The Pilates Method for a Balanced Body

The Fundamental exercises prepare the body for Pilates work by warming up the muscles and teaching movement awareness. While performing the Fundamentals, engage abdominals with a neutral pelvis. Picture in your mind feeling hollowed out while concentrating on breathing and exhaling deeply. Depress shoulder blades as you lift arms and stabilize with a neutral pelvis (pubic bone level with hip bones).

FUNDAMENTAL EXERCISE FOR PELVIC STABILITY AND AWARENESS

Breathing Kneel on mat. Lightly place hands on lower ribs. Inhale deeply and feel the rib cage open. Exhale deeply and close rib cage. Imagine the waist is being wrapped on the exhalation. Repeat five times.

Imprint and Breathing In supine position with knees flexed and feet flat on floor, lightly place hands on lower rib cage. Inhale deeply and feel lateral and posterior rib cage expand. Exhale deeply and feel spine imprint on mat. Maintain neutral pelvis. Repeat five times.

Knee Stirs-In supine position with hand under knee, make small circles of femur in socket. Opposite leg remains flexed with foot flat on floor. Maintain neutral and stable pelvis. Experience a smooth, circular movement in hip joint.

Bridges (pelvic press) Position supine, knees flexed, feet flat on floor. Practice a 10-degree lift using the core muscles and without using the gluteus maximus. Proceed to lift onto shoulders and thoracic area. Lower slowly from the shoulders to beginning position. Keep abdominals contracted the entire time and focus on lifting/lower one vertebra at a time. Exhale while lifting, inhale while lowering.

Side-lying Stability (thigh advance/retraction) Position on side, head on arm, support in front of body with opposite arm. Flex foot of top leg and stretch leg away from hip joint and then retract slightly. Repeat five times. Imprint side of rib cage and use core muscles to stabilize pelvis and spine.

CERVICAL/THORACIC REGION AWARENESS AND STABILITY

Neck Curl

Position supine, knees flexed, feet flat on floor. Support head with hands, lengthen back of neck as chin drops toward chest and head lifts off floor, feeling a stretch in back of neck. Return head to floor while elongating back of neck. Repeat three times. The exercise isolates neck muscles and helps center head on neck.

Scapula Movement and Stabilization

Puppet Arms--Position supine, knees flexed, feet flat on floor. Extend arms up over shoulders. Lift and lower arms while abducting the scapula and depressing the shoulders. Feel the movement within the shoulder socket. To engage the obliques, perform same movement with arm stretching diagonally across chest. Repeat each exercise three times.

Quadruped Movement

Cat-flexion/extension of spine--Position on all fours with wrists under shoulders and knees under hip joints. Flex spine toward ceiling and then lower and arch into extended position. Keep arms straight. Repeat five times.

MAT EXERCISES

The Hundred (trunk flexion initiating from cervical region)--Lying on back, extend legs in the air in line with hips, knees as straight as possible and feet relaxed (if this is too difficult, begin with knees flexed, calves parallel to floor). Position arms alongside body with palms down a few inches off floor. Lift head, neck, and shoulder blades off the floor; maintain this position, keeping neck relaxed. Without moving torso or legs, pump arms up and down toward floor (without touching). Inhale for five counts, exhale for five counts. One arm pump equals one breath. Do 10 cycles of breath for a total of 100 arm pumps. Focus on shoulders down, anchor center to mat, neck relaxed, legs extending upward. Benefits include coordination of breath and movement, as well as core strength.