Introduction
You don’t need a Pilates studio to get in shape. All you need is a kit! These simple exercises can help strengthen your core and improve your posture. Pilates reformer Northern Beaches welcome their newbies with the most experience person.
The Hundred
The Hundred is one of the most popular exercises in Pilates, and it’s a great place to start if you’re new to the practice. To do it, lie on your back and bring both legs up to 90 degrees (think a tabletop position). Then lower your legs down as far as they can go without feeling pain. Raise them again and repeat this until you’ve completed 100 repetitions—or more!
How many times should you do The Hundred? Well, that depends on what kind of workout you’re looking for. If you want something challenging, aim for 10-15 repetitions per day; if relaxing is more your speed then aim for 20-30 repetitions per day; or if fun is what gets your heart rate going, try doing 50-60 repetitions per day. Just remember that whatever number works best for your body just keep at it! You’ll be feeling great in no time at all!
Pilates Push-Up
The Pilates Push-Up is an exercise you can do in your home with the equipment that comes in any basic Pilates kit. To perform this exercise, start out in plank position and lower down onto the mat until your arms are at shoulder height. Then push yourself back up using only your upper body strength and repeat for 10-12 repetitions. This will strengthen your chest, biceps, triceps and core muscles while increasing balance and coordination to help improve posture.
Single Leg Lifts
Lie on your back with your legs straight and the soles of your feet together. Lift one leg to a 45-degree angle, keeping it close to the floor. Hold for five seconds at the top of the lift, then lower slowly for one second before lifting again. Repeat this move 10 times on each leg, alternating between sides as you go.
This exercise will target your glutes and hamstrings and strengthen your core muscles. It will also help improve balance and coordination in order to prevent falls in older adults who may experience difficulty walking due to arthritis or other joint problems
Scissors
The Scissors is a great exercise for beginners and those who are new to Pilates. It targets the outer thighs, hamstrings, and glutes.
Begin in an all-fours position with hands under shoulders and knees under hips. Lift one leg up so that it is parallel with the floor while keeping your hips square (not rotated towards either side). Hold this position for two seconds then alternate legs by lifting the opposite leg up and hold for two seconds before repeating on both sides of your body 10 times (20 repetitions total).
During this exercise you may need to modify by bending at the knee so that both feet remain flat on the floor or by bending at only one knee (half scissors) instead of alternating feet as demonstrated above
Double Leg Lowers
The Double Leg Lower is a great Pilates beginner exercise, and it can help you build strength in your lower core.
To perform the exercise, lie flat on your back with knees bent and feet on the floor. Lift both legs up in line with the hips, then slowly lower them down to meet at 90 degrees from the body. Avoid any arching of your back or lifting of hips off the mat during this movement; keep everything tight and tucked in as much as possible for best results!
Repeat 15 times for one set, making sure to breathe normally throughout each repetition. Take a short break between sets if needed before moving onto more repetitions (you’ll start feeling this one pretty quickly). Measure progress by counting how many sets are required before fatigue sets in—if it takes eight sets instead of seven within three weeks’ time frame then congratulations: that means you’re getting stronger!
Double Straight Leg Stretch
The double straight leg stretch is a great way to open up the back of your hips, which is often tight in people who sit at a desk all day.
- Keep your pelvis level and shoulders down.
- Relax your neck and head—let it be in line with your spine.
- Straighten both knees out as far as they can go without letting them fall towards each other or collapsing under you. Make sure to keep them together in line with each other through this exercise!
- Keep both feet firmly planted on the floor so that they are flat and parallel with one another (or close!). This will help strengthen those inner thigh muscles important for runners and cyclists alike!
Single Straight Leg Stretch
The single straight leg stretch is a great exercise to help you improve your balance and overall flexibility.
- Bring one leg straight out in front of you, keeping the other bent with your foot on the floor.
- Lift the leg up and down for thirty seconds, then switch legs and repeat for thirty seconds on each side.
Teaser
- How to do the teaser
- What muscles are worked
- What the teaser is good for
- How it can help you improve your posture
Double Straight Leg Lift
- Start in a prone position, with your chest and stomach on the floor, your arms straight at your sides, palms down and fingers spread wide apart.
- Lift your legs up and down through a small range of motion (think an inch or two). Keep them straight throughout this exercise to isolate the glute muscles (i.e., don’t allow your knees to bend).
- Hold for five seconds at each point of movement (upward, downward), then repeat for 10 repetitions total if you’re just starting out; work up to 20 reps as you get stronger!
Fun at home Pilates workouts
These exercises are fun and easy to do at home. You can do them anywhere, so you don’t need a Pilates kit to perform them. In fact, many of these exercises can be done by yourself or with a friend (or even in front of your bathroom mirror).
Many people get bored when they exercise at the gym because they feel like there’s nothing for them to do but follow along with whatever class is being taught at that moment. With these simple moves, however, you’ll never have this problem again!
Conclusion
These are just a few of the Pilates exercises you can do at home. I’m sure there are so many more! Try them out and let me know how they go.
