26 The shoulder stand is good for strengthening the torso and the arms

The strongabdominal muscles which you have gained through Bonnie's previous exercisesmust be balanced by flexible back muscles and hamstrings. This week's exercise,the shoulder stand, will give you this necessary flexibility and will alsoincrease your shoulder and arm strength. For a variation of B, try spreadingyour legs, rotating them clockwise, then counterclockwise.

Sit in acurled-up position, forehead on knees and hands flat on the floor (A). Keepinghead down, roll back onto shoulders, raising legs straight (B). Then placehands at waist for support. Roll back to A and repeat until it becomes easy.Then from B bring knees down to nose and stretch legs overhead (C), but do nottouch floor at first. After this stretched position becomes easy, lower yourfeet to the floor. It is less difficult to do C with legs apart, as shown, buteventually you should try for a feet-together touch. For a change, in positionB try the bicycle or scissor kick.

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A

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B

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C