Continue the focus on your “center”. This variation that adds a new twist to adding strength and balance to your core muscles.
- Pelvic Tilt
- Inner Thigh Squeeze with Little Ball
- Inner Thigh Squeeze with Little Ball: Lift
- Lengthening & Tracking the Core
- Torso & Spine Twist
Pelvic Tilt
Position
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the ground
- Relax your arms at your sides
- “Dime” pinched, “Zipper” zipped, feet relaxed
Action
- Focus on abdominal area between the hip bones
- Lift from your abdominals and hold the position of your feet and legs
- Pull your inner thighs towards one another
- Slowly lower the pelvis until you feel as if you will lose the “Dime” or “Zipper”
- Return to starting position
Tip
- Less is more: this is a very small movement
Inner Thigh Squeeze with Little Ball
Position
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the ground
- Relax your arms at your sides
- “Dime” pinched, “Zipper” zipped, feet relaxed
- Hold ball between the thighs
Action
- Stay focused on posture and alignment
- Squeeze ball and slightly release
- Continue squeezing action
Tips
- Always maintain tension on the ball
- Never let go of “Dime” and “Zipper”
- Keep shoulders pinched back and down
Inner Thigh Squeeze with Little Ball: Lift
Position
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and relaxed
- Engage “Dime” and “Zipper”
- Pull your inner thighs towards one another
- Relax your arms at your sides
- Hold ball between the thighs
Action
- Keep tension on the ball
- Lift from the center (abdominal area between the hip bones). Avoid pushing down with your legs or feet
- Lift until you feel you will lose your “Dime”, “Zipper” and overall alignment
- Focus on your spine as you lower yourself, rolling down slowly. Make sure to keep all your parts engaged and aligned
- Ease down until you feel you’re going to lose your “Dime” and “Zipper” and then slowly raise yourself up again
- Do a few repetitions…rest…and then repeat
Tips
- Never force anything! It takes time and patience to make changes
- Watch your feet to make sure they are not pushing
Lengthening & Tracking the Core
Position
- Relax on your back, knees bent, feet flat and relaxed
- Pull your inner thighs towards one another
- Arms should be relaxed at your sides
- Shoulders back and down
- Ball between hands and over the chest
Action
- Slowly raise ball over head until you feel it connect with the center (abdominal area between the hip bones)
- Keeping shoulders pinched, return to starting position
- Maintain proper alignment
Tips
- Engage from your abdominals, not your feet
- Only go as far as your Range of Motion allows
- Make sure you feel the connection to the center at all times
Torso & Spine Twist
Position
- Lie on your back, knees bent, feet flat and relaxed
- Engage your “Dime” and “Zipper”
- Pull inner thighs towards one another
- Hold ball between hands and over the chest
Action
- Slowly rotate your arms to one side while knees rotate to the opposite side
- Repeat movement in other direction
- Continue a few more repetitions
Tips
- Stay within your Range of Motion: only go as far as you can while comfortably maintaining your posture and alignment
- Keep the ball directly over the chest: don’t pull towards your head
- Initiate movement from the center (abdominal area)