This section focuses on structure and spinal awareness of the three arches:
- Cervical
- Thoracic
- Lumbar
The two focuses for the exercises / stretches:
- Maintain optimal spine alignment
- Strengthening & stretching each arch
Resetting the cervical arch:
Cervical Reset Laying down:
From the floor on your back, tuck your chin in and elongate your cervical. Press your head into the floor. Breath into the stretch.
Cervical Reset against a Wall:
With your back against a wall, tuck your chin in and elongate your cervical. Press your head into the wall. Breath into the stretch.
Neck Fly Laying down:
From the floor on your back, tuck your chin in and elongate your cervical. Raise your head off the floor and and towards your chest. Rest your head back down. Use performance breathing. Do 10 to 20 reps.
Turn your head to the side, then lift up the head from the ear towards the chest. Do each side; 10 to 20 reps.
Neck Fly Seated:
Same as laying down. Tuck your chin in to a neutral position and elongate your cervical. Move your head towards your chest.
Turn your head side to the side. Do each side; 10 to 20 reps.
Resetting the thoracic arch:
Thoracic / shoulder reset standing:
Shrug your shoulders towards your ears. Roll the shrug backwards using a “rowers roll” back then downwards to the lowest shoulder engagement. Let the shoulders hang in a neutral position.
Thoracic / shoulder reset laying down on your back:
Same as standing. Shrug your shoulders towards your ears. Roll the shrug backwards using a “rowers roll” back then downwards to the lowest shoulder engagement. This will lift your spine off the ground. Relax and let the spine lay flat on the ground.
Thoracic / shoulder reset laying down on your side:
Same as standing. On your side, have your one shoulder and foot making contact to the ground. Your back is straight. Shrug your shoulders towards your ears. Roll the shrug backwards using a “rowers roll” back then downwards to the lowest shoulder engagement.
A tougher variation is to have both feet making contact to the ground as you “rowers roll”.
The reverse push up:
On your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Elbows at your side and touching the floor, and hands in the air. Lift up by your elbows by pushing off them.
Other exercises:
Facing a wall (not really necessary) with your elbows out. Do “rowers roll” exercises with the hands positioned as follows:
- Left: 9 o’clock; Right: 3 o’clock (crucifixion)
- Left: 10 o’clock; Right: 2 o’clock
- Left: 8 o’clock; Right: 4 o’clock
Resetting the lumbar arch:
Lumbar reset sitting:
Tuck the pelvis and chin in, then pull the spine straight.
Lumbar reset laying down:
Same as sitting.
The Crocodile:
Stack one foot on top of another. The two feet moves as a whole unit. Leading with the top foot, lean towards the outside of the bottom foot. Hands out in the shape of a crucifixion. Turn head in the other direction. This is a spiral spinal stretch. Be sure to breath into the stretch.
Other stretches:
Sit on the floor crossed-legged. Put back of your forearms on the top of the other lap, so that the bottom of your hands are facing to the sky. Match the crossed arms to the cross of the legs. Lean forward and drop the head down. Breath into the stretch and feel the lungs expand.
Systema Squat:
Done with the feet under the hips and parallel. Drop a few inches and tuck the pelvis in. As you sink down, allow your pelvis to untuck. Rinse & repeat.
Cradle crunches:
Laying down with knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Bring your knees up to your chest, lifting up the tail-bone off the floor. You can can go as far as lifting some of the thoracic off the floor.
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