Useful exercise tips for better results in less time

Flat Back

Keep your body parallel to the floor, with your tummy pulled up, spine straight and head in line with your spine, like a table. Your torso is at a complete 90- degree angle and your legs are perpendicular to the floor. In order to maintain a flat back, your core is activated and your hamstrings are elongated. This is Flat Back.

Plié

Stand up straight. Now bend your knees, keep your tummy pulled in and maintain a straight spine - do not arch or contract your back. Lift your chest by pulling your shoulders back imagining that your shoulder blades are pinching your spine. This is where "opposition" comes in. As you bend your knees down, or "Plié," your torso lifts upward . . . lengthening and elongating.

Turnout

Make the shape of a V with your feet - heels together, toes apart. Turn your legs and hips outward, keeping your knees looking in the same direction as your toes. As you do a "Plié" or "Turnout," always keep your knees directly in line with your toes. In other words, if you were to drop a string directly down from your knees to the floor, it should land directly in front of your toes, not at all inside or outside. Do not force the Turnout. Work at your own natural flexibility. A 90-degree turnout is average, a 180-degree turnout is too much.

Torso Twist

The Torso Twist is an isolation. The motion is the twisting of your upper body from side to side without moving your hips, legs, or feet. Lead with your shoulders and rib cage and rotate from your waist. When one shoulder is in front of your body, the other should be in back.

Standing Posture

Yes, Standing Posture is simply standing, but the key is how you are standing. The average person slightly sticks out their neck, slumps their shoulders forward, and arches their lower back so that their butt protrudes. This is incorrect and will contribute to a misshapen spine. For Standing Posture, stand straight with your weight distributed evenly on both feet. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth, slightly expanding your belly as you inhale and pulling your stomach in and up (without raising your shoulders) as you exhale.

Notice your stomach muscles contract, creating a hard protective shell over your internal organs as you exhale. This slims the waist. Pull your shoulders back, your chest out, and drop your tailbone by rotating your butt slightly under. Stand tall and confident.

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