Oblique Curl Ups**

Note: Proceed with caution if you have neck pain.

Oblique Curl Ups:- Start Position

Lie in the Relaxation Position.
Roll your neck from side to side as in preparing for Chin Tucks.
Lightly cradle the base of your skull with the fingers of both hands and perform the "chin tuck".
Anchor the scapulas.

Oblique Curl Ups:- Action

Breathe in, and zip and hollow.
(Breathing out): Bring your right shoulder (not your elbow!) closer to your left knee.
Keep the length and width in front of the pelvis, and make sure that the tail bone stays down on the ground (pelvic neutral).
(Breathing in): slowly curl back down.
Repeat three to five times each side.

(benefits of Oblique Curl Ups, Scroll right>>>>....)

Oblique Curl Ups:

Start Position and Action ObliqueCurlUp

Comments

With Posture-Movement Pilates, we are not seeking to impress the world with huge showy muscles. We are not looking for "washboard" abs'! To the contrary, we seek stability at the core of our bodies. The Rectus abdominis is not a core stabilizer, but the Abdominal Obliques most certainly are(1).

© Bruce Thomson, EasyVigour Project scroll up^^^^.....

Benefits of Oblique Curl Up

Safely activates and strengthens the oblique abdominals without the "six pack" muscle (Rectus abdominis) dominating.
The abdominals are worked at their natural length, not at the length they have in the "foetal position" of the Trunk-Curl Sit-Up.

Watch Points

Do not forcibly flex the neck:-

Cradle your head and neck gently, and keep the back of your neck long.
Release your neck tension by doing neck roles first, and by anchoring your scapulas throughout the exercise.
Don't forget the "zip and hollow"!

Reference

Shirley A Sahrmann: Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes; Publ. Mosby 2002
The Official Body Control Pilates Manual Available from: http://www.bodycontrol.co.uk/