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Return to Life:
– Think of your front and your back as a sandwich – make each slide evenly balanced!
This exercise will get you coordinating your front side and your back side and prepare you for other plank exercises…
What’s it good for?
Athletes
- Strengthens the shoulder girdle.
- Develops hips extensor control.
- Develops trunk stability
- Teaches Bridging and Planks.
Pilates Geeks
- Get us started with the plank position preparing us for the Push Ups but also the Long Stretch Series on the Reformer.
Difficulty: advanced
Reps: three times each side
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The “how to”
Set Up
Take up a plank position with your shoulders shoulder width and at a right angle to the floor and fingers facing away from you.
Your head should be in line with your body and your legs close together.
Inhale slowly and raise the right leg upward and backward as high as possible. Point your foot as your leg rises up.
Exhale slowly and lower the right leg to the floor
Repeat for the left side.
Hints and Tips
💡 Keep you body perfectly still as your leg lifts and lowers. Using only one leg for support is where the challenge lies in this exercise.
💡 Keep your pelvis perfectly still whilst lifting your leg. The height you can lift will depend on hip flexor flexibility.
💡 Don’t be tempted to do an Arabesque (if you’re a dancer). Master this first, then when you do allow your pelvis to tilt and rotate to maximise turnout and height, your arabesque will be stronger than ever!
💡 There are some versions that add an Achilles’ tendon stretch to the supporting leg.
💡 Maintain stability in your shoulders- push your spine through your shoulder blades.
Extras: Precautions
☀️ … If your wrists hurt – try using a closed fist instead.
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