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Seated Flat Back With Neck Stretcher on the Pilates Cadillac

BeginnerstretchTier T2

You sit tall on a Pilates cadillac facing the leg springs with your legs long and wide and your feet flexed. A padded strap goes around your forehead and your hands hold its front. You lift as tall as you can with your shoulders over your hips.

Targets: Spine Chain (Full Spine)

Stop if

Choose an easier exercise if pain reaches 6 out of 10 or becomes sharp. Stop and rest if pain reaches 8 out of 10.

This is the general ClapMove rule. This exercise has no extra stop rule of its own.

  • Pain 6 out of 10 or more: choose an easier exercise.
  • Pain 8 out of 10 or more: stop and rest.

Equipment needed

No equipment needed

Dosage

1

Sets

30 sec

Reps / Time

15 sec

Rest

controlled

Tempo

Step-by-Step Guide

Set up

  • Hook the neck stretcher to the leg springs and sit facing them, sliding away until the springs are long; place the strap on your head tight against your forehead with your hands holding the front and your elbows wide.
  • Stretch your legs long and wide with flexed feet pressing down, sitting tall with your shoulders over your hips.
  1. He sits tall on the table facing the springs with his legs stretched long and wide and his feet flexed pressing down, the strap across his forehead, his hands holding the front of the strap with his elbows wide, the leg springs drawn long.

    Step 1 of 5

    Sit tall facing the springs with your legs long and wide and your feet flexed pressing down, the strap on your forehead, your hands holding the front of the strap tight and your elbows wide.

  2. He has lifted to his tallest seated position, his shoulders stacked over his hips, his legs reaching away down the wide line as the strap and springs wait long.

    Step 2 of 5

    Lift as tall as you can, shoulders over hips, reaching your legs away before the lean begins.

  3. His whole spine has leaned back in one straight line, his head pressing into the strap so the springs have drawn down, his elbows still wide and his heels still pressing the table.

    Step 3 of 5

    Lean back with the longest, tallest back, your head pressing into the strap to move the spring, the whole spine moving as one connected line with no arch.

  4. His spine has lifted back to the tall upright position, the strap and springs easing as his shoulders restack over his hips, his legs still long and wide.

    Step 4 of 5

    Lifting tall, sit all the way up to the start position, the spine still moving in one line.

  5. He sits tall on the table facing the springs with his legs stretched long and wide and his feet flexed pressing down, the strap across his forehead, his hands holding the front of the strap with his elbows wide, the leg springs drawn long.

    Step 5 of 5

    Sit tall facing the springs with your legs long and wide and your feet flexed pressing down, the strap on your forehead, your hands holding the front of the strap tight and your elbows wide.

Safety Information

Hook the neck stretcher to the leg springs; sit on the table facing the springs far enough away that the springs are long and not hanging, stretch the legs long and as wide as the mat with the feet flexed and pressing down, place the strap on the head holding the front of it tight against the forehead with the elbows wide, sit tall with the shoulders over the hips, then lean back with the longest tallest back pressing the head into the strap to move the spring, and lift tall to sit all the way up. Do not muscle through and leave the head behind, press the head into the strap so the whole spine moves down and up together, do not over-press the head into an arch, and keep the lower back from lifting away - the spine stays in one connected line. Caution: anyone with a shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, back or balance problem should ask a physical therapist or physician before attempting this exercise and stop at pain or dizziness. Stop if the exercise causes pain or you become unwell. Seek appropriate professional advice about symptoms or suitability.

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Printed from clapmove.com. ClapMove is not a replacement for professional medical advice — always consult a healthcare provider before starting any exercise program.