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.
3. Pause a moment at the top of the lift, and then slowly bring your legs back down.
4. Repeat this 5 times.

Hips

Hips are another area that women want to address the most. Toning, shaping, and tightening the hips will make you look and feel great. Pilates leg kick exercises are a great way to tone and shape the hips. Try out the free Pilates exercise below to target your hips and butt.

Leg Kicks

1. Lie in the same position as for the Side Leg Lifts, on your side with your body in a straight line. Place your top hand on the ground for support, and prop your head up with the other arm.
2. Move your legs out again, just a bit for support. Extend your top leg up slowly toward the ceiling. Point your toes toward the ceiling.
3. Tighten up your abs and exhale while you slowly lower your leg.
4. Repeat 10 times, and then switch to do the other leg.

Thighs

Thighs are a problem area for most women, especially the inner thighs. Pilates thigh lifts are a great way to tone this area. Try the free Pilates exercise below to focus on these areas.

Thigh Lifts

1. This free Pilates exercise will require the same position as the other exercises. Lie on your side with your head propped up.
2. Take your top leg and place your foot on the ground in front of your hips.
3. Place your hand through that leg to brace it, grasping your ankle.
4. Tighten the thigh muscles on your other leg, and lift it about 4 inches from the floor. Hold for a few seconds, and then lower it.
5. Repeat 10 times and then switch to do the other leg.

Enjoy getting in shape with these great free Pilates exercises. You’re going to get in shape quickly and look great.

http://www.pilatesworkouts.net/free-pilates-exercise-back-pain.php
Free Pilates Exercise for Back Pain

Most of us know the benefits of Pilates when it comes to toning and shaping our bodies. However, Pilates is also a very effective way to ease back pain.

Back pain can be a stressful inconvenience for normal every day life, not to mention when you’re trying to get through your regular exercise routines.

Through the techniques used in Pilates, you can learn how to prevent and reduce your back pain. There are several ways this works.

Get Aligned

With free Pilates exercise, you can learn the techniques for proper spinal cord alignment. If your spine is not aligned, you will experience dull, aching pains in all areas of your back. Pilates is a wonderful thing to utilize for learning the proper alignment.

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.

Through free Pilates exercise you can learn what NOT to do. You will become aware of movements or positions that may stress your spine and cause back pain.

You will see things that you may have been doing all along that have contributed to back pain. You will discover how to move properly so that this does not happen anymore.

Here is a great free Pilates exercise designed for people with back pain. You will need ‘the magic circle’ for Pilates for this exercise.

The magic circle is a prop that is used to do some Pilates exercises and you can benefit greatly from using it. You can find it to the left in the menu under ‘Circle Pilates.’

1. Stand with your knees a shoulder length apart, and your head straight. Keep your shoulders dropped. Breathe slowly and deeply.

2. Grab the magic circle with both hands behind your back. Your arms should be parallel, with your elbows bent. Keep the circle low, just above your butt.

3. With a pulsing motion, squeeze in on the circle and back out. Control the push and the pull.

4. Do this five times, and repeat the whole exercise five times. You should be able to feel the muscles working in your upper back.

5. As you master this workout, you can slowly move the ring up further, and increase your exercises to 8 pushes and pulls 10 times.

Here’s another great free Pilates exercise for the back.

1. Sit on the floor with your feet spread apart about half a yard, and your feet pointing up toward the ceiling.

2. Extend your arms out in front of you, fingers pointing, and breathe slowly.

3. On the exhale, allow your body to move forward as if your body were curving to make a C.

4. Pull your abdomen in, flexing the muscles, and continue in the C curve.

5. When you are fully extended, inhale, and allow that inhale to raise your body back up, slowly.

These are just a few of the really great Pilates exercises that you can use to strengthen your back and get rid of your back pain.