Having joined the gym in search of a hot shower daily, my eye was caught by the selection of 'free' classes that come with membership. Now i've been to several pilates classes, and felt that to be very good for my back (i am a programmer, desk-phobic but very screen-bound).
Here i have attempted to reproduce with illustrations the exercises to which we are subjected in pilates class. I have been to 45-minute sessions but 20 minutes at home, twice a week, would be a good thing.
Relaxation
This is the base posture for this kind of pilates. Feet on the floor, slightly apart, knees bents. At first shake legs, shake hands. Roll the spine onto the floor, and back up. There should be a gap between the floor and your pelvis; don't press your back in too tight to the floor. You are in search of something called neutral pelvis.
Drawing stomach in
At this point the instructor urges, "tuck that tummy in tight!". meanwhile we are breathing. "Breathe in to prepare... and out to stretch."
While in the relaxing position, breathe out and draw your stomach muscles down towards the floor as hard as you can. (I sometimes feel a response in the muscles near my sphincter, doing this.) Breathe in and relax a bit. Repeat this exercise half a dozen or so times.
Stretching out arms and legs
Breathing out, stretch one arm out above you, and stretch the opposite leg out as far as it will go. Point the foot and hand, stretch yourself right out. Breathe in and resume neutral position. Then stretch the other way.
Repeat this four or five times.
Head/neck stretch
In the neutral position; look over to the right, stretch the muscles in your neck. then look to the right. Then arch your neck and look behind you; then bend your neck forwards, looking towards your toes like you have a double chin.
Slight curl
With your hands behind your head, curl your body upwards until your shoulders and at least some of your rib cage are off the floor. Hold this stretch while you breathe in and out. Roll yourself back onto the floor - the instructuor describes this as like rolling "one vertebrae at a time" back into contact with the floor.
Slight curl with raised leg
The above exercise is made harder by doing it with one leg raised towards the ceiling, stretching the toes back towards you. Remember to "keep that tummy in tight!"
Foot Rotation Exercise
From the relaxed position, move one leg into the position shown just above. Trace small circles with the foot for a few rotations, then back the other way. repeat with the other leg. This can be done with the pelvis and chest held raised from the ground too, i think.
Knee bends
I often see people "warming up" with this exercise before the pilates class. I suppose it looks quite sophisticated, "busy". I wonder why they are not doing complicated yoga postures.
Starting from the relaxed position, bend both legs sideways in one direction, while turnign the head and stretching the neck in the other direction. Breathe in; breathe out and back to centre. Repeat twice for both sides.
Cross-legged knee bends
A variation on the knee bend idea is to cross one leg over the other, then perform the same action (twice for each side) then crossing the legs back the other way, and doing it again.
Sideways leg stretch
The first time i tried this, i fell over immediately. The second time i just about managed to keep my balance. This always comes near the end of the exercises.
Start lying on one side. The pelvis should be perpendicular to the floor, as if someone standing on top could only see a straight line. Looking straight down, you should just be able to see your toes; otherwise move your legs forward. The top hand rests on your hip, arm extended straight.
Raise both legs, swinging them up at the hip, so they are at least a couple of inches off the ground. Try to raise your legs as high as you can. Repeat a few times.
If like me you fall over almost immediately, bend the top arm to steady yourself while raising your legs. Try to place your hand on your hip for the last stretch, anyway. Hold the last stretch for a few seconds.
Lying on stomach stretch
Between doing the sideways leg stretch on one side and the other, roll over onto the stomach, placing hands on forehead. Lift legs away from floor, together, pulling stomach muscle up towards ceiling. Hold and stretch.
Frog stretch
From the relaxed position, raise legs in the air, bent outwards with feet together pointedoutwards at a 45% angle. The general impression is that of a frog.
Bring legs together so feet touch and legs point straight upwards, or near as possible. Keep feet pointed outwards at strange angle, push heels upwards.
This is the end of the pilates lesson. Read about pilates on wikipedia.
2004-12-17