This is part 1 of the 2024 Movement Advent, Twelve Days of Vertebrae, that I ran on Instagram. Over the 12 days we look at each segment of the spine: cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral with movements and breathing strategies to improve how your spine functions and feels.
As always you can try singing a bit before and repeating the same vocalization after you’ve done each day’s movement to notice what has shifted.
Below you will see Days 1-3 Cervical Vertebrae and Days 4-6 Thoracic Vertebrae. Part 2 will have days 7-9 Lumbar Vertebrae and Days 10-12 Sacral Vertebrae.
To see the movement videos on Instagram for each day, click the images.
Day 1: Upper Neck Release
❄️ Grab a set of yoga tune up balls in a tote or tennis balls tied up in a sock.
❄️ Lie back over the balls with them placed at the base of the skull.
❄️ Take 5-10 breaths and feel the balls pressing into your skull.
❄️ Gently nod your head up and down 5-10x.
❄️ Slowly turn your head side to side 5-10x.
Day 2: Cervical Release
❄️ Grab a strap and place it just below your hairline around C2/C3.
❄️ Hold one side of the strap in each hand and pull forward a bit to put some tension into the strap.
❄️ Start by pulling the strap across your body in the same direction you look, helping your neck to turn and finding some release.
❄️ Move the strap down and repeat – you can probably move it down two times to C4/C5 and C6/C7
❄️ Then starting at C6/C7, use the other hand to pull in the opposite direction you are looking – this will make your neck muscles begin to work a little bit.
Repeat everything for the other side.
Day 3: Reciprocal Reach For the Neck
❄️ Grab two cans of beans/soup or light weights and come to lie down on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor.
❄️ Hold one can/weight in each hand and extend your arms towards the ceiling.
❄️Reach across your body to the opposite side with one arm -e.g. reach your right arm across your body to the left .
❄️As you reach that right arm to the left, press the right side of your skull into the ground gently.
❄️Inhale with your arm fully reaching and the head fully pressing and as you exhale, switch sides.
❄️ Go back and forth between the sides a few times and add weight as things feel easier (over time!)
Day 4: Thread the Needle
❄️ Come down onto all fours.
❄️ Keeping one arm straight, reach the other arm under the front of your body and across toward the other side.
❄️You won’t go down very far, but you are introducing a little bit of rotation into the thoracic spine.
❄️Stay in this position for several cycles of breath
❄️As you inhale try to feel the air moving into the back side of the ribcage of the arm you are reaching away with – right side reach/right side ribcage.
❄️ We are using the pressure of the air to explore some posterior expansion of the ribcage which will in turn help your thoracic spine move better.
Day 5: Side Bend Over a Ball
❄️ Lie on your left side with a pillow or yoga block under your head and place a coregeous/pilates ball or rolled up yoga mat under your ribcage.
❄️ As you breathe in feel the resistance the ball creates on your side ribs.
❄️As you breathe out, allow the ball to press into the ribs.
❄️Place your opposite side hand on your opposite side ribcage and use the hand to help press the ribs on that side down as you exhale.
❄️Vary the position of your top arm in front of you and overhead and play with where you feel the air moving in when you inhale.
❄️ Repeat with the ball on under the right side of the ribcage.
Day 6: Around the World Breathing
❄️ Use a wall or a door and stand with your feet 6-12 inches away from the wall, bend your knees slightly.
❄️ Feel the back of the head, upper back and sacrum against the wall.
❄️Reach your arms out in front of you, allow the head to come off the wall as you round the upper back. Breathe in to the space between your ribcage.
❄️Exhale and bring your elbows to the wall, allowing the thoracic spine to extend and come into a small backbend. Breathe into the front of the chest.
❄️Exhale and transition into a side bend. Inhale into the flared opened ribs on that side.
❄️ Exhale and move to the other side for a side bend, inhaling into the other side of flared open ribs.
❄️ Repeat 2-5 times and notice how it feels to breathe after!
