Spine-lengthening Exercises

Exercises that lengthen the spine are undertaken to correct bad posture and strengthen the core muscles. This helps in lending strength to the overall body. In this following article, we will take you through select exercises that concentrate on spine-lengthening. You can include these in your routine and benefit from the same.

Sit up straight, and stop slouching like that.

Don’t bend like that, bend at the knees instead.

You’ve heard that one before? I have. Several times over. It used to irk me earlier. But now I think it’s the smartest thing to be warned about. Once the spine is gone, there really is not much you can do. It completely thwarts and curbs even the most normal activities. In that direction, undertaking certain spine-lengthening exercises is a must because it helps to, well, strengthen the spine. Why the stress on the spine? Because the spine is an integral part of our body that is responsible for making a range of functions possible. It helps to connect the lower and upper body, helps in the rotation and extension of our body, in carrying out basic functions like running, walking, bending and reaching out as well as in keeping the back in good form. A spine that is bent is therefore going to affect the proper functioning of all these factors.

That is why getting certain spine-lengthening stretches and exercises into the routine becomes very important. In this following section we will concentrate on some of the best spine exercises and help in that direction.

Best Spine-lengthening Exercises
Spine lengthening can be undertaken through several mediums of exercises like using machines and alternative techniques like yoga. In this following section we will concentrate on a mix of these different forms.

Hanging Bar

This is probably one of the easiest spine exercises that will lengthen your spine. The gravity works to stretch the spine muscles.
You’ll need to find a bar in your home or at the gym.
Wear protective gloves to ease the pressure off and standing on a stool, grip the bar, then swing from it and get the stool out of the way.
Hang from the bar for as long as you can, working till 5 minutes at a stretch.
Work on different grips – like the wide grip (shoulder space gap between both hands, or more) and the short grip (minimal grip between the hands).
Try to get in 30 minutes of hanging in a week.

Basic Leg Stretch

This is one of the most effective spine-lengthening yoga poses that you can bring into action.
Sit comfortably on the floor and spread your legs as far wide as possible, in a ‘V’.
The trick is to keep the knees as straight as possible and not arch the upper spine.
Now reach for the right toe with your right hand by bending at the hips (not the spine), and place your head on the right knee.
Place the left hand on the left leg as far towards the toes as possible.
Maintain this position for 15 seconds during which time you have to inhale and exhale deeply. Then come back to the center.
Now reach for the left toe with your left hand while bending at the hips and the right hand on the right leg as far towards the toes as possible.
Place your head on the left knee and breathe deeply. Maintain this position for 15 seconds.
This completes one repetition. Do 5 repetitions of the same and increase as the spine strengthens.

Cat Stretch

Get down on the floor on all fours.
Pull your belly button towards the floor and breathe evenly. Your head should be straight and the eyes focused forward.
Now round your back and bring the head towards the chest.
Round the shoulders further and that will deepen the stretch.
Hold the position for 20 seconds, then slowly release and repeat 4 times.

Forward Bend

Stand straight and maintain a gap of about 20 inches between the feet.
Now bend forward and place your palms on the back of the knees.
Keeping the knees as straight as possible, take your palms as low as you can, aiming for the ankles.
You’ll feel a stretch in your knees and thighs.
Place your head between the legs.
Count till 15 and release. Repeat 5 times.

Cobra Pose

Another spine-lengthening yoga pose that is known to be very effective in lengthening and strengthening the spine.
Start out with your arms perpendicular to the ground, palms flat on the ground, hips off the ground, head straight, and the weight equally distributed on your toes and palms.
Now raise your hips so that you get into an inverted ‘V’ stance. Tuck your chin into your chest.
The toes will come down to the ground and the feet will be flat on the ground.
Maintain this position for 20 seconds.
Repeat at least 5 times.

Along with these exercises, there are several spine-lengthening machines that can be used for the same purpose as well. But if you don’t want to get into the complications of those, then these fairly simple spine-lengthening exercises will be just as effective.