Day 222- Prone Extension

This exercise is intended to help find segmental spine movement in extension.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your belly with your legs lengthened long beneath you and your hands placed flat on the ground by your shoulders.  Inhale as you prepare and then exhale as you slid your shoulder blades down your back and reach your elbows towards your back pockets.  Inhale as you reach your head away from the tail and begin peeling your head, neck, and shoulders away from the floor.  Exhales as you lower your spine to the ground and then inhale as you repeat.  Repeat 6-8 times.

Things to think about

This exercise is as much about lengthening the spine as it is about lifting it.  Be sure that before you lift your head, neck and shoulders that you are reaching your head as far away from your tail as you can.  Imagine stretching a marshmallow between each vertebra.

Day 221- Swimming with Extension

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your belly with your legs and arms lengthened away from your body. Inhale as you extend your spine and lift your head, neck, and shoulders away from the floor.  Then exhale as you hollow your abdomen and lift your arms and legs.  Maintain extension in your spine as you lift your right arm and left leg higher, and then switch to the left arm and right leg.  Keep switching your legs as you breath continuously, and maintain a hollow abdomen.

Things to think about

One of the important parts of this exercise is differentiating the movement of your limbs from the movement of your spine.  Be sure that as you lift the opposite arm and legs, that you maintain a strong and stable spine and that the movement is only of the arms and legs.

Connecting the pubic bone to the ground and hollowing the abdominals will keep your low back safe, and help maintain the longest possible spine

Day 220- Swimming

This exercise is the Classic Pilates exercise which is intended to strengthen the opposing fascial connections on the back of the body.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your belly with your legs long beneath you and your arms reaching long above your head.  Inhale as you allow your upper spine, arms, and legs up into the air.  Using a continuous breath and being sure that your abdomen is hollow allow your left leg and right arm to lift two inches higher.  Then switch to your right leg and left arm. Continue alternating the arms and legs while maintaining a stable and long spine.  When you are ready- allow your body to melt to the ground.

Things to think about

Be sure that your shoulder blades are sliding down your back as you do this exercise. 

Imagine that the left pinky finger is connected to the right pinky toe and vice versa.  This will allow you to find the fascial connections across your back that aid in spinal rotation and rotational sports.

Day 219- Pre Swimming Arms

This exercise is a preparation for the upper body to do the Classic Pilates Swimming exercise.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your belly with your legs long beneath you and your arms reaching long along the floor beyond your head.  Exhale as you hollow your abdomen and then inhale as you reach your head away from your tail and then lift your head, neck, and shoulders in spine extension.  Then continue breathing as you lift one arm higher and then the other. Continue alternating the arms for 10 cycles, and then exhale as you release your spine to the floor.

Things to think about

Often this exercise is challenging on the shoulders.  Feel free to widen the arms if you feel any impingement on your shoulders.  Also be sure that you are sliding your shoulder blades away from your hands.

As you are extending your upper spine be sure that the front of your hips are open, and reach your big toes away from your tailbone. All of this will allow you to find the longest possible spine.

Day 218-Pre Swimming Legs

This exercise is preparing the lower body for the Classic Pilates Swimming exercise.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your belly.  Make a pillow for your forehead with your hands.  Inhale as you prepare and then exhale as you hollow your abdomen, reach your big toes away from you and allow both thighs to float into the air.  Continue breathing as you lift one leg higher and then the other.  Continue alternating legs until you feel a gentle burn at the top of your hamstrings

Things to think about

If you have tight hip flexors, be sure that you are pressing the pubic bone into the ground and asking for length in the front of your hips.  This can help you use the hamstrings to release the hip flexors.

Day 217- Prone Thigh Lifts

This exercise is meant to prepare the pelvis for safe spine extension.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your belly with your hands making a pillow for your forehead.  Inhale to prepare and then exhale as you reach one leg long beneath you, and then imagine reaching your big toe so far away from you the your thigh floats two inches into the air.  Inhale as you release that leg to the ground and then exhale as you repeat on the other side.  Repeat 6-10 times on each side.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis then this exercise is for you!  In fact the rest of this month is dedicated to spine extension exercises that are perfect for osteoporosis

This exercises is meant to open the front of the hips to prepare the pelvis for spine extension.  Length in the front of the hips prevents pain in the low back.  As you do this exercise imagine making your legs longer.  So long in fact that the thigh floats up into the air.  

Day 216- Full Teaser

This exercise is the classic Pilates Teaser.  It puts all of the elements that we have been working on together!  Happy February!

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your legs lengthened long beneath you.  Inhale as you raise your hands above your shoulders pointing your fingers towards the ceiling.  Exhale as you begin to reach your arms across the room, then continue to exhale as you narrow your ribcage and lift your head, neck, and shoulders.  Once your ribcage is pressed into the ground rock your pelvis towards your belly button so that your legs will float up into the air.  Continue rolling through your spine until your spine and your legs make a vee position.  Inhale at the top and then curl your spine towards the floor vertebra by vertebra.  Once your low spine connects to the floor lower your legs to the floor, and finally allow your head, neck, and shoulders to release to the floor.  Repeat 6-8 times.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis this is not the exercise for you, but you can always visit The Pilates Studio’s YouTube Channel to watch all of the osteoporosis friendly workouts.

It is very challenging to find the spine articulation in this exercise.  Be sure to press your ribcage into the ground first and then find your deep low abdominals to protect the back as you lift your legs.