Pilates Workouts
The Side Squeeze:
This exercise will shape the waist and abdominals, so it is especially good for the area that hangs over your waistband when you wear fitted clothes. As you lift, check for tension in your neck or other parts of your body, and watch that your ribs stay down. Do not let the abdominals sag but hold them taut throughout. If you wish to add an extra challenge, raise the top knee, keeping it in line with your hips, no higher. Make this a slow, controlled movement. Take care not to over grip with your hands. Perform the movement with the flow, avoiding any jerk when lifting and lowering.
Purpose: To strengthen the waist and mid-section, stabilizing and improving balance.
Target Muscles: Obliques, shoulder stabilizers, abdominals and abductors.
Repetitions: Repeat 10 times on each side.
First Position:
1. Lie on your side with your knees bent and in line with your hips. Your hips are stacked and your abdominals hollowed. Place your hands on your head, directly opposite each other. Do not tip your head back or drop your chin to your chest. Breathe in.
2. Exhale as you lift your upper body off the floor and inhale as you lower. Make the lift slow and controlled. Don’t jerk your neck or grip too hard with your hands. Maintain the length through your spine and take care not to let your hips collapse, but keep them stacked. Make sure your knees stay level with your hips. Draw your shoulder blades down your spine.
Checkpoints:
– Do not allow the abdominals to sag
– Keep your hips stacked
– Maintain the distance between your ribs and hips
– Really feel the muscles in your side working.
The Side Bend:
This movement may look simple but it creates a marked improvement around the waistline if you practice it regularly, as well as developing core stability and balance. Feel the movement being controlled by your torso. Take care in this position not to let the hips roll either inwards or outwards. Imagine that you have a red dot on your hips that should always face the ceiling as you lift. Maintain the length in your neck and avoid sinking into your shoulders. You may not be able to lift very far off the floor initially but do not worry as the real benefit comes from maintaining the correct alignment and performing the exercise accurately. You might find that this exercise is less challenging on one side than the other, it is common for one side to be a little stronger than the other.
Purpose: To strengthen the abdominals and sides and improve balance.
Target Muscles: Obliques, abdominals, stabilizing shoulder muscles and latissimus dorsi.
Repetitions: Repeat up to 10 times on each side.
First Position:
1. Lie on your side with your legs bent. Imagine there is a rod running vertically through your hips. Rest on your elbow, which should be directly under your shoulder, and bring the other arm in front for support. Resist the temptation to push all your weight on to the supporting hand or resting elbow.
2. Inhale, breathing into your sides, and as you exhale lift your hips off the floor. Use the muscles in the side closest to the floor to initiate the movement and control it via a strong centre. Hollow the abdominals, drawing navel to spine, slide your shoulder blades down your spine and ensure that your ribs are not pushing up.
Checkpoints:
– Initiate the movement via a strong centre
– Do not transfer all your weight on to your arms
– Keep the neck soft.
Second Position:
Progress only after reaching a level of ease in the first position. If you feel ready, straighten your legs and lengthen them away. Cross one foot over the other, with the toes pointed, to support you as you lift your hips. Keep your head in line with your spine and lengthen up through the top of your head.
Checkpoints:
– Make sure that hips do not collapse
– Keep the abdominals hollowed
– Lift straight up, not veering to either side
– Keep the movement flowing.
