The Amazing Stickie wants to have supple hamstrings and a flexible back. One way she works toward this is by doing Spine Stretch in Pilates.
Spine Stretch is the Pilates version of the forward bend we all know from stretching or yoga, but with its own special Pilates flavor. The goal of this exercise, as Stickie knows, is not to touch the nose to the knee, but to hinge forward from the hips, minimizing the rounding of the spine.
She begins sitting on the floor with her legs out in front of her, feet flexed. Of course, she has excellent posture with her ears directly over her shoulders, which are directly over her hips. She holds her arms out in front of her at shoulder level (zombie arms!). She inhales and elongates her spine even more, then exhales and hinges forward from her hips. Since she does not want to curve her back unnecessarily, Stickie often thinks of this movement as taking her breastbone toward her toes. Then she inhales and returns to her starting position.
Stickie usually does five to ten reps.
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