Improve your capacity to expand – for more chest and spine mobility 

Focusing on something different every week will make your Mat Pilates practice exciting. For today’s practice, let’s recap why expanding your chest for upper body mobility matters.

When the thoracic spine and chest muscles remain stiff, they affect breathing capacity and hamper movements like twisting the spine, often leading to neck tension. To counter this, we must prioritize maintaining mobility in the chest and ribcage, which can benefit our entire body.

As you practice today’s Mat Flow (video), pay attention to opening the last four ribs of your ribcage. This will happen if you expand the chest and do not just sniff your breath; correct breathing is essential.

Here’s a tip: Imagine your chest expanding like a parachute inside your body, allowing for fuller, more expansive breathing. This deliberate focus will enhance your breathing and improve overall upper-body mobility.

But don’t worry if you still need to do that, as you can begin today. With just a small pair of dumbbells and three minutes of focused practice, you’ll be amazed at the difference in your Pilates Mat flow. With consistent practice, you’ll also notice improvements in your ability to suspend your upper body during exercises like The Footwork, The Hundred, and all the upper body curl exercises within the Classical Pilates Repertoire on the mat and on the equipment.

Equipment: Chair

Pilates Exercise: Archival Standing pushdown side 

Tips and techniques: When you maintain your pelvis over you ankles without bending your knees, you create hips stability and shoulder girdle stability.

Benefits: This exercise will not only improve your breathing, but also remove tightness in your spine while strengthening your obliques muscles.  

Click play now and experience a world of mobility and vitality!

For additional guidance on exercises to improve chest mobility, consider exploring the following resources:

• Theraband Pilates Exercises to Improve Chest Mobility
• Pilates Foam Roller Exercises 

Highlights from today’s routine 

00:38 – What happens when you can lift your chest?

1:22 – 3 minutes of ribs and chest mobility routine

10:36 – What happened when you focus on your breath in stomach series

14:39 – Is your chest tight? Use this grip during Corkscrew exercise.

16:19 – Check out why I love Swan Dive lately

Xo 

 Jeanique

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