MOVE OF THE WEEK
Obliques or Crisscross
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A classic that makes you sweat - it doesn’t get easier, you just curl higher!
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Start in a supine position knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Hands are behind the head, elbows wide and slightly lifted to the ceiling. Think of the position of your pelvis: if you’re starting out, aim to tip your pelvis towards an imprinted position. If you’ve been attending class for a while and your core is strong, aim to keep your pelvis in neutral.
Take an inhale then exhale and float one leg into tabletop. While keeping your abs drawn in, float the other leg to join it in tabletop.
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Take another inhale to lengthen your spine along the mat then start to exhale as you begin to curl your spine off the mat, aiming for your ribs to draw down toward your hips, keeping your head heavy in your hands and your elbows wide.
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Breathing in to the sides of the rib cage ensuring your belly draws downward, exhale and stretch your left leg forward and the right knee bends in closer to the chest. Curl up more and rotate your left shoulder/elbow to opposite knee. The left leg should be straight, strong, active and reaching - approximately 45 degrees off the ground (or closer to the ground for more challenge).
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Imagine reaching your right elbow behind you, while keeping shoulders lifted off the ground. Think about connecting opposite armpit to hip bone. Inhale to rotate through centre and exhale to rotate to the other side - simultaneously swapping the legs as well. Keep moving with the breath, being conscious not to speed up - the body wants you to get this over with, so challenge yourself to TAKE IT SLOW.
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Aim for about four rotations to each side. When you’ve completed your set, return through centre, roll down your spine and place one foot down on the mat at a time with control.
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The beauty of Obliques / Crisscross is that it works your obliques! It increases your endurance, aids in spinal flexion and rotation, and connects movement with breath.
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For modified versions: 1) keep the upper body down on the ground and only work the legs, 2) keep feet on the floor and only work the upper body, 3) try with a prop behind you/underneath you for more stability challenge.