Movement Library

1. Stand tall with the feet under the hips, knees soft, weight even across both feet.
2. Let the arms hang relaxed. The hips, feet and head stay still for the whole exercise.
3. Sweep both arms forward until they reach out in front of the chest at about shoulder height, wrists close together or lightly crossing.
4. As the arms reach, let the upper back round: the shoulder blades slide apart, the sternum draws back, the chin dips slightly. The reach takes about three seconds.
5. Hold the forward reach for about one second, feeling the space open between the shoulder blades.
6. Open the arms wide out to the sides, passing through a T, chest broadening as they pass.
7. Keep the arms travelling until they are behind the body and the hands meet low behind the hips.
8. Lift the chest, draw the shoulder blades together and down, roll the shoulders back. This is the position that matters.
9. Release and sweep forward again.

HoldAbout one second at the forward reach and about three seconds behind the body, where the chest opening happens. Roughly nine seconds per cycle, about six cycles across the 55 seconds.

What movesArms, shoulder blades and upper back (thoracic spine) only. Hips, pelvis and feet stay fixed; do not let the ribs flare or the low back arch when the arms go behind.

1. Sit on the floor with the legs crossed, or with the right leg extended.
2. Sit up onto the sitting bones so the low back is long, not slumped.
3. Bring the left knee across over the right leg, foot flat on the floor.
4. Place the right elbow on the outside of the left knee and the left hand on the floor behind the hips.
5. Inhale and lengthen the spine upward — the lift comes first.
6. Exhale and rotate the ribcage a little further, using the elbow as a gentle lever rather than a crowbar.
7. Let the gaze travel over the back shoulder last, once the chest has turned.
8. Keep both sitting bones grounded so the rotation lands in the mid-back rather than the pelvis.
9. Deepen slightly on each exhale, then unwind and rebuild the whole shape on the other side.

HoldAbout fifty seconds each side, deepening a little on every exhale rather than repeating. Roughly 100 seconds in total.

What movesThe thoracic spine rotates; the pelvis and both sitting bones stay planted. The chest turns before the head does.

1. Stand with the feet hip-width apart, arms by the sides.
2. This is a sequence, not a single stretch: the spine moves through every direction it has, in order.
3. Reach both arms overhead and lengthen through the whole spine. Hold two to three seconds.
4. Keeping the arms up, side bend to the right, letting the left ribs open. Hold two to three seconds.
5. Return through centre.
6. Side bend to the left and hold two to three seconds, then return through centre.
7. Arch gently back: the chest lifts, the arms stay overhead, the gaze follows. Hold two to three seconds. Keep the knees soft and do not collapse into the low back.
8. Open the arms to shoulder height and twist to the left, hips staying square to the front. Hold about three seconds.
9. Twist to the right and hold about three seconds.
10. Return to centre and fold forward, hands travelling down toward the toes. Let the head hang. Hold five to seven seconds.
11. Lift halfway, hands on the knees, back flat, gaze down and slightly forward. Hold about three seconds.
12. Roll up to standing and begin the next round.

HoldTwo to three seconds in each of the standing positions, about three seconds in each twist, five to seven seconds in the forward fold. One round is about 38 seconds; the sequence repeats four times.

What movesThe whole spine in turn — axial extension, lateral flexion both ways, extension, rotation both ways, then flexion. Hips stay square during the twists so the rotation lands in the mid-back rather than the pelvis.

1. Stand with the feet slightly wider than the hips, toes turned out about fifteen to thirty degrees.
2. Have a folded towel or cushion ready in case the heels lift, or a chair to hold.
3. Send the hips back and down, letting the knees track out over the toes.
4. Keep the heels on the floor. If they lift, place the folded towel underneath them.
5. Lower to the bottom of the squat over about five seconds.
6. At the bottom, bring the palms together at the chest and press the elbows lightly against the inner knees to widen them.
7. Keep the torso upright and the chest lifted; the low back lengthens rather than rounding.
8. Settle and breathe steadily for the rest of the hold, then press through the feet to stand.

HoldAbout five seconds to descend, then a single hold of roughly fifty seconds. Nothing repeats — this is one long position.

What movesHips, knees and ankles flex together on the way down. Once at the bottom the only movement is the elbows pressing the knees wider and the breath.

1. Sit on the floor with the soles of the feet together and the knees dropped out wide.
2. Hands rest on the feet or lightly on the floor beside the hips. Sit up tall.
3. From the wide centre position, lower the left knee toward the floor on the right side while the right knee lifts.
4. Let the pelvis roll slightly with the movement, but keep the torso upright rather than leaning after it.
5. Take about two seconds to reach end range, then hold there about two seconds.
6. Return through the wide centre over about two seconds.
7. Repeat to the other side, lowering the right knee toward the left.
8. Keep it slow and continuous — no bouncing, and no forcing the bottom knee toward the floor.

HoldAbout two seconds at each end range, about six seconds per side, roughly twelve seconds for a full left-and-right cycle. Repeats for 55 seconds.

What movesThe hips rotate internally on one side and externally on the other while the knees sweep like windscreen wipers. The spine stays tall and largely still.

1. Sit with the soles of the feet together and the knees wide, heels drawn in toward the body.
2. Hold the feet with both hands and sit up tall on the sitting bones.
3. Hinge forward from the hips, leading with the chest rather than the head.
4. Take about four seconds to travel forward.
5. Once the hips stop moving, let the spine round and the head release down toward the heels.
6. Elbows can rest lightly on the shins. Let the knees stay heavy without pushing them down.
7. Hold and soften, then rise back to sitting on an inhale.

HoldAbout four seconds to fold, then a hold of roughly twelve seconds to finish the routine.

What movesThe hips flex and the spine rounds, in that order. The legs stay passive — nothing pushes the knees toward the floor.

1. Stand tall with the feet together and a chair or wall within reach.
2. Shift the weight onto the left foot and lengthen up through the crown of the head.
3. Bend the right knee and take hold of the right ankle behind you with the right hand.
4. Draw the heel in toward the right glute until the front of the thigh lengthens.
5. Keep both knees level and side by side. The bent knee should not drift out to the side or forward of the standing knee.
6. Tuck the tailbone slightly under to bring the stretch into the hip flexor as well as the quadriceps.
7. Keep the chest lifted and the torso vertical rather than pitching forward. Free arm out to the side or resting on a chair.
8. Release, return both feet to the floor, and rebuild the shape on the other leg.

HoldThirty seconds each leg, held still. The only movement is the entry, the switch at the halfway point, and small balance corrections.

What movesOne knee flexes and the hip extends; the pelvis tucks slightly. Everything else holds still — this is a balance as much as a stretch.

1. Stand with the feet hip-width apart and the knees softly bent.
2. Set the spine long before moving — this is a hinge, not a bend of the low back.
3. Hinge at the hips, sending them back as the chest travels forward, keeping the back flat.
4. Let the hands slide down the fronts of the thighs to about shin height.
5. From that hinged position, rotate the ribcage so one shoulder stacks above the other and the opposite hand reaches down toward the far foot.
6. Hold at end range about three seconds, letting the rotation come from the hips and mid-back rather than pulling with the arm.
7. Return through centre with both hands level.
8. Rotate the other way and hold about three seconds.
9. Bend the knees more if the hamstrings limit the hinge.

HoldAbout three seconds at each end range, roughly eleven seconds for a full left-and-right cycle, repeated for 55 seconds.

What movesHips hinge and the torso rotates. The head follows the ribcage rather than leading. Knees stay softly bent and the low back stays long throughout.