Day 215- Teaser with Resistance Band Arm Work

This exercise adds resistance training to the upper body in the modified teaser position.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a theraband.  Start by lying on your back in a tabletop position with your hands holding the theraband in the air above your chest.  Inhale to prepare and then exhale as you pull out on the theraband and lift your head, neck, and shoulders into the air.  Continue the exhale as you keep rolling through the spine and pulling horizontally on the theraband.  At the top inhale to prepare and then exhale as you pull on the theraband and lift your arms overhead.  Inhale as you return your arms to the front and repeat 6-8 times.  Then inhale to prepare and exhale to roll back to the earth.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis, you can still do the arm work in the modified vee position without rolling through the spine.

This exercise helps organize the head, neck, and shoulders.  Be sure to allow the shoulder blades to slide down the back as you lift the arms overhead.

Day 214- Teaser Starting and Finishing in Table Top with Oblique Twists

This exercise adds an oblique component to this teaser prep

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back in a tabletop position.  Inhale as you reach your fingertips towards your knees and then exhale as you lift your head, neck, and shoulder into the air.  Continue exhaling as you roll through the spine to a modified vee position (your knees will stay bent).  Then inhale here and exhale as you drop your knees to one side.  Inhale bring your knees to the center once again and exhale as you drop your knees to the other side.  Repeat three times to either side and then exhale as you roll back to the ground.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis start in the modified vee position and simply drop the legs to the right and the left.

If this exercise feels challenging for your back then simply place the feet on the ground and try the oblique variations from there.

Use the breath wisely.  With every exhale be sure that you are reinvesting in the deep abdominals to keep the back safe and the work efficient

Day 213- Teaser Starting at Table Top Moving to Full Vee with Leg Lowers

This exercise is a variation on the teaser prep.  It adds an endurance component to the lower abdominals

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your legs in a tabletop position.  Inhale as you reach your fingertips to the ceiling and then exhale as you lift your head, neck, and shoulders.  Continue exhaling as you roll through the spine and straighten your legs to find a vee position.  Inhale here and then exhale as you lower your legs towards the ground 4 inches and then lift them again.  Repeat this 4 times, and then inhale in the vee position and exhale as you roll through the spine and bend your knees.  Repeat the entire series 3 times.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis, do this exercise by staying in the vee position and completing the leg lift and lowers.

The abdominal work as you lower your legs is quite challenging. Be sure that you are exhaling and concentrating on hollowing the abdominals as you lower the legs. 

Day 212- Teaser Starting at Table Top and Moving to Full Vee

This exercise is still another preparation for the full teaser, but we are getting to the point in which the legs do straighten. YAY!  Each step is a good one

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your feet in a tabletop position.  Inhale into the back of your ribs.  Then exhale as you reach your hands towards your knees and lift your head neck and shoulders.  Continue exhaling as you finish rolling through your spine and straighten your legs.  Inhale at the top and then exhale as you bend your knees and roll through each vertebra to get back to the ground.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis, try this exercise from a seated position.  Find the tabletop Vee and then straighten your legs.  Repeat this movement six-eight times.

There are a lot of magic spots in this exercise.  It is important to get the head, neck, and shoulders in the air before you straighten the legs.  On the way down it is important to get the sacrum to the ground before you bend your knees.

Day 211- Teaser Starting and Staying in Table Top

This exercise is also a preparation for the classic version of the Pilates Teaser.  You might notice that there are a lot of teaser prep exercises.  That’s because the teaser is hard.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back in a tabletop position.  Inhale as you reach your arms towards the ceiling and then exhale as you narrow your ribcage and lift your head, neck, and shoulders.  Continue exhaling as you finished rolling through your spine to a balanced seated position with your legs in tabletop and your fingertips reaching just past your knees.  At this point, inhale into the back of your ribcage and then exhale as your roll your spine back to the floor vertebra by vertebra.  Repeat 8-10 times.

 Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis, refer to the PilatesStudioHD on youtube.  We have an entire section of videos that are osteoporosis friendly.

The challenge to this exercise is to maintain the tabletop position.  As the abdominal work gets a little harder the likelihood that your legs will kick involuntarily is greater.  This is a clue that you haven’t found your deepest abdominals.  Try to sit tall and move each vertebra individually. 

Day 210- Teaser Prep

This exercise is intended to prepare you to find the positions that will be necessary to complete the classic Pilates exercise the teaser.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted on the floor.  Inhale to prepare and then exhale as you roll through your spine and roll up to sitting.  Once in a sitting position rock back towards your tailbone slightly and then let one leg and the other to float into the air.  Once you have lifted both legs, then exhale and hollow your abdomen as you straighten both legs.  Inhale as you bend and exhale as you straighten.  Repeat 8-10 times before rolling back down.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis, don’t worry about rolling through the spine.  Simply sit towards your tailbone and straighten and bend your legs.

It is important to protect your back by finding an abdominal connection. As you straighten your legs imagine hollowing your abdominals as if you are stretching a rubber band between your bellybutton and your heels.

Day 209- Neck Pull with Dowel behind head

This exercise is intended to make the neck pull even more challenging have fun

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a dowel.  Start lying on your back, and thread the dowel in front of your forearms and behind the base of your skull.  Inhale into the back of the ribcage and then exhale as you begin peeling the spine away from the floor to a seated position. Inhale into the back again and exhale as you lay the spine back down on the floor one vertebra at a time.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis you can do this exercise starting from a seated position and hinge back in a neutral spine.

This exercise is hard.  Be sure to not allow the dowel to push your neck forward.  Let your head settle back into the dowel. 

Don’t try this exercise until you can do the neck pull.

Day 208- Neck Pull in 3 Breaths

This exercise makes the advanced exercise of the neck pull even harder. (If you can imagine)

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start lying on your back with your legs long beneath you and your hands clasped behind your head.  Inhale into the back of the ribs and exhale as you lift your head, neck, and shoulders into the air.  Inhale here and then exhale as you roll up so that only the low back is on the ground.  Inhale one more time and then exhale as you complete the movement to sitting.  Take three breaths to return to the floor and then repeat 3-5 times.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis you can start this exercise in a sitting position.  Hinge back in a neutral spine and take three breaths and then return to sitting.

Often in the Neck Pull people get stuck at the ribcage.  When you take the second breath be sure to get all of the air out of your lungs which will lengthen the spine at the ribcage.

  

Day 207- Neck Pull

This exercise is a classic pilates exercise that is intended to be and advanced version of the roll up.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your legs longs beneath you and your hands clasped behind your head.  Inhale to prepare and then exhale as you narrow your ribcage to begin lifting your head, neck, and shoulders.  Continue exhaling as you continue rolling through your spine to come to sitting.  Inhale at the top and exhale as you roll back down through each individual vertebra.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis this exercise can be done with a neutral spine, or you can check out The Pilates Studio’s Youtube channel for an entire group of Osteoporosis friendly workouts.

The elbows in this exercise should be sticking out to the side of your head.  They will try to come forward as you roll up and back down.  To get the maximum strength training work hard to keep them at the side of the body.

Day 206- Roll Up with Neutral Lean Back

This exercise is great for axial length and perfect for someone with osteoporosis that may not be able to do a classic Pilates Roll Up

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start sitting with your legs long in front of you.  Inhale as you make your body longer and then exhale as you reach your head behind you by hinging from your hips.  Inhale at this point and then exhale as you lengthen your spine again and return to a seated position.  Repeat 6-8 times

Things to think about

It is really easy in this exercise to extend the spine as opposed to maintain neutral.  Make sure that your ribs and pelvis are moving as one unit.

Feel the abdominals right between the pelvis bones engage for both the descent and the return to sitting.  Imagine that there is a seatbelt around your pelvis.

Day 205- Roll up with Resistance Band in Hands- Arms by Ears.

This exercise is intended to increase the challenge of the roll up.  The theraband helps organize the shoulder, and keeping the arms by the ears challenges the spinal articulation

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a theraband.  Start by lying on your back with your legs long beneath you and your arms on the ground behind your head with the theraband stretched between your hands.  Inhale into the back of your ribcage, and exhale as you lift your head, neck, shoulders, and arms towards the ceiling, and then continue the exhale as you roll through the spine vertebra by vertebra reaching the head, neck, shoulders, and arms towards the ceiling.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis try this exercise by starting in a sitting position, and then hinge with a neutral spine towards the ground behind you. 

Pulling outward on the theraband helps organize the shoulders so that you can find the articulation in the spine. 

No matter how much you try your arms are going to get ahead of you.  Try as much as you can to keep them reaching towards the ceiling.

Day 204- Roll Up with TheraBand in Hands

This exercise adds theraband resistance to the Classic Pilates Roll Up.  This aids in shoulder organization during the movement.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a TheraBand.  Start by lying on your back with your legs lengthened beneath and your arms reaching towards the ceiling holding the TheraBand.  Inhale to prepare and then exhale as you lift your head, neck, and shoulders while pulling outward on the theraband.  Continue exhaling as you roll up to a seated position.  Inhale here and then exhale as you roll through each vertebra until you are lying flat again.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis, try this exercise from a seated position and hinge the pelvis and spine back while pulling outward on the TheraBand.

As you are pulling outward on the theraband be sure to also be sliding the shoulder blades down the back.  This will stabilize the shoulder socket so that you can concentrate on finding the movement at each individual vertebra.

Day 203- Roll up in 3's with Arms at Ears

This exercise combines two difficult variations of the Classic Pilates Roll up to make one very challenging exercise.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your legs lengthened long beneath you and your arms lengthened along the ground behind your head.  Inhale to prepare and then exhale as you narrow your ribcage to lift your head, neck, shoulders, and arms.  Be sure to keep your arms reaching towards the ceiling right next to your ears.  Pause the movement as you inhale and then exhale again as you peel the ribcage away from the floor.  Inhale again as you pause the movement and then finally exhale as you find your way to a seated position, keeping your arms next to your ears the entire time.  Return to the ground with three breaths, first exhaling as you curl the sacrum to the ground, and then the ribs and on the final exhale release the head, neck, shoulders, and arms to the ground.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis start this exercise in a seated position and take three breaths to hinge your spine back towards the floor.  Maintain a neutral spine the entire time.

This exercise can prove to be quite a challenge.  The more that you can keep your arms next to your ears, the easier it will be to find the deepest abdominal muscles.  It may take a few repetitions to perfect this exercise.

Day 202- Roll Up with Arms at Ears

This exercise adds great challenge to the Classic Pilates Roll up by adding length to the lever arm of the exercise.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your legs lengthened long beneath you and your arms lengthened along the ground behind your head.  Inhale into the back of your ribs and then exhale as you narrow your ribcage and lift your head, neck, and shoulders keeping your arms lengthened next to your ears and reaching towards the ceiling.  Continue exhaling as you continue to roll through the spine.  Inhale at the top and then exhale as you roll back down still maintaining the arms next to the ears. Repeat 6-8 times.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis, you can do this exercise by starting in a seated position.  Reach your arms towards the ceiling as you hinge backwards about eight inches and then make your spine longer as you come back up.

This is a very challenging exercise.  The first time you try it you might find that you get stuck and your arms sneak forward of your ears.  Try to keep your arms right neck to your ears with your shoulder blades sliding down your back.

Day 201: Roll Up with Magic Circle Between Hands

This exercise is a variation of the Classic Pilates Roll up.  The Magic Circle can help to organize the head neck and shoulders so that the spine flexes more efficiently.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a magic circle.  Start by lying on your back with your legs lengthened beneath you and your hands holding the magic circle up above your chest.  Inhale into the back of the ribs as you plug your upper arms into the shoulder socket, and then exhale as you squeeze the Magic Circle and narrow your ribcage to lift your head, neck, and shoulders to roll through your spine and find a seated position.  Inhale at the top as your release the magic circle, and then exhale as you roll back down through your spine until you are lying flat once again.  Repeat 6-8 times.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis feel free to try this exercise by starting from sitting and hinging from your hips 6-8 inches while maintaining a long neutral spine.

Often when we are new to the roll up our shoulders rise towards our ears as we challenge ourselves to find segmental movement of the spine.  The Magic Circle can give our body feedback so that we can slide the shoulders down and find movement at the vertebral joints as opposed to the shoulder socket.

Day 200- Roll up with Magic Circle between Knees

This exercise adds inner thigh strengthening to the class Pilates Roll Up.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a magic circle.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and the magic circle between your thighs.  Inhale into the back of your ribs and then exhale as you squeeze the circle, reach your hands for your thighs and roll up to sitting.  Inhale as you release the circle, and then exhale as you squeeze the circle once again and roll back down.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis start this exercise in a seated position and as you squeeze the circle hinge your spine backwards about eight inches.  Maintain a neutral spine.

In this exercise the magic circle helps connect you to the midline.  Use the engagement of your inner thighs to help you find the center of your body.

Ask yourself if it is easier or harder to find segmental movement in the spine.  If it is harder you may be over recruiting your glutes to squeeze the circle

Day 199- Roll up in 3 Breaths

This exercise adds an endurance challenge to the Classic Pilates Roll Up.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start lying on your back with your legs lengthened beneath you and your arms lengthened along the ground behind your head.  Inhale into the back of the ribs and exhale as you reach your hands for your feet and lift your head, neck, and shoulders.  Pause the movement as you inhale again and then exhale as you lift just the ribcage off of the ground.  Inhale again as you pause the movement and then exhale as you find a seated position.  Inhale at the top and then exhale as you curl the pelvis and allow the sacrum to touch the ground.  Inhale as you pause and exhale as you lower the ribcage to the ground.  Inhale once again and then exhale as you lower the rest of the way to the ground.  Repeat 3-5 times.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis then you might try the previous exercise of the day with a neutral spine.  You could also try yesterday’s exercise in three breaths.  Phew, that’s a tough one.  Let us know how it goes!

In this exercise every time you exhale concentrate on getting all of the air out of the body.  With each exhale your spine will be getting longer allowing for increased segmental movement of the spine.