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THE AMAZING RIBCAGE
When have you last appreciated your ribcage, all 360°? Today is a good day to do so! The ribcage is a truly incredible and hugely important part of our body. It not only protects and supports vital organs, contributes to our shape and dynamic stability, but it greatly supports our shoulders and unloads the neck. A flexible, integrated ribcage is the hallmark of coordinated posture! MOVEMENT & BREATHING EFFICIENCY The ribcage and its many joints (how many?) should be mobile enough to allow us full 3-dimensional expansion of the thorax, efficient inhalation and unrestricted exhalation, as well as freedom of movement in all directions in the mid and upper back. Rotation is particularly important and the small muscles between the ribs are well designed to facilitate spiraling of the upper body. In collaboration with the oblique abdominal muscles they are our global engine for many functional movements such as walking. Of course they are also hugely important for specific sports such as tennis and golf. The intercostal muscles (to contribute to my international newsletter, that's their Latin name) are also hugely involved in breathing. Breathing, specifically inhalation and rotation of the spine are closely linked. That's why in Pilates we are generally rotating with an inhalation, because it's promoting both movement and respiration efficiency. LENGTHENING THE SPINE & UNLOADING DISCS An elongated spine gives you not just more freedom of movement, but is also dynamically stable, which makes it resilient and adaptable (we like resilience and adaptability!). Additionally it takes the pressure off your discs, the spongy cushions between each spinal bone, contributing to their health, longevity and pain free posture. SUPPORTING THE SHOULDERS & NECK The ribcage also provides a 3-dimensional base of support for your shoulders and the head. Ideally we want the shoulder girdle (the collar bones in front and the shoulder blades at the back) to rest on the ribcage so the muscles are at ease and ready to function freely when you are moving. If the ribcage is too narrow the shoulder girdle is effectively just hanging off the neck, which puts a lot of strain onto the shoulders and neck muscles. They start to feel sore and stiff and there is a constant need to stretch them, but they are too long already, what many of them really need is support from the bones underneath; the ribcage!
Find a sense of space within your ribcage!
INTERCOSTAL RELEASE WITH BALL Here a very simple exercise you can do anytime at home, before class by yourself or during the class with your Pilates teacher. - Grab a spiky ball (a tennis ball might be a bit too hard and a chiball too soft).
- Lie on the floor and place the ball underneath your ribcage; you can start anywhere.
- Slowly roll your body over the ball, go all the way around the ribcage and cover as much area up and down as you can.
- Keep the breath flowing and every now and then take a really deep inhalation where you feel the ribs expand followed by a full exhalation where you feel the ribs melt into the ball.
- Pause at the sticky places that's where you really want the magic to happen!
 So easy, yet so effective! Happy practice! | 
