"But why?" on a Wednesday - The Spine Stretch

The Pilates spine stretch is possibly one of the most misunderstood exercises I've come across. At first glance it looks like a standard forward bend. Most people will feel this in their hamstrings, and when the hamstrings are tight the exercise can become rigid and ineffective.

The element that makes the Pilates Spine Stretch an effective mobilisation exercise for the spine is the use of breath, focus and flow. It is not simply about bending forward and seeing how far you can go, it is about the journey and the observations along the way. The controlled exhalation gives time to find where you have opportunity to extend your range of movement. The inhalation enhances space between the ribs and further decompresses the vertebrae.

When setting up for this exercise in the seated position, you can bend your knees enough to allow for a fully neutral pelvis. You may even need to sit on a cushion or rolled towel to life the buttocks off the floor. 

Make sure you perform this exercise slowly enough to concentrate on keeping your shoulders relaxed and find length along the vertebrae as you move into flexion and back to neutral.

I find the most important element of this exercise is to approach it totally relaxed. Other exercises require a little more dynamic energy, where as this is about letting go while keeping a steady connection with the inner corset.

Pilates Spine Stretch

1) Prepare seated with your legs straight in front of you and your arms reaching forward at shoulder height.

2) Inhale to prepare. Feel your whole spine lengthen towards the ceiling as you send your breath into the deeper half of the lungs. Use your abdominal corset to feel as though you're lengthening your torso.


3) As you exhale, start from the neck and slowly release the spine into a rounded position over the legs. Ensure the weight of the head leads the movement and you keep your belly button pulled into your spine.

4) Stay in the rounded stretch forward as you inhale. Push the inhaled breath up into the back of the lower ribcage to intensify the stretch across the back.

5) As you exhale maintain your abdominal connection and slowly begin rolling up to your starting postiion. Start the roll from the lower spine and return the head to neutral last.

6) Repeat all 5-10 times.

If you want suffer from tight hamstrings but want to work towards an amazing spine stretch, I highly recommend this video.