Exercises Archives | Pilates Connection

Lay on your back with your arms by your sides.
Just as with the roll up, roll one vertebra at a time off the mat as you also lift the legs up pulling the knees in towards the chest.
Balance on your tailbone as you reach your arms towards your toes.
Try to bring your shins parallel to the floor, and focus on lifting your chest and lengthening through your spine.
Slowly, and with control, lower back down, one vertebra at a time.

Lay on your RIGHT side, stacking your hips and feet.
Position your bottom RIGHT elbow directly under your RIGHT shoulder.
Lift your bottom hip off the ground to create a straight line in a plank.
You should be lifting from your bottom oblique and feel a slight pinch in the waistline.
Reach your top hand towards the ceiling or place it on your top hip. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths and then switch sides.
To modify this exercise, keep your bottom knee on the ground.

Bring yourself to a full plank on your hands.
Engage the abs to keep the spine straight and lengthen through the crown of your head.
Make sure you don’t lock out your elbows, and keep your middle fingers pointing straight forward with your fingers spread apart and pressing into your knuckles (to prevent discomfort in your wrists).
Rotate the inside of your elbows forward to engage your biceps.

Keeping the hands behind the head, bring the knees into the chest.
Keep the RIGHT knee into the chest as you extend the LEFT leg out to your point of control.
Rotate from the spine to the RIGHT, reaching the LEFT elbow to the RIGHT knee.
Keep the hips steady as you rotate the RIGHT elbow to the LEFT knee.
Continue rotating side to side for 6-8 repetitions on each side.

Keep both legs extended up to the ceiling as you bring both hands behind your head, keeping your elbows wide.
Press your lower back into the mat completely as you lift your head and chest off the mat.
Keeping the legs straight, lower them a few inches to your point of control.
Engage the lower abs and pull the legs back up. Be sure the lower back doesn’t leave the mat and stays imprinted into the mat during the length of the exercise.

Stand with feet parallel, hip-distance apart.
Inhale, then exhale while extending arms up and reaching through upper back.
Inhale, then exhale and slowly roll down toward the floor one vertebrae at a time.
Sit back as if sitting in a chair before reaching up and lifting heels.
Return to standing.

Walk hands out to plank position.
Engage your abs to draw right knee into chest.
Extend leg back, pointing toes to the ceiling and engaging glutes and hamstrings.
Repeat for 5 reps.
Then, bring right knee to left shoulder in the same manner for 5 reps.
Finally, bring right knee to right shoulder in the same manner for 5 reps.
Repeat entire series on the other leg.
To modify, lower knees to floor and limit leg range of motion.

Kneel on the floor with knees directly under hips, feet touching.
Hinge upper body back about 45 degrees, engaging abs, glutes, and feet while maintaining a straight line from head to knees.
Return to the starting position.
For more challenge, sustain the hinge position and lower and lift your arms 10 times.

From kneeling, lower left hand to the ground and extend opposite right out, holding right hand behind head.
Lift right leg to hip height, then lower for 10 reps.
Then hold leg at hip height and rotate leg in small circles for 10 reps.
To modify, lie on side instead of kneeling.

Workout Exercises