Free Pilates Sample Exercises!
These Pilates sample exercises were created in the 1920’s by Joseph Pilates in Germany. It is a training method of body conditioning that combines stretching and strengthening exercises. Pilates engages the mind and the body to provide a full body workout. It strengthens core muscles, improving muscle control, flexibility, coordination, strength, alignment and breathing.
Now, I will show you some Pilates sample exercises.
The Pelvic Tilt.
1. Lay on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Align your feet, ankles, knees, and hips.
2. This exercise begins in the neutral spine position. This means that the natural curves of the spine are present, so the lower back is not pressed against the floor.
3. Breathe in deeply.
4. Breathe out, as you use your abdominal muscles to pull your belly button down toward your spine. The abs should press the lower spine against the floor.
5. Breathe in. As you breathe in, press down with your feet, allowing the tailbone to curve up toward the ceiling. The hips lift, then the lower spine, then the middle spine. You will come to rest on your shoulders at the level of your shoulder blades, with a straight line from your shoulders to your hips. Do not arch beyond this point. Be sure to support this movement with the abdominal muscles and thigh muscles.
6. Breathe out and begin with the upper back to unroll the spine back down to the floor, vertebrae by vertebrae, until the lower spine settles to the floor.
7. Breathe in. Relax into the neutral spine position.
Spine Stretch
1. Sit up tall with your legs out in front of you about shoulder width apart.
2. Breathe in and stretch your arms out in front of you at shoulder height.
3. Breathe out. As you breathe out, stretch your spine to curve forward into a “C” curve. Reach your fingers toward your toes.
4. Breathe in and reach a little further.
5. Breathe out. As you breathe out, slowly straighten the spine to a sitting position.
As you practice these Pilates sample exercises, pay attention to the way you control your breathing. The breathing is as important to the Pilates sample exercises as the movements are.
Long Stretch
1. Lay face down on an exercise ball with the ball under your hips. Your hands should be flat on the floor.
2. Walk your hands forward on the floor until your mid-thighs are resting on the ball. To make the exercise more challenging, walk your hands forward until your knees are resting on the ball. You should be in a straight line from head to toe.
3. From there, shift your weight back and forth, moving only at the shoulders.
4. Breathe deeply as you perform the Pilates ball exercises.
Overhead Leg Handstand
1. Start by laying on your back face up.
2. Lift your legs straight up so they are in a 45 degree position.
3. Slowly bring your legs all the way behind your head while stabilizing with your arms.
4. Bring your legs back to the middle and push your feet towards the sky lifting your butt and back off the ground.
5. Slowly lower your butt and then legs.
Roll Up
1. Start by laying on the ground. Fully extend your body with your arms stretched past your head.
2. With your hands still stretched above your head, slowly sit up and touch your toes.
3. Now slowly lower yourself back down.
Double Leg Roll Up
1. Start by sitting with your feet together pulled in toward your groin, and knees apart.
2. Grab your ankles with both hands.
3. While balancing on your butt, roll your torso onto the ground while keeping a hold of your ankles.
4. Roll back up to the balance position.
Leg Kicks
1. Lay on your side.
2. Raise your top leg. Without bending your knee, bring it back behind you and then forward while using very controlled and slow movements.
Opposing Lifts
1. Start on the ground on all fours.
2. Lift your left arm and your right leg and hold them up for a least 2o seconds. Lower them back down.
3. Lift your right arm and your left leg and hold them up for a least 2o seconds. Lower them back down.
Boat Pose
1. Start by laying on your back with your legs straight on the floor.
2. Slowly raise your leg up off the ground.
3. Lift your head up off the floor and hold for at least 10 seconds.
3. Slowly lower your head and legs back down.
I hope you enjoyed my favorite pilates sample exercises. Remember, the key to a good pilates exercise is slow controlled movements. And don’t forget to control your breathing.
Return from Pilates Sample Exercises back to Ab Exercises.
Return from Pilates Sample Exercises back to Home!
|
