Pilates Workouts
The Swimming:
This exercise is a favourite with physiotherapists as it is a very effective way of developing strength in the core muscles. It is a very challenging exercise but is an easy one to cheat on, so read the instructions carefully to make sure that you are performing the exercise correctly. Ensure that you keep your abdominals lifted. Instead of just raising your arms and legs, visualize them lengthening away from your trunk. Do not try to lift them too high from the floor. Make your movements elegant and flowing and avoid throwing your arms and legs or collapsing back on to the floor on the way down. Take care not to lift your hips off the floor or to overbalance on to one side or the other.
Purpose: A strength exercise, challenging co-ordination and core strength.
Target Muscles: Abdominals, gluteals, erector spinae.
Repetitions: Repeat 10 times.
First Position:
Lie on your front, placing a small pillow under your forehead to keep your head in alignment with your spine, which is in the neutral position. Keep your neck long. Stretch your arms over your head and lengthen them away. Point your toes and lengthen your legs away. Breathe laterally, wide and full. Draw in your abdominals, imagining that there is a drawing pin on the mat that you are lifting away from.
Checkpoints:
– Do not tip your head back
– Keep the abdominals lifted
– Breathe laterally.
Second Position:
Introduce a challenge to your core strength by lifting one leg. Exhale as you lift and inhale as you lower the leg. Keep both hips in contact with the floor, and do not try to lift the leg too high. Keep lengthening as you lift, maintaining the distance between the ribs and hips. Do not lose the lift in your abdominals. Take care not to twist the raised leg but keep your knee and foot in line with your hips. Repeat with the other leg.
Checkpoints:
– Lengthen as you lift the leg
– Do not twist the hips.
Third Position:
As you exhale, lift your opposite arm and leg together. When you lift your arm raise your head and upper body with the movement, but keep facing the floor so that your head stays in line with your spine. Lengthen through your arms and legs and keep your hips in contact with the floor. Remember the drawing pin under your navel, if you lose the lift in your abdominals, continue to work in the second position for a while longer.
Checkpoints:
– Keep your head in line with your spine
– Do not twist the torso
– Lengthen from a strong centre
