Another aspect of warming up is the back. The back supports us in so many ways. Previously, I talked about engaging the core. Not only will this help warm up the back, but it will also help engage the core. So, a great way to start is on your table positions. So what you want to do is get on your hands and knees, finding your line with your wrists and your shoulders. Any time you have your hands on the floor, you want to have nice, wide fingertips. Almost like you sunburst your hands apart, having your middle finger and ring finger split the center and keeping everything forward. As you're on your hands, you want to also to consider where the weight is, you don't want to pull too far back because it will put pressure in the wrists. You don't want to pull too far forward because you will over stretch the wrists. So finding that nice, even centered point of your hand, and find where your hands line up with your shoulders. Again, if you have hyper-extended elbows like I do, you want to make sure you don't lock into those elbows too much because you're disconnecting the energy from your hands to your shoulders. So let those elbows slightly relax. Find that place between bent and straight, and then you want to ground just as much weight through the hands. You also want to ground through the tops of the feet, and find a nice, even place. And into the cat-cow position, what you'll do, is on an inhale, you'll slightly arch your back leaving your elbows and everything straight. And head comes slightly up on an inhale, and on an exhale, slowly contract. Tuck the chin and arch the back, just as a cat would. Then inhale, arch up, and on an exhale, contract forward. Come back to neutral. Another way to enhance this and make it a little more challenging, take and lift your arm up and your leg up. If you find it hard to balance, think of hugging your energy towards your mid-line. Also remembering to ground weight down through that back foot. Reach energy out through the fingertips and the toes, so you have a nice even weight distribution. Also, where is the weight in your hand? Take time to notice where that is. On an inhale you reach out and on an exhale, you'll pull it in and contract. Inhale and reach out, and exhale and contract. Repeat this about six more times, and then slowly reach out the opposite hand and the opposite leg. Again, hug that energy towards the mid-line. Think of everything hugging in, and everything reaching out. Energy through your fingertips and your toes. Where's that weight in your hands? Take a moment to notice, inhale, exhale, contract it in, inhale and out, exhale, contract it in. And when you come out, notice where your weight is, more in your hands, more in your feet? Try to find that balance point, try to find some lightness, but engaging your core. Then slowly bring it down. And these are just a few excellent ways to open up the back, warm it up and stretch yourself out.