyday this month?

These photos are meant to be used as a reminder of the work we have done together. Please use your best judgement when doing these at home and if any of these exercises cause you to be in pain stop, reorganize yourself, and modify your movement as needed.

Want to see these demonstrated in person? Call me to set up a one on one session or join one of Fluid’s weekly ongoing classes. Click the “View class schedule” button to the right to sign up for one of Fluid’s weekly Pilates, yoga, Tai Chi, or Strength and Cardio classes.

1) Mountain Climbers:

 Mountain climbers 8.15 (2)

Start in a plank position. Bring right knee in towards your chest, then step back to plank. Switch sides, bringing left knee in to chest and back to plank. Move as fast as you can, comfortably and without pain for one minute.

2) Side Plank:

 

side plank Maddie 9.15
From hands and knees (or plank position), neutral spine. Lift your left arm to the ceiling and rotate your shoulders and hips to face the left. Hold for one minute, then switch sides.

3) Camel:

Camel 9.15
Ok my fitness model (above) is demonstrating the most advanced version of this pose. If you are not in your 20’s with a super flexible spine please start kneeling (pad your knees if needed). Stack your shoulders over your hips over your knees. Bring hands to support your low back (as if you were putting them in your back pockets). Reach your chest up to the ceiling as you extend up and back into a small back extension.

4) Corkscrew:

 Kathleen corkscrew 2 9.15

Kathleen corkscrew 9.15

Lying on your back, legs together and extended towards the ceiling. Exhale as you circle legs around in a clockwise direction. Inhale, pause at 12 o’clock. Exhale and circle legs the other direction.

5) Roll Up:

 

Marnie roll up 2

 

 

Marnie roll up 4

 

Lying on your back with knees bent, feet on the floor. Exhale as you curl your chin towards your chest and slowly roll up to seated. Inhale here, then exhale as you roll back down.

 

 

Anne McCranie is a Portland (Sellwood) Oregon based Personal Trainer and Licensed Massage Therapist. She offers these photos to jog your memory about moves we have done together as a team. Please see your medical professional before beginning a new exercise program.

The May Five Exercises

The May Five

 

Each month I assign my clients five exercises to work on every day. Here are your May Five.

See if you can go through these at least once today – in fact you could get up from your desk and try them right now, I’ll wait…

 

1) Plank:

From hands and knees, step back into a plank position (drop to your knees if you need to). Hold for one minute.

In plank you build core strength, strengthen your shoulder and back muscles and improve your shoulder girdle stabilization.

 

2) Flight:

 

 

Start lying on your tummy with arms by your side.  Reach back through your fingers and toes and lift your chest to come up into a small back extension.
Strengthens back extensors, abdominals, opens shoulders.

3) Roll Over:

Start Lying on your back with legs in the air, knees bent. Press your legs up towards the ceiling (lifting your hips) then slowly roll down.
Strengthens lower abdominals.

4) Seal

 

 

From seated, scoop your abdominals and round your spine. Lift your feet and hold on to your ankles. Slowly roll back onto your upper back, then roll back up to sitting.

Strengthens abdominals, improves spine flexibility, muscle control.

5) Side Angle:

 

 

Stand in a lunge with right knee stacked over your ankle. Rest your right arm on your right thigh, reach left arm to the ceiling.
Strengthens legs, opens hips, and stretches shoulders.