Simply lifting and lowering the arms forces the air in and out of the lungs and produces a ripple effect in the vertebrae of the mid- and upper back. To prove it, place your fingers on your upper back just below your neck at your shoulder line. Move the other arm up and down. You'll feel the subtle muscle activity. The pendulumlike leg swings cause muscle activity around the vertebrae of the lower back and pelvis, and force the breath to alter.
Tapping on the chest stimulates the lungs and heart. It also gives a light mobilization to the little joints between the breastbone and the ribs. When you loosen the breastbone joints, you also loosen the upper and mid-back since the ribs connect the two. I like to tap hard enough to make a hollow sound, which might take some practice. Only go as hard as your comfort level allows; the taps are taps, not large thumps. They should not cause bruising.
It does so thanks to a domino effect. It's a great way to round the back fully and this helps you work the upper abdominals. That promotes the opening of the mid- and upper back, which in turn opens the diaphragm - the main muscle that we use for breathing. A tight mid- and upper back prevents the back part of the diaphragm from working properly, so some of our potential oxygen supply is cut off.
It's always a challenge and takes some practice to master breathing while lying on the abdomen. Then adding the lift of the abdominals, the pulling of the tailbone to the heels, and making smile lines at the tops of the thighs can be overwhelming. Remember that performance varies and every attempt will be a little different. First, line up the body before you begin to rock. When you rock forward, it will actually be natural to exhale through your mouth. Think of the inhalation as lifting you up before you catch yourself on your hands. It's often simplest just to exhale on the rock forward and you will then automatically inhale as you lift your shoulders up again.
One way to modify this exercise is to stay high in the all fours position, with the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips. Another modification is to lie on your side, hold onto your knees and breathe into your back. Yet another modification is to lie on your back, onto your knees and gently circle them.
The Plank Balance, one of the hardest of the plank exercises, challenges the breath and increases body temperature because of its intensity. You have to breathe harder simply to maintain this position at all. Revitalizing the Back is designed to help you be successful when you reach the hardest exercises. Those leading up to this one will have promoted greater use of the breathing muscles so that by the time you get to the Plank Balance, you have the best chance of achieving it. If you need to modify the exercise, especially if you find you are holding your breath, do so by staying with both feet on the ground. Another modification is to lower the knees to the ground, and hold yourself up with your forearms, knees, and toes.
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07272010
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