The Star (Advanced):- Start Position

1. Lie on your front with a small pillow under your abdomen.
2. Form a star with your limbs, i.e. your feet are just wider than hip width, and your arms are stretched out with hands just wider than shoulder width.
3. You may like to put a small folded towel under your forehead.
4. Scapulas anchored and Pelvic neutral .

The Star (Advanced):- Action

1. Breathe in and zip and hollow and maintain a long spine.
2. (Breathing out): clench the right buttock and lengthen then raise the right leg and left arm (5 cm only). The pelvis does not move, and the scapulas remain anchored.
3. Breathe in and, (while breathing out): Slowly lower the arm and leg and relax.
4. Repeat three to eight times each leg.

Comments

• If you are very confident about protecting your back with a strong zip and hollow, you may omit the pillow.

What it does

• This exercise will automatically trigger the Multifidis muscle to function. If you clench the buttock, the Gluteus maximus will also trigger. Both these muscles become weak in those who suffer back pain, yet they are both essential for protecting the back.

Watch Points

• Hollow the abdomen!
• Small movements!
• The torso and pelvis do not twist, they remain still and both hip bones stay on the floor!
• Keep both knees and elbows soft, and the elbows should remain wide, and the scapulas gently anchored. Keep the neck long and relaxed.
• When clenching just one buttock as in this exercise, try to relax the pelvic floor. There should be a feeling of minimal tension under the tail bone.

Reference

1. Shirley A Sahrmann: Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes; Publ. Mosby 2002
2. The Official Body Control Pilates Manual Available from: http://www.bodycontrol.co.uk/
3. Bruce Thomson: The Gluteus maximus can stabilize your back!