1. For men, when your shaving, bring your feet hip width apart and your toes slightly turned in. Pull the knee caps up tight, as you exhale pull the stomach muscles into the spine and tilt the pelvis. Keep pulling the muscles in as you breathe in and out (the breath will be shallow). Keep doing this as much as you can.
2. While you are waiting for the water to boil for a cup of coffee try this. Find a chair. Standing square in front of the chair bring your right foot on the chair seat, pull the knees up and drop the right hip, remember to keep the knees pulled up tight (it's this that will help free your back). If the seat is too high then choose a height which is suitable for you. Do both sides. When your are ready then you can go to the next level by placing your foot on the chair back! Give it time and it will happen.
3. Stand square in front of a wall (or wardrobe) and about 18 ins away, with your feet hip width apart toes slightly turned in. Take your hands up the wall with the fingers splayed. Breath in and as you breath out pull the knees up, turn the legs in (keep the feet still), tilt the pelvis, lock the arms and take your chest to the wall. Take care it may be a bit strong for you.
4. Using a similar pattern and in the kitchen (again while waiting for the water to boil) stand in front of the work top body square, place your hands shoulder width apart on the work top surface with fingers splayed. Keeping your hands on the top of the surface begin to walk backwards until your your body comes down to the horizontal with the work top and your legs in the upright position, so you are 90 degrees at the hip. Again, if it's too much do it in stages so it is "agreeably uncomfortable". Then breath in and as you breath out, log the legs and turn them in (feet still) lock the arms rolling the shoulders back and down with the hands pushing in to the work top. If you find you have worked too hard, bend the knees on the way up. Your breath will tell you how you are doing, if your breath is even your ok, if it's ragged then you may be working too hard, so go easy on your self.
5. Standing up straight, feet hip width apart toes slightly turned in, breath in and as you breath out with your hands on your hips for a 'little support' start to bend backwards. On the way up breath in. When your used to it you can vary the breathing by breathing out on the way up, but choose a level to suit you.
6. Forward stretch (some call it a bend). If you need to stand by a wall or furniture for support. Standing with the feet hip width apart toes slightly turned in, breathe in and as you breathe out pull the knees up turn the legs in and start to go forward and down, (if you can concave your back on the way down and on the way up). Your taking your or aim to take your face to your shins, that's when your are a bit more flexible. Stay there as long as you can, there are many stages from the upright to the full posture, so take what you need from it. And again look at the breath to see how you are doing.
7. Slight variation, sitting on the floor with legs together and ankle bones together. Pull the knees up and turn the legs in, heels go away from you with the toes coming back to you. Lift the chest slightly so the shoulders come over the hips. As you breathe in and out begin to refine the posture by self checking the above. It may seem quite simple to do, it is, however you can work deeper by using your breath and concentrate on pulling the knees, legs etc. To give you an idea put your back against the wall and do it, that will give you an idea how straight your back is.
8. Laying on your back bring the knees to your chest, and using your breath as you exhale start to bring your knees in tighter to the chest. If you want to work deeper, as you exhale bring the kness to the chest WHILE keeping your hips to the floor.
9. Again laying on the floor knees together and into the chest, your arms at shoulder level palms up, breathe in and as you breathe out lift the knees as high as you can to the chest and while keeping the legs and knees together take the knees over to the right towards the floor and with the knees touching your elbow. Not the the elbows to the knees. Then do the other side. You can vary it using your breath, as you take the knees to the floor on an exhalation, as soon as you touch the floor bring the legs over to the other side breathing in. So you can vary it to as much as you want.
10. And to No 10. After this work it would be a good idea to take your legs up the wall and rest (your laying on your back here). If you find this too much bend your knees. This is a nice way to relax and your getting a nice inverted posture with all the benefits.
11. Ok, I know I said 10 tips, I could go on and on ... Based on the above, try putting a bolster or something similar under your hips so the lumbar area is concave, again a nice one to help free your back.
12. I haven't fogotten the ladies. With reference to No. 1 above, while the man is shaving, the ladies could do the same while applying your makeup, cleaning your teeth etc, one is only limited by one's own imagination.
Hope that you find this useful
