5 Now that you've spent a week on the four basic exercises, you'll enjoy adding this new one to your program

This week we'll add the spine-down stretch to the four basic exercises you began last week. This will strengthen your lower abdominal muscles and help correct sway-back. Keep your total daily exercise time to 10 minutes and remember to do your five exercises in order, for the number of times indicated. If you have time, repeat the cycle. Next week: knee-to-nose kick.

TIPS FOR LIVING: When you're driving and stop for a light, tighten your seat muscles, then your abdominal muscles and hold for length of light (but don't forget to breathe).

A) Lie on your back on the floor, with your arms outspread. Keeping your legs together, bring your knees up toward your chest and force your spine to the floor, B) NOW straighten your legs until they form about a 90° angle with your body, C) Return to position A. D) Repeat B, but this time tilt your legs about six inches toward the floor, and again return to position A. Keep doing this, each time lowering your legs another six inches before returning to position A. When you reach the point where your spine no longer stays down, go back to your last successful stretch and thrust legs out and back 10 times. Ultimately you will be able to stretch your legs only one inch off the floor and still keep your spine down. Don't be surprised if it takes a while.

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