Weekend Challenge: Spine And Hip Strengthener

This weekend, we’re taking a fresh look at an old favorite: the bridge. This move has stood the test of time for several reasons. For one thing, it is an effective and relatively simple exercise. For another, they target the spine and hips while working the buttocks and hamstring muscles, which are very important areas of the body that tend not to be addressed in other types of exercise.

From a strong spine and pelvis arise good balance, functional movement of the torso and legs, fracture-resistant vertebrae and hip bones, improved posture, and a host of other healthful benefits. I’m thrilled to share the Spine And Hip Strengthener with you this weekend!

Why:

The Spine And Hip Strengthener directly counteracts the rounded-out spine that can so easily result from the demands of modern life. For many people, leaning forward, sitting with rounded shoulders and/or at a desk in one position for hours, poking their head forward, bending down, (these are just a few examples) are daily motions. These are the postures assumed when we go about our jobs, from an office worker sitting at his computer to a doctor examining her patients.

Such movements are performed repetitively, every day, for many cumulative hours.

And what’s worse is that for most people, relaxing at home means sitting on a couch or in a comfortable chair, further depriving their body of the healthy movements it needs to function at its best and resist fractures.

Speaking of fractures, the spine and pelvis are areas of concern when low bone density is a factor. Avoidance of vertebral compression fractures and the dreaded hip fractures are often held up by doctors as prime reasons why osteoporosis drugs are necessary. Of course, Savers are well aware that these dangerous drugs do more harm than good, and have many undesirable side effects, including atypical fractures.

Exercises that protect and strengthen spinal and hip bones are an important weapon in your osteoporosis arsenal for a couple of reasons. First, as noted above, the movement of the Spine And Hip Strengthener pulls and stretches your muscles into proper alignment and posture, bringing you out of the forward head posture (FHP) and slumped shoulders associated with “sit-down syndrome.”

Second, this weekend’s exercise works muscle groups that atrophy, tighten, and weaken when neglected during daily tasks. You’ll feel the muscles in the backs of your legs (the hamstrings) and your buttocks muscles working away when you do the Spine And Hip Strengthener. You’ll also feel your abdominal muscles working hard to hold your torso and hips up off the floor.

As these muscles get used, they not only work back into their proper positions; they also stimulate new bone growth in the bones to which they attach.

So with that said, grab your exercise mat and let’s go to the floor!

Note: If you have trouble getting down onto the floor or getting up again, then you may want to choose a different exercise that targets similar areas, such as these two: Whole Leg And Back Strengthener and the Seated Core And Legs Toner.

How:

1. Lie on your back with your hands by your sides on the floor. Bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor.
2. Slowly raise your hips up until there’s a straight line from your knees to your hips to your shoulder. Keep your shoulders flat on the floor.
3. Hold this position for approximately five seconds (if you can only hold for a second or two, that’s fine; just so you perform the move. You can work up to longer).
4. Slowly lower your hips back to the starting position.
5. Repeat this move eight to 10 times.

Densercise™ Combines Something Old And Something New

This weekend we took a fresh look at a time-honored move. When you begin the exercise routine described in the Densercise™ Epidensity Training System, you’ll find moves that are both familiar and innovative.

This combination of old and new makes Densercise™ very approachable, yet fresh enough to hold your interest and challenge your body.

While the Weekend Challenges are different exercises than those found in Densercise™, they work beautifully with the “Densercises” to add variety to the four-week Densercise™ program, and the Challenges allow you to make adjustments for individual preferences and fitness levels.

Do you have an exercise that’s an old standby? Or maybe you have a new move you recently discovered. If so, we’d love to hear about it. Feel free to share with the community by leaving a comment below!

Have a great weekend!