The Physique 57 Solution (47 page)

BACK

W
ITH ALL THE ATTENTION THAT WE GIVE TO OUR ABS
, thighs, and hips on a regular basis, it can be easy to overlook the back. After all, we don’t see our back every time we look in the mirror, or worry about whether it looks good in a particular outfit. But strong and supple back muscles are an essential part of the Physique 57 body because they are largely responsible for our posture, helping us to stand taller, look slimmer, and move through the world with grace and ease. Keeping these other core muscles toned and flexible also plays a role in our overall health and wellness by preventing back pain and other back-related issues. Plus, as everyone knows, a sculpted back can be amazingly sexy—why do you think they invented halter tops and backless dresses?

Our Back series focuses on the middle and lower back, and is designed to supplement the upper back and core movements that appear in the Warm-Up and Ab sections. We start off with Back Dancing, which provides a fun way to engage and strengthen your lower back muscles, along with the erector spinae, the two long muscles that run the length of your back and attach to your spine. We also like to think of this exercise as the “last call” for your seat; every time you lift and tuck your hips in this move, you engage the glutes to squeeze those seat muscles one last time.

The second part of our Back series is Back Extensors. For these moves, we lie in a prone position on the floor and then raise our head, arms, and legs to stretch and strengthen the entire back of the body. While most Physique 57 moves make an effort to preserve a neutral spine and prevent excess arching, Back Extensors actually create a deliberate, structured arch that puts a laser-like focus on the lower back muscles and strengthens them in a very safe manner. The moves in this section are reminiscent of Pilates, but we jazz them up by incorporating a playground ball for additional isometrics and stability. With these exercises, all your postural muscles are engaged and you are reaching and lengthening through your spine to produce a strong, flexible, and beautiful back. You’ll see the benefits almost immediately as you go about your day standing tall and graceful like a dancer.

At just three minutes long, the Back series is the shortest portion of your workout. But it’s also one of the most important, because the gains you make in these three minutes will enhance your health and well-being for years to come. By stretching and strengthening your back and improving your posture and flexibility, you will be able to avoid the back pain and back-related injuries that are incredibly common as we get older. And if you currently experience any pain or discomfort in your lower back, these exercises will do wonders to relieve the pain and restore your muscles and spine to their proper alignment. In fact, the clients who come to us with preexisting back conditions—many of which have persisted for years—often find that after doing our workouts regularly for some time, they no longer need to take pain medication.

So get ready for the final push, and remember that nothing makes you look better than perfect posture! No more slouching, no more hunching—it’s time to get tall!

This move puts the fun in strengthening your lower back and, as a bonus, it hits the glutes, too. We keep changing your foot position during the choreography so that you feel all the different muscles in your lower back working. By lifting your hips you are also toning your pelvic floor muscles—an easy way to improve your sex life! This is your “Last Call” to work on your bottom, so let’s squeeze that seat!

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet parallel, a few inches from your seat and in line with your hips. Your arms rest on the floor at your sides.

Now engage your abs and your seat muscles to gently lift your hips up off the floor. With your feet flat, begin performing small, upward tucks with your hips, rolling your tailbone up and then releasing it back. Concentrate on lengthening your spine, not arching it.

Now flex your feet so that you are resting on your heels and continue performing hip tucks.

Now press up onto the balls of your feet—as though you were wearing a pair of high heels—and continue performing hip tucks.

Concentrate on keeping your rib cage relaxed down toward the floor. You don’t want to put the weight into your shoulders.