Cobra stretch
THIS YOGA EXERCISE IS DESIGNED
TO STRETCH AND STRENGTHEN YOUR
LOWER BACK AND WAIST – ESSENTIAL
WHEN IT COMES TO MAINTAINING
GOOD POSTURE WHEN SITTING
OR STANDING.
1 Lie flat on your stomach with your
elbows bent and hands flat on the
floor just under your shoulders.
2 Next, raise your chest and lift your
head to look up and forward. You’ll
feel this in your upper back (the
cervical and thoracic segments of
your spine) but avoid over-arching
into your lower back as this can
exacerbate poor posture. Tr y to
keep your lower back straight by
tucking your pelvis under and
keeping it pressed into the floor.
3 Hold the pose for five seconds,
breathing steadily.
4 Come back down to the
floor. Repeat five times.
The bridge
MOST PEOPLE WHO SIT A LOT, EITHER
FOR WORK OR DRIVING, END UP WITH
WEAK GLUTE (BUTTOCK) MUSCLES.
THIS CAN NEGATIVELY AFFECT
POSTURE, SO KEEP YOURS STRONG
WITH THIS EXERCISE THAT TARGETS
YOUR LARGEST GLUTES.1 Lie on your back with your
knees bent and feet flat on the
floor. You can do this with your
knees together or about five
centimetres apart.2 Relax your neck by tucking your
chin in a little. Keep your shoulders
square on the floor and arms
loosely by your sides, palms down.
3 Engage your abs and buttocks
and raise your hips, vertebra
by vertebra, so your body is
in a straight line from shoulders
to knees.
4 Tr y to keep this
movement as one
smooth curling up
of the spine.5 Hold for five seconds before
gently releasing down – again,
vertebra by vertebra. This rolling
movement helps ease out the
spine. Repeat 10 times.Stretch and strengthen your lower back