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The Fundamental Pilates Method Exercises |
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Generally, the fundamental Pilates Method exercises were developed for one
particular purpose – to prepare the body for Pilates work by warming up the
muscles and teaching movement awareness.
Experts often suggest that while performing the basics of Pilates Method
exercises, try to engage abdominals with a neutral pelvis. Also, picture
your mind feeling hollowed out while paying much attention to breathing and
exhaling deeply. Then, depress your shoulder blades as you lift arms and
stabilize with a neutral pelvis.
Here are some Pilates Method exercises you can do to attain the best
results:
Pilates Methods Exercises for Pelvic Stability and Awareness
* Breathing – Kneel on mat and lightly place you hands on lower ribs. Inhale
deeply and feel your rib cage open. Then, exhale deeply and close rib cage.
Just imagine that the waist is being wrapped on the exhalation. Repeat this
five times.
* Imprint and Breathing – Do this by positioning yourself with knees flexed
and feet flat on floor. Lightly place your hands on the lower rib cage and
inhale deeply and feel lateral and posterior rib cage expand. Exhale deeply
and feel spine imprint on mat. Also, maintain neutral pelvis and repeat this
sample Pilates Method exercises for five times.
* Knee Stirs-In – Supine position with hand under knee. Make small circles
of femur in socket, while the opposite leg remains flexed with foot flat on
the floor. Just like the above mentioned Pilates Method exercises, maintain
neutral and stable pelvis. And, experience a smooth and circular movement in
your hip joint.
* Bridges (Pelvic Press) – Do a 10-degree lift using the core muscles
without using the gluteus maximus. Then, lift onto shoulders and thoracic
area. Lower slowly from the shoulders to the starting position. Also, keep
your abdominals contracted the entire time and focus on lifting and lowering
one vertebra at a time. For this form of Pilates Method exercises, it is
important that you exhale whole you lift and inhale whole you lower.
* Side-Lying Stability (Thigh Advance/Retraction) – Position on side while
head on arm. Support in front of the body with your opposite arm. Then, flex
foot of top leg and stretch leg away from hip joint. Retract slightly and
repeat five times. Imprint side of rib cage and use core muscles to
stabilize pelvis and spine.
Pilates Method Exercises for Cervical/Thoracic Region Stability and
Awareness
There are basically three main simple Pilates Method exercises that are
usually done for the cervical or thoracic region awareness and stability.
These Pilates Method exercises include, but are not limited to:
* Neck Curl – Position supine, knees flexed, and feet flat on the floor.
Support head with hands and lengthen back of neck as chin drops toward chest
and head lifts off floor. Return head to floor while elongating the back of
neck. Just repeat three times. As one of the basic Pilates Method exercises,
this isolates neck muscles and helps center head on neck.
* Puppet Arms – This exercise is for the scapula movement and stabilization.
Just position supine, knees flexed and feet flat on floor. Extend arms up
over shoulders. Lift lower arms while abducting the scapula and depressing
the shoulders. Perform same movement with arm stretching diagonally across
chest to engage the obliques. Repeat each exercise three times.
* Cat-Flexion/Extension of Spine – Position on all fours with wrists under
shoulders and knees under hip joints. Flex spine toward ceiling and then
lower and arch into extended position. Keep arms straight and repeat for
five times.
Note that you can do these basic Pilates Method exercises before you engage
in a more advanced mat works for better results. |
| This article
is provided courtesy of Roxanne Courtmanch. Please visit
www.thehelpingcircle.com for more articles on Pilates
as well as many other topics that may be of interest to you. |
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