Caution: It is strongly recommended that you perform all of the breathing, organ, and hip exercises before you attempt this Spine Exercise.
Purpose: To learn how to mobilize and balance the side to side movement of each spine segment.
Schedule: Perform Spine Exercise Stages 4 and 5 together in one session.
Start: Begin by getting onto your hands and knees.
NOTE: For best results, ask a partner to place his or her thumb and index fingers on either side of your spine, directly over the segment of the spine you are focusing on. This will make it easier for you to concentrate your efforts, resulting in a more effective exercise.
Step 1: Spread your hands and knees a shoulder width apart and place them directly below your shoulders and hips respectively.
Step 2: Remembering the earthworm example, distract your lower spine by stretching the spine to move the spine segments away from each other. HOLD this position.
Step 3: Maintaining the spinal distraction, sidebend the spine to the right and then left 5 times. Rest.
Step 4: If sidebending was more difficult in one direction than the other, repeat the sidebending action 5 more times in the direction of most difficulty. Rest.
End: Focus on the next higher section of your spine, and repeat Steps 2 – 4 until you have reached the top of your throat. As you improve, try to focus on smaller and smaller sections of your spine.
Observe: Relax and stretch out your legs. Notice that resting on your back is more comfortable and that your back has more contact with the floor.
Progress: Continue on to Spine Mobility Exercises Stage 5.