MENSENDIECK: SEQUENCE FOUR

by | Jul 31, 2022

Lying on the back

Nr. 1: ‘Flexion of the feet’

Technique:

Bend the legs and cross one over the other

  1. Flexion and extension of the raised foot (talo-cruralis): 4x
  2. Abduction and adduction of the raised foot (talo-calcaneo -navicolare): 4x
  3. Rotation of the ankle of the raised foo clockwise and then anti-clockwise: 4x

Nr. 2: ‘Ankles’

Technique:

  1. Stretch the legs up to 90°
  2. Place a pen between the arches and squeeze it strongly
  3. The outer borders of the feet should be lower than the inner borders.
  4. The outer ankles shorten and the metatarsals of the big toes pushes upwards.
  5. Hold for 10 seconds

Nr. 3: ‘Lumbar and pelvis’

You can do this lying on the back on the floor, or in bed. You can do this before going to bed or immediately after waking up, before getting up.

Lie on the back

Activate the hara

With the inhalation rotate the pelvis forward (ante-version) and with the exhalation rotate the pelvis backward (retro-version).

When rotating forward the muscles of the back contract (the muscles along the spinal column), while rotating backward you have to strongly contract the central glutei and the abdominal muscles, starting from the lower abdomen ad going up towards the xyphoid process (scoop).

Technique I:

  1. Lying on the back with the legs bent
  2. Keep the feet and knees at hip width
  3. Repeat 4x

Technique II:

  1. Lying on the back with the legs straight
  2. Keep the feet and knees at hip width
  3. Repeat 4x

Nr. 4 : ‘Lumbar and pelvis’

Technique I:

Lying on the back with the legs bent

  1. Keep the feet and knees at hip width
  2. With the legs bent roll the pelvis left and right, lifting first the right iliac crest, pushing down the right foot and contracting the right gluteus, and then lift the left iliac crest, pushing down the left foot and contracting the left gluteus: 4x
  3. Repeat 4x

Tecnique II:

Lying on the back with the legs straight

  1. Keep the feet and knees at hip width
  2. With the legs straight roll the pelvis left and right, lifting first the right iliac crest, pushing down the right knee and contracting the right gluteus, and then lift the left iliac crest, pushing down the left knee and contracting the left gluteus: 4x
  3. Repeat 4x

Nr. 5: ‘Lumbar, biceps and gluteus’

Technique I:

  1. Lying on the back with the legs and knees bent at hip width
  2. Pushing down the right foot contract the right gluteus and abdominals
  3. Without turning the pelvis push the right knee towards the right foot, using the right gluteus
  4. The right side of the lumbar elongates, and the left side shortens
  5. Repeat with the left leg
  6. Repeat each leg 4x

Tecnique II:

  1. Lying on the back with the legs straight at hip width
  2. Keep the legs slightly tense and the feet square
  3. Contract the right gluteus and the abdominals
  4. Without turning the pelvis elongate the right leg towards the right foot, using the right gluteus
  5. The right side of the lumbar elongates, and the left side shortens
  6. Repeat with the left leg
  7. Repeat each leg 4x

Nr. 6: ‘Legs, tensor fascia and abdominals’

Technique

  1. Lying on the back with the legs straight at hip width
  2. Keep the legs slightly tense and the feet square
  3. Contract the glutei and pull the abdominals in from the pubis to the sternum, and push down the lumbar (scoop)
  4. Without turning the pelvis lift the right leg 10 cm up with the foot square and bring it sideways as fas as possible (tensor fascia lata)
  5. Hold for 10 seconds
  6. Bring the leg back next to the left leg with the adductor muscles
  7. Repeat with the left leg
  8. Repeat each leg 4x

Nr. 7: ‘Bridge: quadriceps, biceps and abdominals’

Technique

  1. Lying on the back with the legs and knees bent at hip width
  2. Contract the glutei and pull the abdominals in from the pubis to the sternum, and push down the lumbar (scoop)
  3. Inhale and exhaling rotate the pelvis backwards (scoop)
  4. Inhale and with the exhalation, pushing down the feet, lift the pelvis , starting from the pubic bone up till the lumbar. The pubis is the highest point and the glutei are contracted
  5. Hold for 10 seconds
  6. Repeat 2x

Nr. 8: ‘Bridge with one leg raised: abdominals and biceps’

Technique

  1. Lying on the back with the legs and knees bent at hip width
  2. Contract the glutei and pull the abdominals in from the pubis to the sternum, and push down the lumbar (scoop)
  3. Inhale and exhaling rotate the pelvis backwards (scoop)
  4. Inhale and with the exhalation, pushing down the feet, lift the pelvis , starting from the pubic bone up till the lumbar. The pubis is the highest point
  5. Contracting the left gluteus and biceps raise the right leg up to 90°
  6. Hold for 10 seconds
  7. Repeat with the left leg
  8. Repeat each leg 4x

Nr. 9: ‘Abdominals’

Technique

  1. Lie on the back with the legs and knees bent at hip width
  2. Elongate the arms straight upwards towards the ceiling
  3. Contract the glutei and pull the abdominals in from the pubis to the sternum, and push down the lumbar (scoop)
  4. Inhale and with the exhalation, pushing the lumbar down and lifting the head and the shoulders bring the hands towards the knees, keeping the feet on the floor
  5. Hold for 5 seconds
  6. Repeat 4x

Nr. 10: ‘Legs and abdominals’

Technique

  1. Lie on the back with the legs and knees bent at hip width
  2. Elongate the arms straight upwards towards the ceiling
  3. Inhale and with an exhalation , pushing the lumbar down (scoop) and lifting the head and shoulders, bend both knees towards the chest
  4. Inhale and with the exhalation bring the hands towards the knees and pull them towards the chest
  5. Hold for 5 seconds
  6. Repeat 4x

Nr. 11: ‘Legs and abdominals’

Technique

  1. Lie on the back with the legs and knees bent at hip width
  2. Elongate the arms straight upwards towards the ceiling
  3. Contract the glutei and pull the abdominals in from the pubis to the sternum, and push down the lumbar (scoop)
  4. Inhale and with the exhalation lifting the head and shoulders bend the right knee towards he chest
  5. With an exhalation bring the hands towards the right knee and pull it towards the chest
  6. Hold for 10 seconds
  7. Repeat with the left knee
  8. Repeat each leg 4x
  9. Ripetere 4x

Nr. 12: ‘Legs and abdominals’

Technique

  1. Lie on the back with the legs and knees bent at hip width
  2. Pushing the lumbar down (scoop) bend the right knee towards the chest and then, with an exhalation, stretch the leg to 90 °.
  3. Hold for 10 seconds
  4. Repeat with the left knee
  5. Repeat each leg 4x

Nr. 13: ‘’Legs and abdominals’

Technique

  1. Lie on the back with the legs straight at hip width
  2. Elongate the arms straight upwards towards the ceiling
  3. Pushing the lumbar and the left knee down bend the right knee towards the chest with and exhalation
  4. Inhale and with an exhalation lift the head and the shoulders and bring the hands towards the right knee , polling it towards the chest
  5. Hold for 5 seconds
  6. Repeat with the left knee
  7. Repeat each leg 4x

Nr. 14: ‘Legs and abdominals’

Technique:

  1. Lie on the back with the legs straight at hip width
  2. Extend the arms sideways
  3. With an exhalation stretch the legs up to 90 °
  4. Pushing the lumbar and the left leg on the floor, bend the right knee towards the chest
  5. With an exhalation stretch the right leg upwards to 90°.
  6. Hold for 10 seconds
  7. Repeat with the left leg
  8. Repeat 4x

Nr. 15: ‘Rotation of the pelvis’

Technique:

  1. With an exhalation curve the lumbar backwards (scoop) and bring the knees towards the chest, keeping the feet on the floor
  2. With an exhalation rotate the bent knees and the pelvis to the left to the floor, keeping the feet together and on the floor
  3. With an exhalation rotate to the other side