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Brilliant Idiot · 01-13-2006, 05:25 PM

So, I'm going to take a wild guess here, but I think you people are voting for some yoga snacks for the back.

OK - here's a good one to build up strength in your lower back and abdominals. It doesn't provide immediate relief after a hard day, (I'll offer up other Yoga Snacks for that later), but it's very good for building up your back, over time, without damaging it. It's called the Pelvic Push.

Do this: Against a firm surface.
Against the back of your chair; lying down on the floor, (beds are too soft for this); against an elevator wall, etc. etc.

You can try this now, as you sit at your computer, doing it against the back of your chair.

Have your neck, spine, hips and legs lined up with each other. If you're sitting, have your legs in line with your hips, both feet on the floor. Don't have your legs crossed.

Press the small of your back against your supporting surface. If you're doing this now, press the small of your back against the back of your chair.

The idea is that you will flatten out your back, so that your entire back is in firm contact with the back of your chair, (or the wall or the floor). This also makes your hips tilt.

If you do it well, you'll probably feel it in your abdominals, your lower back and your butt, even in your thighs.

Hold this position for 6, long, slow breaths out. Then, relax your back. Notice all the muscles that are letting go. Wait while they let go of all tension from the stretch.

It's best if you can do this three times. But any number of repetitions is good.

Here's a gif of what it would look like if you did this against the floor and had magical arrows appearing out of mid-air:

What to pay attention to as you hold the pose
First repetition: Press your back moderately firmly, as if to give your muscles a friendly wake up call. Not to the point of straining yourself! Then, forget about the pose as you hold it. All you need to think about is the Relaxation Effect that we talked about earlier. As you breathe out, notice different parts of your body letting go, like your shoulders, or your face or your feet.

Second Repetition: Press your back very firmly, but don't strain. Then, forget about the pose as you hold it. All you need to think about is the rest of your body sinking down and letting go as you brethe out.

Third Repetition: Press your back very firmly, but don't strain. Let your body sink down and let go as you breathe out. Then, for your last few breaths, press your back more and more firmly every time you breathe out. Each time you breathe out, as long as you're breathing out, press more and more firmly. Hold your new position each time you breathe in. When you reach your limit, (short of collapsing in exhaustion), let the exercise go.

Coming Soon
General Tips for Safety and for getting the most out of the Yoga Snacks.

01-13-2006, 05:25 PM	#11 (permalink)
Brilliant Idiot Tilted	So, I'm going to take a wild guess here, but I think you people are voting for some yoga snacks for the back. OK - here's a good one to build up strength in your lower back and abdominals. It doesn't provide immediate relief after a hard day, (I'll offer up other Yoga Snacks for that later), but it's very good for building up your back, over time, without damaging it. It's called the Pelvic Push. Do this: Against a firm surface. Against the back of your chair; lying down on the floor, (beds are too soft for this); against an elevator wall, etc. etc. You can try this now, as you sit at your computer, doing it against the back of your chair. Have your neck, spine, hips and legs lined up with each other. If you're sitting, have your legs in line with your hips, both feet on the floor. Don't have your legs crossed. Press the small of your back against your supporting surface. If you're doing this now, press the small of your back against the back of your chair. The idea is that you will flatten out your back, so that your entire back is in firm contact with the back of your chair, (or the wall or the floor). This also makes your hips tilt. If you do it well, you'll probably feel it in your abdominals, your lower back and your butt, even in your thighs. Hold this position for 6, long, slow breaths out. Then, relax your back. Notice all the muscles that are letting go. Wait while they let go of all tension from the stretch. It's best if you can do this three times. But any number of repetitions is good. Here's a gif of what it would look like if you did this against the floor and had magical arrows appearing out of mid-air: What to pay attention to as you hold the pose First repetition: Press your back moderately firmly, as if to give your muscles a friendly wake up call. Not to the point of straining yourself! Then, forget about the pose as you hold it. All you need to think about is the Relaxation Effect that we talked about earlier. As you breathe out, notice different parts of your body letting go, like your shoulders, or your face or your feet. Second Repetition: Press your back very firmly, but don't strain. Then, forget about the pose as you hold it. All you need to think about is the rest of your body sinking down and letting go as you brethe out. Third Repetition: Press your back very firmly, but don't strain. Let your body sink down and let go as you breathe out. Then, for your last few breaths, press your back more and more firmly every time you breathe out. Each time you breathe out, as long as you're breathing out, press more and more firmly. Hold your new position each time you breathe in. When you reach your limit, (short of collapsing in exhaustion), let the exercise go. Coming Soon General Tips for Safety and for getting the most out of the Yoga Snacks. Last edited by Brilliant Idiot; 01-13-2006 at 05:29 PM..