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Pilates Exercises

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This paper outlines a series of Pilates exercises designed to enhance core strength and flexibility. It provides detailed execution instructions for various exercises, including The Hundred, The Roll Up, Hip Twist, Waist Whittler, and Cancan, emphasizing proper form and breath control to achieve optimal benefits. The movements target abdominal muscles, improve posture, and promote overall body awareness.

Pilates Exercises: Pilates is a physical fitness system that focuses on developing the body's core muscles, while teaching trainees body awareness. It also helps improve balance, develop good posture, increase strength and flexibility, and create a toned body. If you would like to learn more about Pilates, here's a link to an article I wrote about the Best Pilates Workout. Since Pilates training is a vital component in balance workouts, I have included several Pilates exercises in the workout. Below are step by step instructions on the correct way to perform each exercise, which were taken from my article on the Best Pilates Workout. The Hundred Execution: Lie with your back flat on the floor, and your shoulders down. Point your feet and lengthen your body, leading the stretch with the top of your head. Keep your back flat on the floor, raise both legs, and raise your head off the floor. Make sure you keep your neck neutral and your chin tucked. As you're keeping your arms extended, begin to lift and lower them about two inches from the floor, while inhaling on the lift and exhaling on the lower. Do this for 5 up-and-down beats, and repeat 10 times until you have reached one hundred. The Roll Up Execution: Lie on your back with your legs straight, your arms stretched above your head, and your shoulders down. Keeping your back flat on the floor, begin to gradually lift your arms toward the ceiling as you inhale. As you begin exhaling, slowly roll forward, while peeling your spine off the mat. Your head should remain straight, with your eyes focused forward. Keep your stomach tight, not crunched. As you inhale again, stretch out over your legs. Then exhale and slowly roll back down to the floor. Do not pause, but as you inhale, roll up again to begin the second repetition. Do 10 repetitions. Hip Twist Execution: Start from a seated position with your abs contracted, and lift your legs to a balanced position with your hands on the floor behind you, pointing forward. Lift your head, extend your spine and stretch your legs away from you, while engaging the abs. Inhale, point your toes and circle the legs toward the left side ten times, then repeat in the opposite direction. Lower the legs several inches down and circle ten more times on each side. Then lower the legs to about, 6 inches above the floor and repeat ten times on each side again. Waist Whittler Execution: Lie on your left side, rest your head in your left hand, and steady yourself with your right hand planted firmly on the floor and in front of your chest. Keep your chest broad and open, and do not curl it down toward the floor. Inhale and engage your abs, then raise both legs about twelve inches off the floor as you exhale. Hold for a count of four, then lower them to just above the floor. Inhale and raise again on the exhale. Do this 8 times and repeat on the right side. Cancan Execution: Sit on ground, lean back; place your forearms and hands flat on ground, elbows under your shoulders, knees bent, toes barely touching the ground and your legs and ankles together. Keep your legs together and maintain a contraction in your abs, then inhale and let your knees drop down to the right, toward the ground. Exhale and straighten your legs on a diagonal, then inhale and bend the knees (also on a diagonal). Exhale, bring the legs back to the center and immediately drop them to the left. Extend on a diagonal and continue to alternate for 8-10 reps. http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/wotw49.htm