Front Anchor Progression

Dr. Ryan’s general guideline for this work is about five minutes, but that is never a hard rule. The real guide is how your body responds. If it feels supportive and calm, you can stay with it on low intensity. If you notice sharp, nerve like, or intense pain, that is your cue to back off.

For how to do the Front Anchors Progression, the first priority is the lower front anchor. You gently connect the pubic bone to the floor by using your abdominal core to draw it forward. This is the same deep abdominal engagement you use in the Back Anchor, so it should feel familiar. That abdominal connection stays on the whole time.

Once that anchor is steady, the glutes come in only to create movement, not to replace the anchor. They help push away from the pubic bone to lightly elevate the legs, but the pubic bone stays connected through the abdominals.

The progression starts by alternating one leg at a time, similar to a slow marching or walking motion. Nothing changes in your core connection as the legs move. The pubic bone stays anchored, and you simply alternate lifting one leg while keeping everything controlled. This allows gentle motion at the hips and can even feel like an active stretch for the front of the hips.

When that feels stable, the next step is to add the upper front anchor by gently pushing away from the bottom of the front rib cage. This creates a sense of lift and extension through the spine while you continue the alternating leg motion. The challenge is maintaining the connection between the pubic bone and the rib cage as the movement happens.

If at any point you feel that connection slip, you simply reset. Stop, reconnect, and begin again.

The bigger picture Dr. Ryan emphasizes is that this work is preparing you to keep the pubic bone and rib cage connected without the floor, so your spine stays supported during everyday movement like walking. Keep the movements small, the effort low, and your focus on connection rather than range or height.