Pilates is an excellent exercise to help tone and experience the strength of your own body. The wonderful aspect of pilates is that it can be done both at home and also in a professional gym space.
Flat Abs:
- Lay on the floor
- Hold on behind the knees
- Keep your belly in
- Lift your upper body up and hold
- Lower body to hover just above the flower and hold
- Keep arms up
- Sit up and repeat for a total of 100 pumps.
Shoulder Bridge
- Lie on your back with your knees bent
- Feet hip-width apart
- Keep your arms at your sides
- Raise your hips without arching your back
- Tighten muscles of your buttocks and hamstrings
- Hold for five breaths
- Come down and repeat
Upper Back
- Lie face down on a mat with your feet together
- Raise your head and chest slightly
- Extend your arms perpendicular to your body, palms down
- Exhale and sweep the arms back as you lift your chin and chest higher
- Keep your waist on the mat and use your upper back muscles to bring your arms closer to your body
- Return to starting position
- Do five reps
Tendon Stretch
- Sit with your legs straight in front of you,
- Feet together and flexed
- Press your hands flat on the mat, look down
- Use your upper body strength to lift your backside and upper legs
- Swing yourself forward and backward before lowering slowly to the mat
- Do five reps.
Kneeling Side Kicks
- Begin by kneeling
- Lean to the left
- Place your left hand on the mat under the shoulder
- Place your right hand behind the head with the elbow pointing up
- Raise your right leg until it is parallel to the floor
- Holding the torso steady
- Kick the leg to the front and then to the back
- Keep your knee straight
- Do five reps on each side
Cardio
- Stand with your belly pulled in and your arms overhead
- Exhale and lower your head
- Bending the knees
- Swinging the arms back
- Inhale and jump up with straight legs
- Reaching the arms overhead
- Land with the knees slightly bent
- Return quickly to starting position
- Do 8-10 reps quickly