Home Power Workout #6 This home Pilates mat workout is designed for you to use as a supplement to your Studio Pilates International classes or DVDs. Pilates is always best done under the guidance of a certified Studio Pilates International instructor but I understand that sometimes you want to work out and getting into a studio or making it to a class is just not possible. Please enjoy this workout that I have created for you and don t forget that it s the frequency or how often you workout that that drives results... Medical Warning: You should consult your doctor before starting this or any other exercise program particularly if you suspect or are aware you have a coronary condition, a pre-existing injury or pain or any other physical deficiency. Do not over exert yourself and work at your own pace. Stop immediately if you feel pain or discomfort and consult your doctor. By undertaking this exercise program (including the use of any equipment purchased through this program), you acknowledge that you do so at your own risk and that the creators, producers, instructors and distributors of this program (together with their servants and agents) will not be held liable for any personal injury, loss or liability of whatsoever nature (whether for breach of duty or contract) arising because of or in connection with your undertaking this exercise program and advice contained in this program. Hot tips for getting the most out of your workout: Make sure you re well rested and are thinking clearly before starting your workout routine. Ensure you have a comfortable exercise mat to prevent any discomfort and enhance the enjoyment of your class. If you are using equipment ensure you check it before each and every time you use it for signs of wear and tear for your safety. Ensure you have plenty of room and there is nothing you can possibly bump into and cause damage to yourself or to property. Work within your limits at all times...if an exercise looks too difficult for you then don t attempt it. Please omit exercises from this routine if they cause you any discomfort, look too difficult or you do not enjoy. You should never feel any pain in the neck, back or any of the joints at any stage throughout your workout routine. If you do then discontinue immediately and consult a medical practitioner. Set a goal that you can work towards and schedule your exercise in advance and stick to your schedule. Enjoy your workout...
Abdominal Curl: Start sculpting the abs with this Lying on your back with your feet down on the floor or in tabletop to challenge as pictured, knees squeezed together and the fingers interlocked behind the head to support the neck. Elbows wide. Exhale as you slowly curl your ribs to your hips and lifting your head and shoulders curling your upper body up. T-Zone tight, drawing your belly button in towards your spine to flatten your abdominals. Inhale and slowly relax back down. Repeat this 20-30 times slowly. Oblique Curl: Start defining the waist and flattening the stomach at the same time Lying on your back with your feet down on the floor or in tabletop to challenge as pictured, knees squeezed together and the fingers interlocked behind the head to support the neck. Elbows wide. Exhale as you slowly curl your ribs to your hips and lifting your head and shoulders curling your upper body upwards and rotating the upper body drawing your opposite rib towards your opposite hip. T-Zone tight, drawing your belly button in towards your spine to flatten your abdominals. Inhale and slowly relax back down. Repeat this 20-30 times each side slowly.
Bicycle Legs: Starts toning the stomach Lying on your back with your legs in a tabletop position, the fingers interlocked behind the head to support the neck. Elbows wide. Exhale as you slowly curl your ribs to your hips and lifting your head and shoulders curling your upper body up and hold it up. T- Zone tight drawing your belly button in towards your spine to flatten your abdominals. Hold this position as you slowly extend one leg away at a 45 degree angle, inhale to draw it back in. Repeat this 50 times or 25 times each leg. Hundreds: Improve the endurance of your abs Lie on your back, with your knees bent and holding the knees. Curl your ribs to your hips by lifting your head and shoulders crunching the abdominals but keeping them flat, T-Zone tight and drawing the navel to the spine. Bring your hands down by your hips and simultaneously extend your legs straight up towards the ceiling. Hold this position for 10 breaths and do tiny little pulses with the hands up and down breathe in for the count of five and breathe out for the count of five to get to 100 pulses with the hands.
Criss Cross: Great for firing up the obliques and defining the waist Lying on the back, with your legs bent up in a tabletop position, held hip distance apart with your hands behind your head with the elbows wide. T-Zone. Curl the ribs to the hips lifting the head and shoulders and hold up in this position. Exhale and rotate the upper body drawing the ribcage towards the opposite hipbone and extend the other leg out straight. Inhale and return back to the centre maintaining the curl up of the upper body and swap to the other side. Repeat 50 times-25 each side Scissors: Great for sculpting the stomach Lying on the back, T-Zone tight. Curl the ribs to the hips lifting the head and shoulders; reach the hands down past the hips extending the legs straight up towards the ceiling. Exhale as you scissor one leg down towards floor as far as you can without letting the abs pop up or letting the T-Zone go, return leg back up and then slowly lower the other leg. Repeat 50 times- 25 each leg.
Double Leg Lift: Now sculpt the sides with this simple move Lying on your side with your underneath arm extended above the head, your hips stacked one on top of each other and your top arm on the thigh or on the floor in front of you for balance. T-Zone. Exhale and draw the top hip up towards the rib cage squeezing the side of the waist and raising the head up off the arm as you slide the fingers down the leg toward the knee. Inhale and slowly relax back down. Repeat 20 times then change sides. Teaser: Step it up a notch with this more advanced ab sculpting exercise Lying on your back with the arms and legs extended long. T-Zone tight. Inhale and take the fingertips to the ceiling, Exhale and curl the rips to the hips and slowly rolling the upper body off the floor and raising the legs at the same time to come up into a V-sit position. Hold this position for a moment re-tightening the T-Zone, drawing the navel to the spine. Inhale take the arms up to the ceiling, Exhale and slowly roll back down one vertebrae at a time as you slowly lower the legs back to the floor at the same time. Repeat 10-20 times. Notes: Maintain control with the movements, the body and legs move simultaneously to perform the movements, the slower you go the harder this one is.
Bridge: Flattens the stomach and improves core stability Hot Tip: Do this in front of a mirror so you can see your technique... Lie on your front, pull the toes back so you are on the balls of the feet, place the elbows on the mat directly underneath the shoulders and gently clasp the hands together. T-Zone strong. Raise the body up so you are in a bridging position, drawing the abdominals towards the ceiling, ensuring there is no arching through the back, T-Zone stays on and no pain or work through the lower back either. An easier variation is to do this exercise with the knees on the ground. It s also best to do this exercise in front of a mirror to check your technique. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1min or longer. Leg Pull Front: Strengthens the arms, abs and improves core stability On your front in a push up position with the hands directly under the shoulders. T-Zone, tightening the abdominals, drawing the navel to the spine and without dipping, sagging or arching the back; Exhale and raise one leg up off the ground...hold for 5 seconds then Inhale and return the leg. Do 10 lifts each leg for a total of 20 and do two sets of 20.
Tricep push ups Ideal for toning up the upper arms and shoulders In a push up position with the hands no more than shoulder width apart, shoulders down and back, T-Zone on. Keep the elbows close to the body as you Inhale and bend the elbows and taking the body close to the floor, Exhale and press back up. 2 sets of 15 reps Note: To make this easier simply place the knees on the ground. Hinge- This exercise tones the thighs Kneeling with the knees hip width apart and shoelaces on the floor. Body straight, arms held out in front, T-Zone. Exhale and lean the body back as far as you can from the knees keeping the back and body straight. Inhale and return back to vertical. 2 sets of 20 reps.
Got a Pilates Ball? Add these exercises into your routine... Plank on the Ball: Tones the arms and abs No ball? Go to our website to purchase one On your front in a push up position with either the knees, shins, or feet on the ball *note the further out you are on the ball the more challenging it is. Tighten the abdominals, T-Zone tight, drawing the navel to the spine so there is no dipping, sagging or arching the back; Breathe in an out holding this position for 30 seconds to 60 seconds or more. If you feel any discomfort in the wrists try turning the hands outwards and taking the hands out wider. Plank + leg lift: Challenge your plank with this On your front in a push up position with either the knees, shins, or feet on the ball *note the further out you are on the ball the more challenging it is. Tighten the abdominals, T-Zone tight, drawing the navel to the spine so there is no dipping, sagging or arching the back; Hold this position and Exhale to raise one leg off the ball and hold for 5 seconds, Inhale to return the foot. Change legs. 10 each side holding each one for a count of 5. If you feel any discomfort in the wrists try turning the hands outwards and taking the hands out wider.
Ab tucks: Tone the tummy further and increase your core stability Place your feet on the ball with the hands on the ground shoulder width apart and the body straight in a push up position, T- Oblique Zone strong. tucks: Exhale Take as you it to bend the the next knees level drawing and them target towards the obliques the chest whilst with rounding this killer the twist back and drawing the nose towards the knees. Inhale straightening the legs back out and return slowly to the extended push up position. 2 sets of 15 reps. Place your feet on the ball with the hands on the ground shoulder width apart and the body straight in a push up position, T- Zone tight. Exhale and bend the knees drawing them towards the chest whilst rounding the back, drawing the nose towards the knees and this time rotating the lower body to alternating sides. Inhale and return slowly to the extended push up position. 2 sets of 20 reps (10 each side).
Pikes: Build the shoulders and sculpt the abs (this is an advanced exercise) Hot Tip: Don t try this exercise unless you re super confident Place your feet or shins on the ball with the hands on the ground shoulder width apart and the body straight in a push up position, T-Zone tight. Exhale and slowly raise the hips towards the ceiling keeping the legs straight and Inhale and slowly lower the body back down to the push up position. Go slow and this is a little advanced and the work comes from the control back down not on the way up. Repeat 10 times. Push Ups on the Ball: This one is a little harder than it looks... In a push up position with the hands on the ball and the hands shoulder width apart (as pictured), T-Zone strong. Inhale as you lower the body down towards the ball, exhale as you straighten the arms and pushing back up. Keep a nice straight back and keep the shoulders down and back away from the ears. Aim for 2 sets of 10 or more push ups.
Abdominal Curl on the Ball: Target the tummy with this Lying on your back with your feet down on the floor and the ball underneath the upper back (as pictured). Fingers interlocked behind the head to support the neck. Elbows wide, T-Zone strong. Exhale as you slowly curl your ribs to your hips and lifting your head and shoulders curling your upper body up slightly off the ball. Drawing your belly button in towards your spine to flatten your abdominals. Inhale and slowly relax back down. Repeat this 20-30 times slowly. Oblique Curl on the Ball: Add in a twist Lying on your back with your feet down on the floor and the ball underneath the upper back (as pictured). Fingers interlocked behind the head to support the neck. Elbows wide, T-Zone tight. Exhale as you slowly curl your ribs to your hips and lifting your head and shoulders curling your upper body up slightly off the ball and rotating the upper body to face one way. Drawing your navel in towards your spine to flatten your abdominals. Inhale and slowly relax back down to the centre. Repeat this 10-15 each side slowly.
Hamstring curls on the Ball: This exercise firms the back of the legs and butt Lying on the back with the heels up on the centre of the ball and the body up off the mat in one straight line. T-Zone strong. Exhale and bend the knees, drawing the ball towards you, lifting the body and hips up and keeping a straight line between the back, hips and thighs. Inhale and slowly roll the ball back to the starting position. Repeat 2 x 20 reps. Advanced Hamstring Curls on the Ball: Take it to the next level with this exercise Hot Tip: Watch out for cramps in the back of the thigh with this as it s a tough one... Lying on the back with the heels up on the centre of the ball and the body up off the mat in one straight line, T-Zone tight. Take one leg straight up to the ceiling and hold it up there without dropping the hips down at all. Exhale and bend the knee of the leg that s up on the ball, drawing the ball towards you. Inhale and slowly roll the ball back out away from you. Repeat 10 reps each leg x 2 sets. Studio Pilates International 2011 - Copying prohibited It is important that before beginning any diet or fitness regime, you consult with your health care professional to ensure that you are mindful of your current health and any restrictions that are appropriate for you. You should immediately seek medical attention if there are any unanticipated changes to your physical condition at any time.