One of the challenges of daily movement is keeping the spine and muscles of the trunk flexible in different directions. Most of us are used to bending over, or reaching up, but what happens when we reach or look to the side? Often, the head or the arms will go with the motion, but the trunk will be immobile. The result is a compromised range of motion that gets worse as we age.
Spine twist, a Pilates mat exercise, helps guard against this.
Spine twist increases the range of motion in the upper body by training the trunk to spiral on the central vertical axis, while maintaining the support of a stable pelvis. This range of motion is important in sports such as golf and tennis. The spine twist also promotes good posture and is an opportunity to use the breath in the way that Joseph Pilates encouraged: taking in a lot of fresh air and using movement to expel old air forcefully. In the spine twist, the twisting motion helps you feel as if you are literally wringing the old air out.
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