| Description: Exercises for the back while in bowing/bent-over position = Bend at the hips, keeping the back straight, held out horizontally like a tabletop, back remains stationary. Version 1. With a staff held horizontally out and gripping nearer one end, other end extended out, lift & lower the staff by pulling it up towars chest while bowed over. The longer the extended end, the more heavy the staff will seem, while gripping near or at one end. Alternate grips (both palms up, both down or 1 up & other dow). Adjust length (position of grip) as needed. Do equally on both sides = extending 1 side, then repeat with other side extended. Do as many repetitions as is confortable. Version 2. Rather than lifting & lowering the whole staff, when version 1 is easy, try raising the extended end only. Raising & lowerng the extended end, slowly at first, then eventually this can be done as a shakey-staff resistence = quickly. Also, the extended end can be tried to keep stationary, while rising and lowering the gripped end. Alternate hands doing the moving (hand near the end held and hand near the extended end), while the other hand acts as a guide/fulcrum. Can be done horizontally (forward and back), as well as vertically up and down. Alternate grips & side that is extended. Be careful NOT to hit anything with the extended end, such as lamps, other people, etc. Usually done through a path of 3 feet or shorter. Later, if room, wider sweeps can be done, the wider forward or back or even up, the more the shoulders twist, though upward reduces the feeling of weight as it approaches vertical. Careful of walls, ceilings & to not hit anything or anyone in the area. Alternating sids entended & grips used. Version 3. Rather than just vertical or horizontal straight, try circleing the extended end. Also, keepign the extended end's tip stationary while circleing the held end. Vairy the size of the circles 3 feet diameter or smaller usually. Again, alternating sids entended & grips used. A version of "Stirring the Kettel" can be done here, that would fall into this version of bowed back exercises. Version 4. Rather than holding the staff out parallel to shoulders (left and right), the staff can be extended straight out, parallel to the bowed spine. This is a bit more advanced, working coordination more. Lifting up and down, trying to move the staff from side to side, like a windshield-wiper if just one end is moved, or a sliding door maybe, if the whole staff is moved left and right. Circleing one end, and stirring the kettel, also become more challenging when bowed over & staff extended straight out. Version 5. Thrust. Trying to keep the staff level/horizontal, to thrust the extended end out and back. Also letting it swing from up to down then up again as thrusting out, relative to your chest. Alternate grips & directions staff is extended. Again, careful to NOT hit anyone or anything in the area. This version is more for stretching and limbering, than as a kind of weight-lifting. Jabbing (sliding through the hand of the extended end side), can be tried but remember that control will be more awkward Notes: Do NOT strain your back. Once bowed to horizontal, the back stays stationary. If the back muscles start to feel strained, come up and wait till maybe another day to do any of these exercises again (bit by bit, never overdoing). Do only as much as you feel confortable doing. |
