Begin this exercise face down on the mat.  Place the hands under the shoulders and keep the arms close to the body. Keep the legs tightly squeezed together.  Lift your breastbone forward and up while pressing  hands down into the mat.  Reach the elbows towards the hips. Lift lower lower ribcage off the mat and then return to starting position.

Modifications

If you get any shoulder, wrist or elbow pain, slide your elbows forward to decrease the stress on the joints.  If you get lower back pain do the same thing as well as making sure you have your abdominals engaged.

Things to avoid

• Do not hunch the shoulders, but keep the shoulders pressed back and down.
• Try not to hinge the back of the neck and lower back as you lift, keep lots of length through the whole of your spine.
• Do not let the abdominals sag, pull your navel towards your spine as you lift.
• Keep the buttocks firm and the inner thighs and heels pressed firmly together

Keep the knees open and hold onto your ankles.  Tilt back until the feet come off the floor and find your balance.

Holding both ankles, lift both legs up towards the ceiling, hip width apart.  Scoop the navel towards the spine to maintain your balance.  Keep your chest lifted and looked toward your feet.

Roll back onto the base of the shoulder blades. As you exhale roll back to your balance point.  Continue to roll back and forth.  Inhaling as you roll back and exhaling as you roll forward.

Contraindications

• Osteoporosis
• Spine pathologies

Things to avoid

• Initate from your core not your head
• Never roll onto your neck only to the base of the shoulders
• Avoid stalling at the bottom, keep the rolling smooth.

Modifications

• Bend the knees if you have tight hamstrings

Sit with your weight resting on your sitting bones, pull your navel towards your spine. Lift your feet off the mat using your abdominals and balance as your hold onto your ankles with your knees bent and slightly turned out.

Holding onto your ankles extend your legs up towards the ceiling, pulling your navel towards your spine and keeping a c-curve through your lower spine.

Contraindications

• Osteoporosis
• Disc pathologies

Things to avoid.

• Hunching the shoulders
• Arching the lower back
• Rolling off the sitting bones

Modifications

• Practice with the knees bent first to get your balance and then progress to extending the legs.
• If you have short hamstrings practice the one with your knees bent only.
• You can hold onto your calves if reaching the ankles is difficult.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and pelvis in a neutral position.
• Place your hands behind your head and keep your elbows wide.
• Lift your head and shoulders so your upper spine is in a c-curve with your navel pulled towards your spine.
• Lift your legs up into a table top position.
• Reach your left leg long, keeping your elbows wide rotate your torso towards the bent right knee, left armpit reaching towards the knee.
• Keep switching sides.
• Repeat up to 16 times.

Contraindications

• Osteoporosis
• Disc pathologies

Things to avoid

• Hunching shoulders
• Arching the lower back
• Rocking from side to side, keep your pelvis stable and move from your centre.
• No rocking, tilting or tucking please.

Modifications

• Keep the legs higher to make it easier on your lower back.
• Once your abdominals are stronger you can lower the legs.
• Try working just the upper part of the exercise, keep your feet flat on the floor with the knees bent and in parallel.

• Lift your head and shoulders off the mat and pull your navel towards your spine.
• Hold onto your straight leg and pull it towards you, shoulders down and elbows wide.
• Stretch the opposite leg away from you.
• Keep switching legs.
• Repeat 16 times.

Contraindications

• Osteoporosis
• Disc pathologies

Things to avoid

• Hunching the shoulders.
• Arching the lower back
• Excessive movement and pulling on the pelvis, keep it in a neutral position.

Modifications

• Soft ball under shoulders blades to aid in curl up
• Slightly bend if unable to straighten and hold onto back of thigh

• Start with both knees in towards the chest, with one hand on each ankle
• Left the head and shoulders off the mat and pull the chin towards the chest. Exhale as you pull the knees in gently, keeping the buttocks on the mat
• Breathe in as you extend both legs out to a 45 degree angle. Reach the arms towards the opposite wall, stretching through your fingertips. Exhale and draw the navel towards the spine as you bring both knees back into the chest

Repeat 5-8 times

Contraindications:

• Osteoporosis
• Any neck pathologies

Things To Avoid:

• Do not let your head drop back. Keep your eyes on your navel
• Do not let your back arch off the mat. Keep your legs at a 45 degree angle and not any lower
• Do not let your body rock, keep your shoulders and hips stable

Progression:

• Begin with your legs at a 90 degree angle and then lower the legs to 45 degrees

• Lying in the centre of the mat, bring both knees towards your chest, keeping your neck long and straight
• Bring one knee in towards your chest whilst the other leg lifts towards the ceiling. Bring the head and shoulders off the mat. Hug the knee towards the shoulder, keeping the elbows wide
• Keeping the body stable, switch legs. Make sure that you navel is pulled in towards your spine as you stretch one  leg out and pull the other one towards you.

Contraindication:

• Osteoporosis
• Any neck pathology

Things to Avoid:

• Avoid rolling off the hip or shoulder. Keep the body still and stable
• The hip, knee and foot must be in perfect alignment

Progression:

• Begin with the leg towards the ceiling. As your improve, lower the leg to a 45 degree angle

Repeat entire sequence 6-8 times

• Keeping your legs hip width apart, place your hands behind your thighs. Tip back until your feet are off the ground and find your balance, rounding the lower back.
• Look down towards your belly button and pull your abdominals in towards your spine. Elbows should be lifted as your inhale and roll back onto the mat. Mimicking a ball shape.
• Roll back, lift your hips off the mat and continue until you reach the tip of your shoulder blades. Keeping your shape, exhale and roll back to start position.

Contraindications:

• Severe scoliosis
• Any spine pathologies

Things to Avoid:

• Do not roll onto your head
• Do not leg the knees move away from you or towards you during the roll
• Do not open the feet when they are over the head
• Do not straighten the arms or open the knees
• Keep the spine rolling smoothly and quietly

1. Lying on your back, keeping your neck long and right leg pointed to the ceiling. Keep the left leg bent and the foot pressed down on the mat,whilst the arms are firmly pressed down by your sides.
2. Cross the right leg up and over your body, aiming for you left shoulder. Sweep the leg down the center line of your body and out in line with your right shoulder.drawing a circle on the ceiling.
3. Bring the leg back to the start position. The right hip must stay stable and pressed firmly on the mat throughout the exercise. The size of the circle will depend on the stability of the right hip.

Contraindications:

• Hip replacement

Things to avoid:

• Crunching the neck
• Lifting the shoulders off the mat
• Moving the pelvis and tucking the hips up off the mat
• Moving or swaying the stabilising leg

2. Gently squeeze your buttocks and tip your pelvis back, sending your lower back towards the mat underneath you. At the same time, look towards your navel, shaping your spine into a c-curve.

3. To increase the c-curve, press your spine firmly into the mat. Hold this position whilst you breath in and out 3 times, pulling your abdominals in deeper towards your spine. Curl back up to your start position and sit tall.

Things to be aware of:

-Avoid arching your lower back. Move back from your pelvis.

-Do not allow your ribcage or abdominals to bulge.

-Keep your elbows lifted.

Contraindications:

-Osteoporosis

-Any spine pathologies