How to do exercises with a roller or towel for the back?

At first glance, the technique developed by the Japanese doctor Izumi Fukutsuji is just a dream for those who want to bring their figure in line with generally accepted canons. In just 5 minutes of lying in a relaxed position a day, you can slightly increase your height, reduce your waist circumference by 4-5 cm, and make your stomach noticeably flatter.

Everything you need for the procedure can be found in any home. All you need is a flat, hard surface to lie on (floor is ideal), a rubber mat to keep it from being so hard, and a terry bath towel.

The towel exercise is borrowed from yogis. They purposefully work on such a problem as the expansion of the pelvic bones. This allows people with poor posture to return the spine to an anatomically correct position, reducing the load on it. At the same time, the shoulders are straightened, adding a couple of centimeters of height, and the stomach is drawn in, visually making the waist more slender. Lying on a roll of a towel is an option for those who do not have enough time and / or willpower for daily workouts according to a certain system.

It should be noted right away that the result will be most noticeable on those who have low muscle tone and poor posture. In this case, changes for the better are noted after 3-4 sessions.

If you are in good physical shape, you will not see a tangible effect. However, it is not worth giving up the exercise in this case. This is a great exercise for the spine.

The technique will not help you get rid of extra pounds and build muscle. This is not a way to lose weight. The exercise only allows you to return the skeleton to its normal position.

Contraindications

The exercise seems to suit everyone. But it's not nearly as harmless as it seems. If you have back problems, you can make them worse. It is best to first undergo an examination by an orthopedist or at least consult with an experienced massage therapist or a specialist in physical therapy. We can immediately say that the exercise is categorically contraindicated for scoliosis of any degree, a history of any spinal injuries, and even more so - cracks and fractures of the vertebrae, intervertebral hernia, sprains or ruptures of the ligaments of the inguinal muscles. Women should not start exercising during the entire period of pregnancy and for at least a year after childbirth.

What is gymnastics itself?

The towel is taken by the ends and twisted into a tight roller, while rotating the brushes in opposite directions. At the edges, it must be tied with a rope, ribbon or thick thread so that in the process the roller does not return to its previous shape.

When choosing a towel, be guided by the following - when you lie on the roller, its circumference should approximately coincide with the circumference of your waist.

Then sit on the floor, after placing a rubber mat under the buttocks. The towel should be behind you, across your body. Slowly lower your back onto it. In the correct position, the roller falls exactly under the lower back, and the navel is projected into its middle.

To fine-tune the position, place your thumbs on your navel and move to the sides, as if outlining a belt. If they hit the roller, you are lying correctly.

Bend your legs at the knees and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Turn your feet inward so that your thumbs touch each other. You can't take them off the floor.

Stretch your straight arms behind your head and turn your hands so that the little fingers touch. The palms should also lie completely on the floor.

Then you just have to stand in a similar position for the required five minutes. After this time, gently roll over to your right side, lie down for another 2-3 minutes and slowly rise to your knees. Only then can you get up.

It seems that it is very simple, but inevitably there is pain. At first, some cannot bear even a minute. If you realize that you can't stand it any longer, lie down for as long as you can. When the spine begins to take the correct position, it will become much easier.

You can reduce pain by stretching before exercising. Nothing supernatural is required of you, you just need to stretch well several times. Tilts in a standing position (you should try to touch the floor with your fingers) and sitting on the floor (reach your toes) also help well.

There are also modifications of this exercise aimed at correcting individual figure flaws. If your chest seems to be rather flat, place a roller under your shoulder blades. Those who wish to acquire a more expressive curve between the chest and waist on the one hand and the waist and buttocks on the other, need to place it under the lower ribs and at the very beginning of the hips.

Gymnastics Imabari

Another option for towel exercises is Imabari gymnastics. It can be combined with the activity described above. It’s even good to complete this complex first, and then lie down on a towel. Such a warm-up will help you get rid of pain faster.

The towel in this case plays the role of an expander or rubber band. It, as in the previous case, is folded into a tight tourniquet. No prior physical preparation is required for those wishing to practice. Such a complex will help you significantly diversify a slightly boring morning exercise. However, in principle, he is not capable of coping with the task of “acquiring an ideal figure” or “building muscle”.

Do the following exercises:

• Stand straight, spread your legs shoulder-width apart, raise the towel on straight arms to shoulder level and pull it with force in different directions without bending your elbows. This will help you strengthen the uncomfortably sagging muscles between the elbow joint and the shoulder, make your arms stronger and visually "lift" the chest.
• In the same starting position, raise straight arms with a towel over your head and begin to tilt to the sides and down, while stretching it, as described above. The purpose of the exercise is to get a thinner waist.
• Stretch a towel behind your back to correct your posture. At the same time, one arm is brought behind the back at the level of the lower back, the other is bent at the elbow above the shoulder. Then the exercise is repeated in mirror image. Another option is to put a towel behind your back and raise your arms up, stretching it. Leaning forward and backward in both cases is impossible.
• Lying on your back, pull your knees up to your chest. Alternately throw a tourniquet from a towel on each foot and pull it by the ends towards you, at the same time trying to straighten your leg up as much as possible. In this way, you can get rid of a few extra centimeters in the hips and make the stomach flatter by strengthening the press.