Pilates Exercise - Part 2
Pilates Exercises you can do at home
[Pilates Exercise - Part 1]
Double Leg Roll Up (hard): Sit down on the floor with your legs apart and your feet together, knees facing out. Grab your ankles with both hand and roll your body backwards so that your back lands on the floor. Keep rolling until you return to original position. This one is fairly difficult at first.
Muscles worked: Abdominals, Lower Abdominal, Hip flexors, Stabilizers, Thigh
Full Sit-up (Roll Up): Stretch out yourself flat on the floor with your arms extended over your head. Raise your arms and body up slowly to reach all the way back to your toes. Focus on the muscles you are working.
Muscles worked: Abdominals, Lower Abdominal, Hip flexors, Neck, Upper Body
Alternate Foot Hold: Sit upright with your arms stretched out to the sides. Touch your toes with the opposite arm, keeping your back straight. Repeat many times, interchanging sides. To keep yourself challenged, keep the pace fairly brisk.
Muscles worked: Abdominals, Lower Abdominal, Obliques
Leg Kicks: Lie on your side, with your head supported on a bent elbow. Your legs should be slightly angled towards the front. Bring the top leg (keeping it straight) behind your body and bring it forward, using steady, controlled movements. Then turn over to the other side and repeat. You can modify this exercise by doing circles with your legs, or bending your leg slightly.
Muscles worked: Abdominals, Lower Abdominal, Thigh, Hip Flexors, Leg muscles
Arm Flutter (with legs raised): Lie down flat and lift up legs at a 45 degree angle (keep them straight). Raise your body slightly off the floor and lift your straight arms ahead of you. Do 20-50 reps.
Muscles worked: Abdominals, Shoulders, Anterior Deltoids, Thigh, Upper Body, Lower-Body
Body Roll: Curl up into a ball and tuck your head between your knees. Roll backwards balancing on your spine and roll back into starting position.
Muscles worked: Abdominals, Stabilizers, Upper Body
Leg Curl and Back Hyperextension: Lie face down with your hands clasped behind your lower back. Curl up your lower legs with your heels touching your buttocks. Do this twice. Then lift up the top of your torso, overextending your back.
Muscles worked: Lower back, Hamstrings, Biceps, Lower-Body
Lower Back and Neck Stretch: Lying face down, put your hands flat on the floor at shoulder level (start of push up position). Raise yourself up, but instead of supporting yourself on your feet, put your weight on your hips instead. Straighten your arms and arch your back until desired stretch is reached. At the same time, lower your head and circle it around to stretch your neck.
Muscles worked: Lower back, Neck
[Pilates Exercise - Part 1]
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