Good Form: Rock and roll to ease back
Here’s a fun, easy and very effective way to firm and tighten your abdominals while gently stretching the muscles in your back. Be sure to practice this move on a padded surface so your spine is protected and comfortable.
Sit upright on a level, padded surface or mat. Bend your knees and hug them loosely toward your chest, hands holding your lower shins. Tighten your abdominals and lean back slightly until your feet are off the floor. Inhale and pause.
On an exhalation, continue to shift your weight backward, round your entire spine, then roll back. Keep your abdominals pulled in and pause for 2 seconds before rolling up to the start position. Make sure you are balancing evenly over the center of your spine as you continue to roll back and forth. Do 12 rolls, then sit up, release your legs and rest.
Voight is the creator of a line of fitness DVDs, including “Full Body Stretch” and “Ballet BodySculpt.”
