Perfectly Pilates [Part III] - A Beginners Workout
Posted February 18, 2008 at 02:00 PM by Caroline Shannon
Section: Her Fitness, Athletics, Training Programs, Her Health, Her Motivation, Special Features
After the basic instructions you received in Part I and Part II of Perfectly Pilates, you should feel well-informed about the exercise form and what it can do for your body. And that’s great! Now has come the time to put all of that preparation to work by engaging in a full Pilates routine.
Before beginning, you will need a small towel and a mat, such as a yoga mat or a Frelonic mat for sensitive spines.
Warm-up:
Imprinting
Begin by lying on your back, arms at your sides (you may want to use a rolled towel to support you neck). Bend your knees and put your feet flat on the floor. Make sure to find the neutral spine we talked about last week.
Relax by feeling your shoulders, jaw, ribcage and sternum relax toward the floor. Next, you should begin to feel your abdominals and spine release, followed by your hips and legs. You should begin to feel as though, if you were to stand up, you would see a complete imprint of your head, neck, shoulders, back, bottom and feet on the floor.
Continue to relax into this position for about five breaths.
Nose Circles
Next, begin to move just your head in a circular position. Do this by using your nose to make small circles in one direction. Pretend like there is a paintbrush on the end of your nose and you are using it to paint circles. Do this 10-12 times, and then reverse directions.
Knees Side – Side
With your knees still in the bent position, begin to rock them side to side. Sway legs, one on top of the other, left to right for about 10 repetitions each side. This exercise will help to release your back.
Lying on your back with legs bent and feet, knees and hips aligned, begin to rock your pelvis back and forth. Arms should be at your ribcage and be relaxed into the mat. Inhale, pressing into your feet and curling pelvis off the floor, and then exhale and release your pelvis into the opposite direction, creating an arch with your lower back. Continue to do this, vertically rocking your pelvis back and forth.
The Exercises:
The Hundred
Lie on your back with your knees bent and in toward your chest. Inhale, and as you exhale feel your ribcage and belly sink into the floor. Stretch your arms out beside you, and lift up and forward until you can just feel your shoulder blades touching the floor. Your head and neck should remain in a neutral position, as if there were a small tennis ball between your chin and chest bone. Begin pumping your arms straight up and down, keeping hands in a controlled motion just above the mat. Maintain this position, breathing five breaths in and five breaths out for a total of ten breaths; continue until you have completed 10 sets of 10, totaling 100 breaths.
The Roll-Up
Lie on your back with knees together and bent. Make sure the soles of your feet are planted into the ground. Again, your arms should be at your sides, shoulders away from your ears. Take one inhale and one exhale. Then, inhale and roll up by bringing your chin to chest and rolling forward. You may slide hands along the sides of your legs for support. Exhale and straighten your legs, stretching forward. Continue to pull your navel toward your spine, and begin to roll down, completely reversing the motion.
Single Leg Circles
Lie on your back with knees together and bent. Make sure the soles of your feet are planted into the ground. Again, your arms should be at your sides, shoulders away from your ears. Feel your entire spine pressing into the mat as you straighten one leg up toward the ceiling. Begin to circle by moving your leg across your body, and then circle it down, around, and back to the beginning. Do this five times and then reverse directions. Repeat on opposite leg.
Rolling Like a Ball
Sit at the front of your mat with knees bent toward your chest and open slightly. Place one hand under each thigh and feel the weight of your thighs in your hands. You want to feel a bit of opposition; this will engage your abdominals. Begin rolling by inhaling, feeling your belly button pull in toward your spine, and then falling backward. Exhale on your way up and you will find you are in your starting position. Continue rocking back and forth about six times.
Single Leg Stretch
Lie on your back with knees pulled into chest. Take hold of your left leg with both hands, and extend your other leg toward the ceiling. Inhale and lift your head and neck into the same position you maintained for hundreds. Continuing to inhale, switch the position of your hands over to your right leg. Exhale and switch back to left leg; maintain exhale and switch to right leg. Continue this pattern for three inhale and three exhale sets.
Double Leg Stretch
Lie on your back, both knees pulled into your chest. Bring head and neck up, again, into the same position you used to properly execute hundreds. Exhale, and then inhale stretching your body long, arms by your ears and legs toward the ceiling. Exhale and bring everything back into the starting position. Repeat five times.
Spine Stretch Forward
Sit up tall with legs extended in from of you, open slightly wider than the width of your hips. Knees may be slightly bent if necessary. Straighten arms out in front of you, keeping them at shoulder height. Bring your chin to your chest and begin to roll down. Exhale as your upper body stretches forward, continue to pull your navel to your spine. Hands should be reaching out and over toes. Reverse the exercise, inhaling up and sitting tall. Repeat four times.
After mastering these seven exercises, you will be ready to move on to the basic exercises of the full mat program. Until then, continue practicing. You will begin to feel long and lean in no time!
In addition to writing for several publications, including the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Divorce360.com, long-time journalist Caroline Shannon is a lover of all things related to health and nutrition. She has been a runner for more than ten years and is a certified Pilates instructor. Check out more from Caroline on her her blog, Eat, Pray, Run.
Tags: core routines, core strength, fitness routines, imprinting, mind-body, navel to spine, nose circles, pilates, pilates routine, relaxation fitness, rolling like a ball, the hundred, the roll-uo, yoga routines
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