The Spine 141lower back extensors while focusing on abdominal
co-contraction.Spinal Lateral Flexor StrengtheningStrong spinal lateral flexors are important for floor
movements involving rising from a position of lying
on the side. They are also used in the side-bending
movements of the torso commonly performed in
modern and jazz dance. Often when bending the
torso to the side, dancers allow the lumbar spine to
excessively arch, due to inadequate co-contraction of
the abdominal muscles. Hence, side-ups (table 3.4K)
are provided that emphasize slight trunk flexion
and rotation as the spine is laterally flexing, placing
greater emphasis on the obliques. One can also add
difficulty to this exercise by focusing on keeping the
pelvis stable as the torso laterally rises as high as cur-
rent strength will allow. Stabilization exercises using
side positions such as the side reach (table 3.4L) can
also provide challenge to the spinal lateral flexors.Spinal Rotator StrengtheningStrong spinal rotators are necessary for both stabiliza-
tion and movement of the spine. Many injuries to the
back involve rotation, so it is particularly important
to strengthen the muscles involved in rotation and
to practice proper mechanics during rotation. Subtle
use of the spinal rotator muscles is also involved in
asymmetrical movements that include lifting of one
leg or arm such as in an arabesque. Grosser use of
the rotators is involved in movements in which the
torso is twisting relative to the pelvis or the pelvis
is twisting relative to the torso, such as in jazz isola-
tions or many warm-up combinations and movement
phrases in jazz and modern dance.
Most of the spinal flexors and extensors are also
capable of producing rotation. The curl-up with
rotation (table 3.4M) challenges the spinal flexors
(oblique abdominal muscles) capable of rotation.
For effective challenge and to practice sound mechan-
ics, it is important to keep the spine flexed as the
torso rotates, rather than let one shoulder drop and
the low back flatten or arch. The prone arabesque
(table 3.4N) emphasizes strengthening the spinal
extensors capable of rotation. Adding lifting one leg
to any spinal extension exercise will also produce
slight spinal rotation. Adding such rotation increases
the challenge and more specifically recruits some of
the spinal extensors believed to be commonly injured
in lumbosacral strains. Remember that the amount of
spinal extension present when rotation is added will
influence the region of the spine involved in the rota-
tion and the specific components of the spinal extensorscurl-up (table 3.4B) and the curl-back (table 3.4C)
are meant to emphasize developing strength in a
range higher than one can reach in the up-phase of
the curl-up, so that in time the ability to concentri-
cally curl up higher is enhanced. Some examples of
progressions are provided, but keep in mind that
any of the procedures for increasing overload pre-
viously discussed can be used with these exercises.
The Reformer curl-up (table 3.4D) uses the straps
to provide greater overload and effectiveness. The
hip lift (table 3.4E), kneeling abs (figure 3.42B), and
inverted “V” (table 3.4F) emphasize lower abdominal
use and control of the pelvis essential for correcting
lumbar lordosis. The side support (figure 3.42A,
p. 126) and leg reach (table 3.4G) emphasize devel-
oping strength and skill in spinal stabilization. In all
of these exercises it is important to emphasize pulling
the abdominal wall in and up toward the spine to
challenge the vital transverse abdominis muscles.
Spinal Extensor Strengthening
Strong spinal extensors are very important for sta-
bilizing the spine, bending the torso forward and
back when upright, and arching the back. Strong
back extensors are also important for preventing
undesired forward movement of the torso in move-
ments such as in an arabesque, split jumps, or lifting
a dancer overhead. As with the abdominal muscles,
a variety of exercises is recommended to provide
a wider range of benefits—for example, including
exercises that emphasize arching the upper back,
the full spine, rotation, and stabilization.
The scarecrow performed sitting on the Reformer
(table 3.4H) or sitting in a chair (figure 3.26A, p. 99)
emphasize challenging the upper back extensors in
a position where it is easier to stabilize the lumbar
spine. The thoracic extensors are important pos-
turally to prevent kyphosis and prevent the upper
back from falling forward. Furthermore, one study
showed that as back extensor fatigue occurs the
contribution of the thoracic extensors becomes
more prominent (Klausen, Nielsen, and Madsen,
1981). However, in order to target these upper
back extensors, the lower attachment of the pelvis
must be actively “pulled up” so that the top of the
pelvis is not allowed to tilt forward and the lumbar
spine is not allowed to excessively hyperextend,
while the upper back arches with a very small range
of movement (figure 3.45). This is a difficult coor-
dination, and it often requires practice and help
from a partner or the use of a mirror to monitor
technique. The prone single-arm spine arch (table
3.4I) and spine arch with overhead press (table
3.4J) are designed to combine use of the upper and