|
| |
An introduction to seven Pilates mat exercises.
One rep is the inhaling of five short breaths and the exhaling of five short breaths.
Do: 10 reps
Lie on your back with your feet on the mat, arms at your sides and legs bent. Roll up slightly with your chin moving toward your chest. With your arms raised a few inches off the mat, pump your arms up and down. Inhale five short breaths and exhale five short breaths. Stay in this position, pumping your arms and breathing, for as close to one hundred breaths as you can.
If you have trouble doing the Roll Up bend your knees slightly and/or use your hands on the backs of your legs to pull up.
Do: 5 reps
Lie on your back with your legs straight and arms stretched back. Stretch your arms up and forward and roll up slowly, bringing your chin toward your chest. Reach for your toes. Reverse the motion and roll back one vertebrae at a time.
Start with small circles and work your way up to larger ones. Inhale on the start of the motion and exhale as you finish it. Try to complete five circles with each leg in each direction.
Do: 5 reps
Lie on your back with your left leg bent and your right leg pointing straight up as close to ninety degrees as possible. Move your right leg outward, circle it downward and around to the starting position. Reverse direction. Repeat with your left leg.
Inhale as you roll back and exhale as you come forward.
Do: 5 reps
Sit with your feet together and your knees bent into your chest. Grab your ankles and lift your feet until you are balancing on your sitz bones. With your chin tucked into your chest, roll back until your shoulder blades touch the mat. Roll forward in a rocking motion back to the balanced position.
Inhale for two movements, exhale for two movements.
Do: 5 reps
Lie on your back with your legs up and knees bent. Bring your chin toward your chest and raise your shoulders. Pull your right leg toward you and grab your knee. Extend your left leg out at an angle so that your back remains flat. Switch legs.
Inhale as you stretch out and exhale as you pull in.
Do: 5 reps
Lie on your back with your legs raised, knees bent, and arms at your side. With your head lifted, stretch out your body by reaching your arms back and extending your legs at a 45 degree angle. Move your legs and arms back to the original position.
Exhale as you roll back and inhale as you pull up.
Do: 5 reps
Sit up straight with your feet on the mat and knees bent. With your arms extended forward, roll back towards the mat. Before your back touches the mat, roll forward to the original position.
| |
