The Physique 57 Solution (50 page)

Now bring your legs in and click your heels together as you press into the ball for leverage. Keep your toes pointed and continue clicking at a good pace.

COOL DOWN

M
ELT AND BREATHE. YOU’VE EARNED THESE STRETCHES!
Designed to complement all the moves you’ve just completed, especially those in our Ab and Back series, our three-minute stretch sequence lengthens and relaxes your tired muscles to put the finishing touches on a strong and sexy body. Since you’ve already been stretching throughout your workout, a few quick moves are all you need to bring your heart rate back to normal, catch your breath, and recharge. Together these six simple stretches release all your muscles and train them to always take their full length, ensuring that you achieve a long, slender, feminine shape.

Whenever you are performing stretches, you want to stretch to the point that you feel a bit uncomfortable, but not push past that spot. Going beyond what your body can handle will
not
make the stretches more effective. So breathe deeply and relax, and remind yourself that your body will become more flexible with every workout. In just two short weeks, you’ll be amazed by how much deeper you can go with each stretch, and how much more natural some of these movements feel.

Above all, remember in these moments to congratulate yourself on a job well done! You made it through, and now you can go about the rest of your day knowing that you just did something amazing for your body.

We’re so proud of you. Great job, Gorgeous!

Every time you inhale and exhale through this stretch, you create more space between your vertebrae. You’ll find that this increased mobility in your spine will help you move more freely throughout your day. You want to move with each breath—let deep inhales and exhales drive these movements.

MUSCLES TARGETED:
Entire core

Kneel on all fours, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.

Inhale as you round your spine up toward the ceiling, lower your head, and look toward your navel. You want to imagine that someone is gently lifting you up from the middle of your body.

Now exhale and arch your back, bringing your chin and tailbone up and allowing your navel to sink toward the floor. Drop your shoulders away from your ears so that you feel broad and open through your chest.

This stretch returns the natural curve to your lower back. As your shoulders melt down, feel your neck and back muscles release. Take your time with this one—it’s okay to stay here a little longer.

Lie in a prone position on the floor with your elbows bent and your forearms next to your body.

Straighten your arms to push your upper body all the way off the floor.

At the top of the stretch, breathe deeply and release your shoulders away from your ears. Keep your head level and facing forward.

Bend your elbows and gently lower your upper body back down to the floor.