Lying (Prone) Abdominal Stretch
Lying (Prone) Abdominal Stretch Exercise Description
The lying (prone) abdominal stretch is a floor-based spinal extension that uses your arms to gently lift the torso while the hips remain grounded. Its primary goal is to lengthen the abdominal wall, especially the rectus abdominis, with secondary stretch felt through the anterior trunk and obliques. The movement emphasizes controlled extension through the thoracic and lumbar spine without forcing range. Proper scapular positioning (depression and slight retraction) helps keep the shoulders stable and away from the ears. Executed with smooth breathing and attention to alignment, this stretch opens the front of the torso while maintaining a calm, supported position on the mat.
- Muscle Groups: Abs, Core, Waist
- Target Muscles: Rectus Abdominis
- Assisting Muscles: External Obliques, Internal Obliques
- Stabilizing Muscles: Rhomboid Major, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Core, Torso
- Body Surface: Front
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Push
- Exercise Type: Stretching
- Functional Grouping: Trunk Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Stomach
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Anterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Lying (Prone) Abdominal Stretch Exercise
‘- Lie face down with legs long, feet about hip-width, and the tops of the feet on the floor.
– Place hands beside your chest under the shoulders, fingers forward; keep elbows close to your ribs.
– Set your shoulders: draw shoulder blades down and slightly back to create space between ears and shoulders.
– Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, press through your palms to lift your chest, extending the spine; keep pelvis and thighs in contact with the floor.
– Straighten the elbows only to a comfortable height; distribute extension along the spine rather than collapsing into the lower back.
– Keep the gaze slightly forward with the neck long (avoid craning or dropping the head).
– Allow the front of the abdomen to lengthen; maintain steady, relaxed breathing.
– Pause briefly at end range you can control, then lower the chest back to the floor with control.
– Technique option: for a milder version, prop on forearms with elbows under shoulders (sphinx position).
Lying (Prone) Abdominal Stretch Tips
‘- Lie face down with legs long, feet about hip-width, and the tops of the feet resting on the floor.
– Place hands beside your chest under your shoulders, fingers pointing forward, with elbows kept close to your ribs.
– Draw your shoulder blades down and slightly back to create space between your ears and shoulders.
– As you exhale, press through your palms to lift your chest while keeping your pelvis and thighs in contact with the floor.
– Straighten the elbows only to a comfortable height and focus on spreading the extension along the whole spine rather than collapsing into the lower back.
– Keep your gaze slightly forward and your neck long, avoiding craning or dropping your head.
– Allow the front of your abdomen to lengthen while maintaining steady, relaxed breathing.
– Pause briefly at an end range you can control, then lower your chest back to the floor with control.
– For a milder option, prop up on your forearms with elbows directly under your shoulders in a sphinx position.
Lying (Prone) Abdominal Stretch Beginner Introduction
The lying (prone) abdominal stretch is a mat-based backbend that highlights length and ease through the front of the body. From a face-down position, the arms assist a gentle rise of the chest while the hips and legs stay in contact with the floor, creating a comfortable stretch through the abs, front torso, and side abs. The movement encourages the mid and lower back to share the work, so the extension feels evenly spread rather than jammed into one area.
Attention to shoulder and head placement adds to the overall sense of stability. When the shoulder blades settle down the back and the neck feels long, the shoulders sit naturally away from the ears, supporting a relaxed upper body. Calm, steady breathing enhances the opening sensation through the front of the torso and supports a restful quality to the pose. For those wanting a softer option, the shape can also be done with the upper body supported on the forearms in a gentle “sphinx” style position.