March MATness Day 18: The Spine Twist

[ChannelRunner2]

Back to being seated! Catch your breath on March 18 with Joe’s 19th exercise. As usual, it’s simple(r) and not easy… We’re twisting our spine again while trying to maintain the length of our upper body, including the spin. And, as Pilates is a full body exercise form, we also use our legs to keep our lower body anchored and (relatively) still.

Today’s and tomorrow’s exercises, “prepare the sides of the body and the entire back line of the body for the challenge of the Side Kick Series. In the Spine Twist the back is striving to stay tall in a seated position, nearly as hard a feat as staying ‘tall’ and not getting lounge-y when you lie on your side for the Side Kicks,” writes Andrea Maida (via pilatesandrea.com/on-the-or... ).

As always, if you need to warm-up, do at least The Hundred, maybe all of the previous 18 exercises. Then repeat this exercise 3 times on each side.

Follow Joe’s instructions from the excerpt from Return to Life. Remember, according to John Steele, Joe encouraged his students to modify. Find out what works for your body today.

Instructions from Online Pilates Classes – with suggestions on how to make the exercise easier starting at about 02:43:

youtu.be/fEDKSCbAhms(Not working as expected?)

You can read more about the exercise and written instructions at the OPC page for it: onlinepilatesclasses.com/pi...

Another set of instructions from the Pilates Lesson Plan, including a video and modification suggestions, are here: georgewatts.org/lesson-plan... (via pilateslessonplans.co.uk/fr... )

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Standing variations for exercises 16-20: instagram.com/reel/CZ-Y5k1A...

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Photo from Return to Life as published by Presentation Dynamics. Photos are far better reproduced in the paperback published by the Pilates Method Alliance in 2010, which isn’t available electronically. (See this post for the title page: healthunlocked.com/strength... )

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★ Our March MATness summary page: healthunlocked.com/strength... ★

[ChannelRunner2]

Just discovered this on Instagram: Spine Twist in a chair

instagram.com/p/Cp8vlL9gQkC/

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold]

oh I did those yesterday, I think. Did these twists again, just now. I know the movement in the version where she has the hands on the shoulder, and I do like this movement as well!

Just came back from a run, and I actually can feel the stretching of my glutes as well, when doing these! Not sure this is right or not.

[ChannelRunner2 in reply to CBDB]

Yay! So cool! Yes, it's nice to do with hands on the shoulders because you get to concentrate on the spine movement.

I have no idea if it's right to feel something in your glutes. I don't, however, this doesn't mean much 🤣 As long as you're not (inadvertently) moving your legs, it just might be because the muscles are all connected!

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to ChannelRunner2]

I also like having the chair version, which is great for a day at the desk!

I used to have a quick 7 min sitting-yoga session bookmarked to do anytime I feel like it. But this version might just be something I’ll use to make a Pilates list for office work,

[ChannelRunner2 in reply to CBDB]

She also has a sneaky moves post we can do at our desks without anybody noticing... 😉 instagram.com/reel/CpAa7-Eg...

[CBDB Administrator Graduate Gold in reply to ChannelRunner2]

sneaky good! 👍🏽