Return to Life: Hip Twist

– Lean back on your hands and spin your legs around!

This exercise will open out your chest and strengthen your abdominals and spinals.

What’s it good for? ⁠

Cyclists, runners and athletes
This exercise can improve athletic performance by:

• Strengthening the abdominals with special emphasis on the obliques.
• Improving rotation – vital for runners, golfers and tennis players.
• Promoting stability of the shoulders, lower back and pelvis.

An offsets problems caused by long training sessions with repetitive movements by:

• Opening out the chest – excellent for people who hunch over desks and cycles for long periods of time.

Pilates Geeks

• Elements of the Corkscrew pally to his exercise, but now the base of support is smaller and so a higher level of stabilisation, strength and control are needed.
• Your shoulders need both strength and mobility to get into the start position

Difficulty: it’s a tough nut to crack!
Reps: 3-5

The “how to”

Exhale sit in a V position with your arms extended behind you and your hands resting on the floor. Face your fingers away from your body.
Inhale shift your pelvis and legs to one side.
Exhale circle your legs down and around and to the opposite side as your pelvis move through he centre to the other side.
Return to the start position and repeat in the opposite direction.
Do you want a further challenge?  Really?
Then, move your arms on one direction while your legs move in the opposite direction.

Hints and Tips

💡  Imagine drawing a cone shape from the pelvis through to your feet, with your feet drawing the open end of the cone – keep it a circle!
💡  Try smaller movements at first and increase the size of that cone as you get stronger.
💡  If you can’t support yourself n your shoulders or they don’t reach that far back yet, support yourself on your elbows and lower arms.
💡  Avoid hyperextending your lower spine as your legs circle.
💡  Keep your shoulders still and upper back muscles engaged.
💡  More your pelvis from side to side as your draw the circle.
💡  Keep your legs strength and together was hey move.
💡  Use your arms lightly to support yourself – don’t squish your shoulders. Imagine training wheels on an infant’s cycle.

Extras: Precautions

☀️ … Avoid this if you have disk problems or osteoporosis.