Archive for the ‘Pilates Exercises’ Category

Rolling Like a Ball – The most popular of Pilates abdominal exercise techniques, rolling like a ball is said to be effective and fun. It is easy and quick to perform knowing that all you need to do initially is to sit up and pull the ankles of your feet near your buttocks. To make the best moves, make sure to wrap your hands around your ankles and buttocks. Then, move your head toward your knees. From there, lift your feet from the surface, then allowing you to balance through your tailbone. This method also includes tightening your stomach, while rolling in backward direction until the shoulders reaches the floor. One thing to note here is not to roll on the neck. Try to do this in five repetitions.

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Crisscross – The second most popular Pilates abdominal exercise, you can do the crisscross by first slightly raising your head. While doing the movements, bring your knees toward your chest. Position your hands gently just at the back of your head, but make sure not to interlace your fingers. From here, inhale slowly and twist your position to the right. Bring the left of your elbow toward your right knee, but make sure you extended your right leg. Now, start to inhale and go back to the initial position. Make sure to repeat the step in five sets.

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The Hundred – To do this method, start lying on your back. Bring your knees above your chest and put your arms extending on the sides. Lift your chest and chin a bit and then your legs on upward direction. To proceed, lift your arms about six inches and pump them down and up fast, but while doing this, make sure to exhale. Pump your arms again for about five times and inhale. To make the best result, repeat the movements ten times.

This is one of the first moves that are in someones pilates routine.

This video is provided by Ocean Pilates via Youtube

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There are many benefits to be had by introducing Pilates into your daily routine, benefits such as giving you a more toned and shapely body. Did you realise though that Pilates can also assist in reducing back aches and pains?

Dealing with back problems on a daily basis can really make life difficult and downright unenjoyable and if you’ve tried to exercise in the more traditional ways you’ve no doubt discovered that a sore back will ineed do poorly if you are not careful with your chosen routines.  Well now there is a way to help you improve you back and even how to stop further back injury and pain. Here are some free Pilates exercises and how they can help you.

Pilates helps correct alignment of your spinal cord which can reduce the aches and pains common when alignment is out. Another great added benefit of using free Pilates exercise is that you strengthen the postural muscles in your back and learn the proper posture for both resting and exercising. Pilates focus on the proper posture during workouts to prevent back pain. This is also great for alleviating that annoying lower back pain that can drive us crazy. Read the rest of this entry »

Pilates exercises are an amazing way to tone and shape your butt, hips, and thighs. If you want to focus on these areas of your body and get them in great shape, Pilates is the way to go. When you workout these areas, you gain greater confidence and strength.

Butt

We all want to have a great butt. Using Pilates is a simple way to shape, tone, and lift your butt. This area is best addressed using side leg lifts. The free Pilates exercise below will show you how to use Pilates to shape and tone your butt and it also works on thighs as well so you get to work two areas at once.

Side Leg Lifts
You will need a padded mat for this free Pilates exercise. You don’t want to have a great butt and a million bruises!
1. Lie on your side with the bottom arm extended out and your head resting on it. Your body should be one straight line. You can place the other hand flat on the ground in front of your neck for support. Now, move your legs out just a bit for support.
2. Pull your abs in while you do this free Pilates exercise to get benefit there as well. Now, lift both legs off the ground about four or five inches. Keep your legs together. Read the rest of this entry »

When it comes to exercising your abs you really can’t go past Pilates. For a workout that will really build strength into your core and achieve the flat and toned stomach you’re striving for take advantage of the free Pilates exercise for abs we’ve shown below.

Your first step is to master what is referred to as the C curve. If you can ensure you do this correctly then you will manage the Pilates with more ease and most importantly ensure you squeeze the absolute maximum out of the effort you put in.

Get into a seated position on your Pilates mat or set up on the floor somewhere if need be. Place both feet on the floor flat and bring your knees toward your chest so they are bent. It’s important to relax your upper body, particularly the shoulder area.

Now it’s time to put your hands under your knees, as you do so take a breath in then let the air out. As you let out your breath you need to tighten your stomach and pull it in toward your spine in its entirety. This is where the C curve comes into play. As you practice the breathing and tummy tightening you find that you end up looking more down toward your stomach as your back forms the curve of the c during the exhale stage of the exercise. Read the rest of this entry »