APPI Pilates: Arm Openings - Level 2

Arm Openings 🙋🏻‍♀️ LEVEL 2

INCORRECT FORM ❎
(First 1-3 reps of this video)
- Extending the mid back with rotation causing the rib cage to flare
- Top hip rotating or falling back as you reach with the arm
- Hypermobility in the top arm causing excessive reaching & movement
- Poking the head & neck forward as it rotates

CORRECT FORM ✅
(Reps 4-6 of this video)
- POSITION: Lie on your side with your head supported on a small pillow. Reach your arms in front of the body resting one on top of the other. Ensure your lower back is in the neutral spine position & your ribcage isn’t flaring out. Bend your hips up to 45 degrees & your knees to approx 90 degrees. Stack your shoulders & hips on top of each other. Draw your top hip downwards away from your top shoulder to create a small space between your waist & the mat
- INHALE to prepare
- EXHALE & circle the top arm overhead. Continue to circle the arm around the opposite side of the body, allowing the torso to rotate & front of chest to open towards the ceiling. Allow your head to follow the movement of your arm.
- INHALE & continue circling the arm downwards towards the hip & then back to the starting position, allowing the torso to rotate back to the starting position.
- Repeat 3-4 times & then reverse the direction of the circles

TIP: 👀 Keep your eyes on your hand the whole time the arm is moving. Imagine you are drawing a ‘D’ shape

AIMS 👩🏻‍🏫
- To mobilise the thoracic & lumbar spine
- To stretch the pectoral (chest) muscles