| Membership Category: |
Pilates Lesson Planner |
| Sub Category: |
Matwork |
| Types: |
Seated & Floor, Supine |
| Anatomy: |
Lower Back, Core, Hips |
| Chakras: |
Heart Centre |
| Therapy: |
Sciatica, Varicose Veins |
| Drishti: |
Up |
| Dosha: |
Pitta, Kapha |
Lie on back. Both legs straighten together, perpendicular to the mat, with both hands holding one ankle (or as far up the leg as you can manage). Spine curled up, forehead aiming for shin. Elbows high and wide. Other leg splits and lowers towards the floor. Switch. Repeat.
Abdominal, shoulder, and hip flexibility.
The term “supine position” means “lying on the back or with the face upward,” like when you lie in bed on your back and look up at the ceiling. It’s common to be in the supine position when doing Pilates exercises or breathing and relaxation exercises. The starting pose in a lot of Pilates floor exercises involves finding a neutral spine. When your body is in this position, your core and hips need to be strong and steady.
To find "neutral spine", lay on your back in the supine position. With knees bent, keep feet flat on the mat. Take a deep inhale, and let your body melt into the mat. On the exhale, use your abdominals to press your lower spine deeper into the floor. Inhale to release. When your back raises off the mat, you will feel a gap or natural curve in your lower back. This is the neutral spine position.
This simple looking resting position centres calms, and soothes the brain, making it ideal for relieving stress. When performed with the head and torso supported, it can also help relieve back and neck pain.
