Home | Fitness Apparel Store | Canadian eCommerce | Canadian Online Shopping

The Beginner's Guide to Pilates

Back Extension With Arms

Upper back, shoulder, and abdominal muscles are key for proper posture. One of the most effective way to strengthen and stabilize these muscles is to challenge their endurance in less stable positions.

The following exercise can be conducted in sets of 3 to 6 repetitions:

1. Lie face down with your forehead on a roller towel. Place your arms at 90 degree angles next to your head, with your palms faced-down. You should be anchored to the floor with your ribcage and your pelvic bones.
2. While breathing in, draw your abdominal muscles up without moving your spine.
3. While breathing out, draw your shoulders away from your ears and hover your forehead and chest slightly off the floor. Your lower ribcage should still be anchored to the floor.
4. While breathing in, lift both your arms and your hands slightly off the floor.
5. While breathing out, lower your hands without allowing your shoulders to fall forward.

Clothing provided by Fitness by Brazil.

< Back to Beginner's Guide to Pilates

In need of affordable, but comfortable activewear?