Exercise description
Purpose: Lying on the stomach, back bend, symmetrical Performance instructions: Lie on your stomach. Lengthen your torso and legs. Bring your thighs and knees together. With a wide arch against the floor, reach your right hand to your right foot and grasp under the ankle by the tibia. With your thumb pointing towards the floor, the inner side of your hand embraces the outer tibia. Then do the same on the other side. Roll your shoulders outwards, move your shoulders away from your ears by extending your head from between your shoulders, bring your shoulder blades closer together, lower your chin to your sternum to lengthen your neck. Tense your glutes and thighs as if you want/need to straighten your legs at the knees, but feel your tibias pressing against the insides of your arms. This expansive force lifts your chest and thighs off the ground. In the bent-over position, take care first and foremost to have a long spine, a broad and long chest, strong glutes and shins that will push against your arms. Less important is the depth of flexion in the lumbar spine. Feel the stretch of the hip flexors, feel the opening in the abdomen and chest. Don't tighten your abdomen, don't hold your breath, breathe deeply into your full lungs and into your abdomen.
