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WOMEN’S FITNESS

Pilates Super Body Shaper

By Caroline Sandry
Photos shot on location at Sha Wellness Clinic, Spain.
www.shawellnessclinic.com

what your body is actually doing


Joseph Pilates said “in ten sessions you will feel the ■ Breathing – deep thoracic
(rib) breathing
difference, in twenty you will see the difference and ■ Centering – initiating movements
from the ‘powerhouse’ or centre
in thirty you’ll have a whole new body” Well I can’t ■ Flowing movements – movements
should be graceful and fluid
guarantee that, but I can guarantee this – Pilates is ■ Control – each movement is
performed in a slow
a fantastic way to shape up! controlled manner
■ Precision – each movement
has a purpose
ilates matwork is something Back to basics

P that can be done at home, at the


gym or away from home if you
travel for work. All that is
required is a mat to protect your
spine and enough space to lie down and
wave your arms and legs around!
The principles of Pilates are:
■ Concentration – Key to
connecting mind and body
■ Relaxation – working
without undue tension
■ Coordination – being aware of
Pilates is great for creating a long, lean
silhouette – like a ballerina and can give
amazing strength as well as a lean
physique. It uses a very important and
often neglected part of our anatomy: the
deep musculature of the pelvis and torso:

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WOMEN’S FITNESS

the pelvic floor (PF) and the transversus


abdominus (TF) which work in harmony THE EXERCISES
with each other to support the spine and
internal organs. The ‘powerhouse’ The exercises selected are all intermediate and not for complete beginners, or for
includes these muscles, plus the those who may have an issue with their back or neck.
musculature of the hips, buttocks, Run through the movements slowly a few times taking care to apply the
abdominals and lower back. principles of Pilates, and then once you are familiar with the exercises, try to move
When we were young, we were often swiftly from one to the other in a flowing sequence which you can repeat twice.
taught to ‘suck in’ our belly, and most
people would breathe in to so-called hold Warm up
their stomach in. But – this is wrong ■ Standing tall, feet and knees hip width apart, slowly circle your shoulders back x 5
practice; inhaling naturally expands the ■ Inhale and lift your shoulders up to your ears, exhale and release them down x 5
chest and stomach whereas exhaling ■ Keeping your chin parallel to the floor, turn your head 3 times each way
■ Raise up onto your toes, and bend one knee then the other ‘marching’ on the spot for one
naturally flattens the stomach. Try putting
minute
your hand over your navel and then
■ Standing tall, inhale to prepare, and then exhale to slowly roll down one vertebra at a time
blowing out hard. You should feel the
until your hands are down by your toes, or shins according to flexibility. Inhale to stay,
abdomen contract and draw inwards - and exhale to slowly curl back upright, using your abdominal muscles to rebuild the
this is the TA working – similar to an spine. Repeat x 3
invisible girdle. With this in mind, try to
exhale on the exertion part of each (and

1
any other) exercise whilst drawing your
abdomen in- navel to spine. You could
imagine a weight pressing down on your

Pilates uses a very


important and often
neglected part of our
anatomy: the deep
musculature of the
pelvis and torso:
the pelvic floor (PF)
and the transversus
abdominus (TF)
stomach or an internal cable inside
drawing your belly button down towards
the floor. Because the abdominals are
engaged in this way, breathing changes
in Pilates to lateral thoracic breathing or
sideways rib breathing. In simple terms –
because your abdomen is drawn in, you
need to use another space for the breath,
so the aim is to fill the sides and back of
the ribs. Try this; lie on the floor with your Single leg stretch 1
knees bent, and place a heavy book on ■ Lie on your back knees bent and hip width apart, feet flat on the floor
your abdomen. Gently draw your belly ■ Exhale and engage TA & PF as you lift one leg at a time until your knees are above
button down as you exhale, and then try your hip and bent to 90 degrees
to stay flat in the abdominals keeping the ■ Place fingertips behind your ears, and flex head and shoulders forwards
book still as you inhale and exhale into ■ Exhale to straighten and lower one leg away from you, inhale to return.
the sides and back of the rib cage. ■ Keep head and shoulders lifted and abdominals flat
I mentioned before that the PF works ■ Repeat 10 on each leg and then move onto -
with the TA: your PF muscles are deep
internal muscles which support your internal
organs such as the bladder. You have front
and back PF muscles, and we need to locate
Single leg stretch 2
Repeat as before, but this time with arms held
out to your sides about one foot from the floor,
palms facing forwards. To increase the
2
the front group - try to draw your internal
muscles upwards as if lifting something up challenge hold toning balls in each hand.
inside. (Try not to squeeze your bottom as Training tips – The challenge is to keep
you do this.) As you practice Pilates, try to neutral spine and flat abdominals throughout so pay attention to your
get used to drawing PF upwards and TA spine and ensure it stays still as you move your leg away from your body.
inwards simultaneously in a relaxed manner.

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WOMEN’S FITNESS

3 Rollover
■ Lie on your back knees bent and hip width apart, feet flat on
the floor
■ Exhale and engage TA & PF as you lift one leg at a time until
your knees are above your hip and bent to 90 degrees
■ Straighten legs and inhale to draw them in towards your chest
■ Exhale and flex the spine up off the mat, one vertebra at a
time until legs are overhead and parallel to the mat
■ Inhale and separate legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart
■ Exhale to articulate spine down to the mat from your upper back
through to your tailbone, slowly and with control. Lower the legs as
low as possible whilst keeping the head and spine on the floor
■ Inhale to re-start the process
■ Repeat 3 to 4 with legs separate and 3 to 4 with
legs together.

Training tips – keep your weight off your head and neck
and on your shoulder blade area. Keep TA & PF engaged
throughout the movement. Try to keep shoulder blades
down and away from your ears.

Swimming prone
■ Lie face down with arms overhead and legs outstretched
and hip width apart with a slight outward rotation (toes
pointed and turned out)
■ Inhale to prepare, and exhale to lengthen and lift all four
limbs from the floor. Head lifts in line with the spine.
■ Exhale to lift right arm and left leg even higher, and then exhale
to lift opposite limbs in a kicking style as if slow motion swimming.
■ Speed the movement up as if splashing in a pool, and inhale for
five kicks, exhale for five kicks repeating a series of 20 – 30 kicks.
■ Push back into the Child Pose afterwards to stretch out the
back: bottom back on your heels and head down on the floor, with
fingertips down by your toes. Stay and take several deep breaths.

Training tip – it is still important to draw PF & TA up


and in gently as you perform this exercise to help
stabilize the spine. Keep the legs turned out (think
ballerina) and the buttocks gently squeezing. Try to
lengthen your limbs as you lift as if you are trying to
touch opposite corners of the room.

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WOMEN’S FITNESS

Side Lying Legs


■ On your right side, arm bent and with elbow directly under your shoulder, legs out stretched – slightly in front of you
■ Keep your rib cage lifted and your spine straight, as you lift the top leg up to hip height
■ Exhale to lift the top leg, keeping the hips and waist still and inhale to lower
■ Repeat 10 times
■ Lower your leg back down and rest for 20 seconds, before lifting the top leg again and drawing small circles x 10 in each direction.
■ Repeat on the other side.

Training tip –keep navel drawn in to spine, and stay lifted in the ribs and waist. Keep the torso very still as you
move – particularly as you circle the leg.

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WOMEN’S FITNESS

6 7

The Side Bend


■ Sit on one hip with your knees bent and the top leg opened,
foot flat on the floor slightly in front of your sitting bones. Your
bottom leg rests on the floor with the foot just behind your top
foot. Your body is supported on your arm – hand in line with
the hip and a little away from the body. Your top hand rests on
your top knee.
■ Inhale to prepare and lengthen the supporting arm, drawing
the torso away from the floor and the shoulder away from the ear.
■ Exhale to lift the pelvis upwards (imagine your hips are
being lifted in a sling) squeezing inner thighs together and
reaching top arm overhead.
■ Inhale to bend the knees and return hip back to the floor,
Scissors hand back to the knee.
■ Lie on your back knees bent and hip width apart, feet flat ■ Repeat x 3-5 on each side.
on the floor ■ To increase the intensity you could hold a toning ball in the
■ Exhale and engage TA & PF as you lift one leg at a time top hand.
until your knees are above your hip and bent to 90 degrees
■ Exhale and flex head and shoulders up off the floor to look Training tips – keep the hips stacked throughout - one
through your knees hip on top of the other. Imagine a sheet of glass in
■ Straighten both legs and lower one towards the floor, front of the hips and keep both hip bones touching the
bringing the other in close to your face and reaching both glass. Keep TA and PF engaged and stay lifted in the
hands up towards your ankle. ribs and waist. Keep ‘lifted’ in the supporting shoulder.
■ Exhale and pulse the lower leg twice (breath is two puffs –
as if blowing out candles)
■ Inhale as you start to switch legs by reaching them up Once you have completed the sequence, come onto your
towards the ceiling so they pass each other back, draw your knees into your chest and gently rock
■ Exhale as the second leg lowers and pulses twice and from side to side. Place both feet on the floor, knees bent
continue with a smooth flowing motion scissoring the legs and arms relaxed by your sides and rest for a minute,
apart. Repeat x 16 taking deep relaxing breaths.
■ To increase the challenge, try performing with your arms
down by your sides, palms down and six inches off the floor, or
with toning balls in each hand and palms turned upwards. If you enjoyed this sequence and want more great Pilates workouts,
or to order toning balls check out Stott Pilates great range of DVD’s –
Training tips – Stay engaged in TA/PF and keep abs flat I recommend the ‘toning balls power pack’ which includes a DVD,
throughout. Think of reaching the legs away from each wall poster and two weighted balls.
other, and try to prevent the hips from rocking around. www.stott-pilates.co.uk or freephone - 0800 434 6110.

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