INTERMEDIATE
The teaser I takes the Scissors exercise a step further by bringing the legs together. This means that the abdominal muscles must work to keep the legs lifted off the mat at an angle during the entire exercise. This challenge drastically improves abdominal strength.
Lie on your back with your legs raised at an angle between 45 and 90 degrees.
Inhale, reaching your arms toward the ceiling as you lift your head and shoulders off the mat.
Exhale, and while rolling through the spine, lift your rib cage off the mat to just before the sit bones.
Inhale, raising the arms overhead while maintaining a C curve in your back. Exhale, rolling down the spine by articulating one vertebra at a time. Return to the starting position.
ANNOTATION KEY
Bold text indicates active muscles
Gray text indicates stabilizing muscles
DO IT RIGHT
LOOK FOR
• Articulation through the spine on the way up and on the way down.
• Keeping your neck elongated and relaxed, minimizing the tension in your upper spine.
AVOID
• Using momentum to carry you through the exercise. Use your abdominal muscles to lift your legs and torso.
BEST FOR
• rectus abdominis
• tensor fasciae latae
• rectus femoris
• vastus lateralis
• vastus medialis
• vastus intermedius
• adductor longus
• pectineus
• brachialis
QUICK GUIDE
TARGET
• Abdominal muscles
BENEFITS
• Strengthens the abdominals while mobilizing the spine
NOT ADVISABLE IF YOU HAVE
• Advanced osteoporosis
• A herniated disk
• Lower-back pain