Pilates involve a series of exercises aimed at helping you develop a good core. It helps boost your health without having any negative impact on the body. By providing you with a refreshing mind-body workout, you will soon develop lean muscles and enjoy extreme flexibility. Here are some Pilates workouts that will help develop your core, giving you a strong back.
Start with the Pilates breathing technique. Keep your spine straight. Inhale through the nostrils and exhale through the mouth. Do this a number of times, slowly. While exhaling, press your lower ab and as you inhale, keep your hands on your ribs and feel them expanding on your sides.
Next, lie down with your back straight on the floor. Keep your legs parallel to each other, arms rested at your sides. Inhale and exhale the same way and as you inhale, expand your chest laterally and while exhaling, do a slight pelvic tilt without lifting your butt off the floor. Then, lift your arms up above your head as you inhale and circle it back to the original position as you exhale. Repeat this cycle for 10 counts.
Get your hands to your side and your legs closer to your buttocks. While inhaling, lift your tail-bone up pressing your glute muscles really hard. As you exhale, place your back and tail down. Make sure your abdomen is strong while inhaling. There should be no arch of your spine as this will cause extra pressure on your shoulders. These exercises will strengthen your glute and abdominal muscles.
Next, as you inhale, lift your arms up and move forward, lifting your shoulders off the ground while exhaling. Repeat this for 10 counts. Next, lie on your tummy, keeping your palms close to the chest and your elbows firm. As you inhale, raise your shoulders without moving your neck or chin. As you go down, exhale and press your abdomen in
For the next exercise, get on your fours, hands and legs parallel to each other. Keep your abdomen firm and your spine straight. As you exhale, curl your spine and tail in. Go back to your neutral position as you inhale.
Next, sit and keep your arms forward. While inhaling, stretch your arms forward and while exhaling, pull them backwards without bending your elbows. This will help strengthen your shoulder blades.
Another important exercise is the hundreds. Lie flat, pull your legs up ensuring they are parallel to each other. Lift your legs and shoulders off the floor, keeping your back well-supported. Keep your hands a little above the floor. Keep your lower abs tight. Inhale and exhale 5 times as you move your hands in a flapping motion.
The single leg circle helps improve coordination and balance while toning your thigh muscles. As you circle your leg, all your muscles will get activated. You can end the procedure with a set of crunches.
While there are a lot more exercises that are included in Pilates, these are a few simple ones that will help beginners get on the right track.