Realign Day 3

Outline:

Equipment needed:

• – None

Complete 10 repetitions and 1-3 sets of each exercise.

• 1. Transverse Abdominal Breathing
• 2. Heel Slides
• 3. Overhead Reaches
• 4. Thoracic Mobility – Upper
• 5. Thoracic Mobility – Side Lying
• 6. Scapular Retractions

1. Transverse Abdominal Breathing

Activate and coordinate your pelvic floor with your transverse abdominis.

• -Lying on your back with one hand above and the other below your belly button.
• -Take a deep inhalation through your nose.
• -Make sure to breathe deep into your back body filling all the spaces in your lunges so your abdomen and diaphragm expand.
• -Exhale
• -Open your mouth and say “HA” while doing so pull your ribs together and narrow your waistline.

2. Heel Slides

This exercise will help strengthen your lower abdominals as well as coordinate your pelvic floor with leg movement.

• -Lie on your back with bent knees.
• -Place sliders or a small tower under your feet.
• -Tuck your tailbone under so that your lower back is touching the floor.
• -Engage your core and lift your pelvic floor upwards.
• -Slide one foot out while keeping contact with the floor at all times.
• -Slide your foot back to the start.
• -Alternate sides.

3. Overhead Reaches

With this exercise we will begin to engage the upper abdominals.

• -Lie on your back with bent knees.
• -Press your lower ribs and lower back into the floor.
• -Raise your arms overhead and touch the floor.
• -Keep your ribs from flaring and your lower back from lifting.
• -Return to the start position.

4. Thoracic Mobility -Upper

Open the upper back with this mobility movement.

• -For this exercise you will need a chair or bench.
• -Kneel in front of your chair.
• -Place your elbows onto the edge of the chair.
• -Position yourself so you form a flat back; do not allow your core to collapse.
• -Gently bend your arms back and proceed to lift your upper back to stretch.

5. Thoracic Mobility – Side Lying

This exercise will help support optimal mid-back mobility.

• -Lie on your side with bent knees.
• -Bend your top arm at approximately 90 degrees.
• -Gently twist towards the back and return to the middle.
• -You can place your bottom arm on the top of your legs if you find that they tend to lift (additionally you can place a small pillow between the knees for
  extra support).

6. Scapular Retractions

This exercise will help activate your upper back and will help in optimizing posture.

• -Start in Table top position align your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• -Shoulders should be down and away from the ears.
• -Slide your shoulder blades down your back and together.
• -Hold for a few seconds and release.