Home...
 Pilates Printable Before Printing, Click on File, then Page Setup, & Select Landscape Orientation!

Lower Back Pain Causes & Solutions Pilates Exercise: The Bent Knee Bow

Pilates Information
Pilates Alexander Technique
Free pilates Exercises Online
The Bent Knee Bow - Start Position:-
  1. Stand in the position of mechanical advantage with fists pressing into buttocks (diagram on left). The fist will enable you to monitor Gluteal engagment and straightness of back.
  2. Zip and hollow, and gently apply the scapular anchors.
The Bent Knee Bow - Action:-
  1. Breathe in and (breathing out): bend at the hips as far as you can comfortably go.
  2. Breathe in and (breathing out): engage the Gluteus maximus and return to the position of mechanical advantage.
  3. Repeat 5 to 10 times
  4. (To get your body even lower, bend your knees more at the start, and maintain the bent knees).
Watch Points
  • Your back does not change its shape! - the movment is at the hips!
  • Your head and neck do not change their shape!
  • The zip and hollow stays on all the time.
  • The knees must remain bent - at least as much as in the above diagram!
  • Initially don't overdo it! - Working the Glutes and hamstrings over their longer range is a surprisingly demanding workout!
(Scroll right>>>...)
The Bent Knee Bow:
Use this basic movment pattern for strengthening your back , and also for learning the correct way to "bend down"!
Start Position:-
Bent knee Bow
Action:-


Bent Knee Bow

The Straight Leg "Bend Down" with Return:-
 Avoid these faulty everyday movement patterns!
pFwrdBndKyph pRtrnFwrdBndSw
What it does:-

In anatomical terms:-
  • Works the Gluteus maximus and the hamstrings over their longer range of their motion, thereby strengthening them.
  • Promotes strength and endurance in the erector spinae muscles in the back. Endurance of these muscles is a major predictive factor as to whether you will experience back pain.
In Posture-Movement Terms:-
  • Maintains the whole spine from hip to head well within its "strong middle range" - next time you pull a pan out of the kitchen cupboard, or tie your shoe laces, you will be keeping your back safe within its middle range!
Reference
  1. Shirley A Sahrman: "Movement Impairment Syndromes" Publ. Mosby, 2002 ISBN 0-8016-7205-8
  2. John Gray: Your Guide to the Alexander Technique Publ. Victor Gollancz Ltd. London 1990 ISBN 0-575-04799-2
  3. B I Kodisch: Back Pain Solutions: How to help Yourself with Posture-Movement Therapy and Education Publ.Extensional Publ. Pasadena, Ca 2001 ISBN 0-9700664-5-7
  4. Bruce Thomson: Engage Gluteus maximus!
© Bruce Thomson, EasyVigour Project scroll up^^^^....)