Exercise of the Week: Seated Rotations on the Ball

If your hamstrings are tight and your back aches from sitting all day, this seated rotation (which is a lot like the Pilates Saw exercise) will feel really good to you. I like this move for several reasons. First, elevating the body on an exercise ball can take the pressure off tight hamstrings, helping you get a little deeper into the stretch. Second, by lengthening through the back and rotating at the same time, you get a great twist that both engages the core muscles while stretching them. Last, reaching out and over the foot provides an excellent hamstring stretch, making this a great move for flexibility, core strength and balance. Do it right: Sit on the ball and extend the legs in front of you, feet flexed. Sit tall and keep the back straight as you stretch the arms out and lean forward from the hips, feeling a stretch in the hamstrings. Rotate the torso to the right and reach the left arm out and over the right foot. Rotate back to center and then to the left, reaching right arm out and over the left foot. Continue rotating, concentrating on lengthening the spine for 8-10 reps on each side.