The first part of these exercises involves a seated stretch. It is harder work than it looks and needs to be done with careful attention to your technique to ensure that you achieve the necessary stretch. Spend at least a week practicing this stretch before moving on to the combined hamstring and back stretch. These extension exercises encourage spinal mobility and back lengthening. Again, it is the precision with which you perform the exercise, rather than the degree of movement you achieve, that will produce positive results.
Seated stretch
1 Sit on your sitting bones with your legs extended in front, knees vertical, and your feet parallel and a short distance apart. If necessary support yourself with cushions as described on different page of website. Breathe into your ribs and on the out-breath engage your centering muscles to lengthen up from your hips through your torso. Keep your thigh muscles soft. Repeat this five times.
2 Repeat step I but on the out-breath also flex your feet and slide your heels away from you. Keep your toes relaxed and feel the hamstrings stretch. Relax on the in-breath. Repeat five times.
Combined hamstring and back stretch
Silting as for the seated stretch, breathe into the ribs and on the out-breath allow the weight of the head to round the body forward, visualizing bringing your nose toward your navel. Allow your back to round but use your centering muscles to maintain a sense of lengthening. Allow your arms to come forward with the movement. Keep your shoulders down and your thighs soft. Roll forward as far as is comfortable without collapsing at the center.
