Reaching your arms along your sides, begin to curl up into an upper contraction. HUNDRED: Start on your back with your knees in tabletop position (90/90). This is a nice stretch and massage for your entire spine. Roll down, imagining your spine as a string of pearls, and place one vertebra down at a time. Start by taking a pelvic tilt, and roll your lower back up towards you, rolling up all the way one vertebra at a time, and making sure to move through both sides of your spine evenly. Pelvic Press: Begin with your feet hip-width distance apart, inner thighs engaged and upper body relaxed. Make sure to take your gaze with you, and keep both hips heavy. Inhale while rolling up in your rotation, and exhale return to center. Bring your arms out to a “T,” inhale turning to your right and exhaling to reach your left hand towards your right foot, while reaching your right hand behind you. If you have tight hamstrings, bend your knees to allow yourself to sit upright. Saw: Begin by sitting up tall, right on top of your sitting bones, with your legs extended hip-width distance apart and feet flexed to stretch the back line of your legs. Keep your head and neck in line with your spine, making sure not to strain your neck muscles. The purpose of swan is to engage the upper back and middle back muscles, and to stretch the front line of the body. If you feel compressive in your lumbar, lessen the range of motion. Then, lift your upper body by engaging your upper back muscles to extend the spine. Draw your shoulders away from your ears and engage your triceps. Swan: Begin by lying prone (on your belly) with your lower body relaxed, and your hands directly under your shoulders. Hold strong through your core, and continue to breathe! Keep your body in one long line, reaching energy out through the crown of your head and through your heels. ![]() Engage your abdominal muscles by drawing up and in towards your spine, keeping a flat back. ![]() Plank: Come into a position with your hands directly under your shoulders, your focus slightly in front of your fingers, legs engaged, shoulders broad on your back and down away from your ears. Pilates is a perfect compliment to any exercise you are currently doing, and with these five powerful moves you can improve your overall posture and strength, and feel healthier and happier, too. My body was in need of something a little more balancing that would focus on proper alignment, stretching, core strength, length, and better posture. I found Pilates after many years of sports, high intensity exercise, and lots of running. It can be modified and progressed to fit the needs of each individual’s body.
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