The Seated Barre exercises in the BeyondBarre class can be challenging for many clients. While doing these exercises, some clients find it difficult to keep a neutral pelvis and spine. Typically, a client will tuck and compress their lower lumbar spine towards the floor. To help clients here so they lengthen their spine, I like to place the flat palm of my hand onto their mid-back area and tell them to lift off my hand. As they lift, I cue them to engage their abdominal muscles in order to achieve a supported and neutral position. It’s also helpful to guide their leg when it is being lifted. I tell the client to let me hold their leg, and cue them to lengthen their spine. Once they have corrected any posture issues, I then have them try to lift their leg out of my hand using their abdominal muscles. This will instantly take pressure out of the lower back and hip flexor muscles. ]]>
