The second in a series of Pilates moves to help you reach your health and fitness goals for the new year. We are already in February 2012! A month has passed in the blink of an eye! Let’s not procrastinate or make more excuses. Let’s start together! Here are four basic Pilates moves for beginners to work out. We’ll help you achieve your new fit and fabulous body in no time!
the hundred
Lie on your back with your knees bent, raise your legs to tabletop position (shins and ankles are parallel to knees). Your arms placed on the mat at your sides. Inhale to start. As you exhale, lift your head off the mat, tucking your chin in toward your chest, and use your abdominal muscles to lift your upper spine off the floor. Keep your shoulders engaged in your back as you extend your arms off the mat with your fingertips reaching toward your toes. Your gaze is on the ball of your abs. While here, you will take five short breaths in and five short breaths out. As you inhale and exhale for a count of five, move your arms up and down in a controlled manner (arm pump). Be sure to keep your shoulders and neck relaxed as you work your abdominal muscles to keep your upper back lifted. A cycle of 10 complete breaths will take you to one hundred.
one leg kick
Lie on your stomach with both legs together, extended behind you. Activate the inner thighs and hamstrings to prevent the legs from widening. Raise your upper body so that you are supporting yourself on your forearms. Keep your shoulders down, chest wide. Your elbows are directly under your shoulders. Hands are together on the floor in front of you while keeping your neck long and forward. Inhale to start. As you exhale, bend your right leg to a 90-degree angle, pushing it toward your butt twice with your foot slightly pointed. Inhale to switch legs, extending the right leg as you bend the left. Exhale and double press your left leg now.
swan
Lie on the mat on your stomach, keeping your arms close to your body as you bend your elbows to bring your hands under your shoulders. Extend your shoulders away from the ears. Keep your legs together as you contract your abdominal muscles, lifting your belly button up and away from the mat. As you inhale, lengthen your spine, sending energy through the top of your head as you press your forearms and hands into the mat to sustain a long upward arc of your upper body. The elbows are close to the body, the head remains in line with the spine, and the hips remain on the mat. As you exhale, release the arch, lengthening the spine as the torso returns to the mat in a sequential fashion (lower belly, mid belly, lower ribs until you are back on your stomach).
spine stretch
Sit upright on the seat bones, extend the legs to the width of the shoulders and flex the feet. Bring the top of your head to the ceiling while your shoulders remain relaxed. Inhale and extend your arms in front of you, at shoulder height. Exhale as you lengthen your spine to curve forward. You go through a deep C-curve reaching as far with your arms as is comfortable for you. Keep your shoulders down as you bring your fingertips closer to your toes. Start your return using your lower abs to bring your pelvis up. Roll up through the spine to a sitting position.