Beginning Mat Pilates
Before beginning any Pilates exercise, it a good idea to practice some basic Pilates exercises. This can also serve as warm-up for your body prior to working out. Sequential Breathing Exercises One of the foremost principles of Pilates is proper breathing. A full breath accompanies every Pilates exercise. Breathing deeply requires you to exhale all the air out of your lungs and breathe as deeply as you possibly can. You have to allow the air to expand your lungs and open up your muscles in the back and the sides. Sequential breathing exercises teach you the proper way of breathing for your Pilates workout. Start by sitting down on the floor with your spine straight and your shoulders relaxed. You may feel heavy, like your weight is falling down. Breathe in deeply and slowly, letting the air fill your chest and feeling your diaphragm, back muscles and sides expand. Keep your shoulders relaxed and don’t let them to rise up. Hold your breath for a few seconds, and then exhale slowly, pulling in your muscles and releasing the air. Pull In the Abdominals Another important exercise prior to starting your Pilates workout is pulling in your abdominal muscles. This can help improve your core strength, which is necessary in Pilates exercises. Improving your abdominal muscles provides better support to the spine and stability to the rest of the body. Pulling in your abdominal exercises requires you to utilize your pelvic muscles, abdominals and your back. Using your pelvic muscles is similar to Kegel exercises for women. Pull up your pelvic muscles to the center of your body. Next, pull in your lower abdominal muscles, gradually working your way up to the center, and eventually pulling in your upper abdominal muscles, too. While doing these, the back must remain straight, providing strength to the spine. Starting the Workout Proper A Pilates mat workout typically begins with the individual lying supine on the mat, keeping your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat. From there, a number of exercises can be accomplished. Some basic exercises include the pelvic curl, the spine stretch, swimming and the hundred. The Pelvic Curl The pelvic curl can serve both as a warm up for the spine and as part of the exercise proper. First, lie down and inhale and exhale, remembering to pull in your abdominal muscles at the same time. On your next breath, slowly lift up your buttocks, followed by your hips and your spine. Rest your weight on your shoulders, keeping a straight line from your hips up. When you let out your breath, slowly lower your spine, hips and buttocks to the floor. The Spine Stretch The spine stretch allows you to open up your back muscles and your hamstrings. First, sit up straight, with your legs outstretched in front of you and your feet pointing to your head. Place your arms in front of you, keeping it straight. Inhale deeply. Try reaching your toes as you slowly exhale. Once you have fully stretched, exhale some more. Finally, return to the sitting position. Swimming Swimming is a good way for toning the abdominal muscles, the back and the buttocks. First, lie prone on the mat, with your arms straight over your head. Next, slowly lift up your left arm and right leg. Alternate that with slowly lifting your right arm and left leg. The Hundred The hundred focuses on the powerhouse of the body, providing core strength and coordination. First, lie straight on your back and inhale deeply. While exhaling, simultaneously curl your chin and neck down to your chest and lifting up your legs, keeping them straight. You will form a sort of V shape. Hold the position for 5 short breaths. Finally, slowly release your body down. Cool Down Cooling down is just as important as warming up. It slows down your heart rate, preventing you from fainting. It also helps your muscles recover from the stress of the exercise you have just finished. Cooling down requires you to keep moving, but gradually slow down your movements. Again, breathing exercises are used in cooling down. There are many other Pilates exercises that you can do, depending on your level of fitness and we cover all of them in depth in upcoming chapters. You can also modify your workout, especially if you have a certain disease. Remember to put in variations to your workout so that your body won’t get bored with it. Have fun doing Pilates! |
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Pilates - Beginning Pilates - Pilates - Exercises and Benefits Part One - Pilates - Exercises and Benefits Part Three - Props and Equipment for Pilates - Pilates for Rebuilding Strength and Flexibility - Pilates for Pregnant Women - What Is Pilates? - Pilates - Exercises and Benefits Part Six - Who Should Not Do Pilates - Pilates - Exercises and Benefits Part Four - Pilates - Exercises and Benefits Part Five - Pilates - Exercises and Benefits Part Two - What is Contrology? - Pilates Resources Currently Online :7 member(s), 16 guest(s): Barbwire, Cashsplash, GiddyUp, LollypopLover, OutOfSpace, ScareyTree, SoftballPlayer, Google, MSN.com, Cobion.com, Slurp Search : |
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