Pilates Essential Exercises

Ab Prep

8-10 reps

Lying, legs hip width apart

INH - lengthen through back of neck

EXH - flex torso maintaining neutral pelvis

INH - hold using rib breath

EXH - lower torso with control

Support head with hands

Breast stroke preps

5 reps

1.Prone lying with hands by shoulders

2.Prone lying with hands by side

3. Prone lying with hands on forehead

INH - prepare

EXH - extend upper spine

INH - hold

EXH - lower

May need pillow under hips

Shell stretch

3-5 reps

Rest with seat on heels, spine rounded, arms relaxed

Breathe using rib breath

Sit with knees bent

The hundred

10 reps

Ab prep position but legs together

INH - 5 reps with arms pulsing down per breath

EXH - 5 reps with arms pulsing down per breath

support head with one hand

tabletop legs

legs extended in air

lower legs

Half roll back

10 reps

Sitting with knees bent, feet apart on mat, arms forward

EXH- roll back in C curve

INH - lengthen back up to start position

1. emphasize leg adduction

can use ball or fitness circle

Roll up

5 reps

Lying, legs straight and together, arms reaching to floor above head

INH - Arms to ceiling while lengthening through back of neck

EXH - roll spine off mat , arms reach forward

INH - start rolling 232t1911c down

EXH - continue rolling down arms reach back above head

knees bent, flex upper body

legs extended, flex upper body

knees bent, flex all the up

with or without pole

One leg circle

Lying, knees bent, lift one leg so hip and knee at 90

INH - half circle inwards

EXH - half circle outwards

Repeat 5 times then reverse direction

leg in air bent, other leg straight

leg in air straight, other leg bent

both legs straight

Spine twist

5 reps

Sitting with legs extended, neutral pelvis and arms out to the side

INH - rotate and lengthen as inhale 3X

EXH - return to centre

Repeat to other side

1. sit on pillow, X-legged or on stool

2. reverse breath

arms crossed in front

bend arm at elbow as rotate to that side.

Rolling like a ball

10 reps

Sitting in C curve and hands on shins

INH - remain in C curve and roll back on spine no further than top of thoracic spine

EXH - rock back on spine to start position, just back of sit bones

Prep 1. Sitting with knees bent, roll hip bones away from femur to create C curve

Prep 2. Balance back of sit bones, deepen C curve

Single leg stretch

8-10 reps

Lying, legs in air with knees bent

INH - prepare

EXH - flex upper torso off mat and extend 1 leg, outer hand reaching to heel and inner hand to knee of bent leg.

Repeat alternating legs with brief INH between reps

Switch each leg on EXH then each leg on INH.

Obliques

8-10 reps

Lying, knees bent, hands behind head

INH - lift torso

EXH - twist to 1 side

INH - rotate back to centre and lower torso

Repeat alternating sides

keep upper body in flex and rotate to each side

extend 1 leg as twist towards bent leg on EXH

EXH as extend each leg then INH as extend each leg

Regular double leg stretch

8-10 reps

Lying with legs in air, knees bent

INH - prepare

EXH - to Ab prep position

INH - remain flexed and reach arms straight back and extend legs

EXH - circle arms to reach towards ankles and bend knees

arm movement only

leg movement only

reverse breathing

Scissors

8-10 reps

Lying with legs in air and knees bent.

INH - prepare

EXH - flex upper body and extend both legs. Reach one leg away from torso, bring other leg toward torso, pulse twice. Hands near ankle

INH - switch legs , keeping legs extended

EXH - pulse twice as legs reach

Legs slightly bent if tight hams

Shoulder bridge prep

3 each leg

Ab prep position, knees more bent

EXH - lift pelvis keeping neutral

INH - hold. EXH - lift 1 leg just off mat

INH - lower. EXH - lift other leg

INH - lower. EXH - lower pelvis

Lift and lower pelvis only

Rollover prep

5-8 reps

Lying with legs crossed at ankles

EXH - peel spine off from mat from tailbone

INH - release down

Heel squeeze

10 reps

Lying prone with knees bent and heels together

EXH - squeeze heels together

INH - release

EXH - for 3 secs

Use ball or fitness circle

One leg kick prep

8 reps each leg

Lying prone, legs together

EXH - flex knee and pulse with pointed then flexed towards sit bone

INH - lower leg to mat

Open legs slightly if knee discomfort

Breast stroke

5 reps

Prone lying with hands by shoulders

INH - prepare

EXH - reach arms and top of head away from tailbone

IHN - circle arms back to wards hips lengthening and extending upper spine

Shell stretch

3-5 reps

Rest with seat on heels, spine rounded, arms relaxed

Breathe using rib breath

Sit with knees bent

Saw

5 reps

Sitting with legs extended, spine in neutral, arms out to side

INH - rotate so arms reach on diagonal

EXH - stretch forward over opposite leg and medially rotate back arm

INH - roll back up and laterally rotate spine

EXH - rotate spine back to centre

Sitting on pillow or stool

Neck pull prep

5 reps

Sitting with knees bent , feet on mat and hands on forehead

INH - prepare

EXH - roll back into C curve

INH - hold

EXH - increase flexion and curl back up forward over legs

INH - lengthen spine from tailbone to top of head back to start position

Hands behind head

Oblique roll back

5reps each side

Sitting with knees bent, feet apart on mat, arms forward

EXH- roll back in C curve. Take one arm back and out to side

INH - scoop arm back to start position as lengthen back up

Use ball or fitness circle

Side kicks

8-10reps

Side lying, hips slightly flexed, top leg at hip height

INH - flex foot and pulse leg forward 2X

EXH - point toe and extend leg back

Can bend bottom leg if difficulty with balance

Side leg lifts

8-10 reps each

Side lying, bottom arm along mat

INH - point foot and lift leg

EXH - flex foot and lower

INH - lift top leg to hip height

EXH - lift bottom leg to top leg then lower both

3. EXH - lift both legs

INH - lower both legs

Can add small circle 5 times each direction

Spine stretch forward

5 reps

Sitting with legs extended, spine in neutral

INH - to lengthen

EXH - peel spine forward from top down without flexing hips

INH - using rib breath

EXH - peel spine back from bottom up, 1 vertebra at a time

standing with knees slightly bent and feet apart

sitting on pillow or stool

Teaser prep

5 reps

Lying, legs together, knees bent, arms reach back behind head

INH - arms reach to ceiling

EXH - roll up spine to just back of sit bones

INH - reach arms by ears as extend through thoracic spine

EXH - roll down

Legs in air with knees bent

Single leg extension

5 reps

Prone, forehead resting on hands, legs together

EXH - lift one leg

INH - lower

EXH - lift other leg

Open legs wider apart and rotate legs outwards

Swan dive preps

5 reps

Prone with hands under shoulders, legs apart and rotated out

INH - prepare

EXH - extend upper spine

INH - hold

EXH - lengthen spine back down

2 breath - INH to extend and EXH to lower

Swimming prep

3-5 reps

All 4's

Lift opposite arm and leg using lengthening sliding motion

prone lying - pulse alternate legs with INH for 5 counts then EXH for 5 counts

pulse alternate arms

Leg pull front prep

5-10 reps

On all 4's, knees bent resting on mat and slightly behind pelvis, feet flexed

EXH - squeeze inner thighs and lift knees off mat

INH - hold, EXH - lift 1 leg just off mat

INH - hold, EXH - lift other leg

INH - lower, EXH - lower both knees to mat

EXH - squeeze inner thighs and lift knees off mat

INH - lower knees to mat

The seal

10 reps

Sitting balancing back of sit bones, knees bent and soles of feet together, hands under ankles

INH - keeping C curve, rock back to of thoracic spine

EXH - keeping curve, rock back to start position

Add 1,2,3 claps to challenge balance and control

Side bend prep

5 reps

Side sitting, top leg bent and rotated out, bottom leg bent resting on mat

INH - lift hips towards ceiling and reach top arm over head

EXH - lower to start position

Can use 4 breath pattern

Push up

3-5 reps

On all 4's, knees bent resting on mat and slightly behind pelvis

INH - 3 small inhales as lower

EXH - return to start position

Against wall - 10-15 reps