Pilates Exercise:
Vertical Posture
The Australian Pilates Academy places great emphasis
on your postural alignment to assist in removing
external forces and stresses from your body. You
will be taught how to hold you body in perfect
vertical alignment which in turn will give you
a greater awareness of your own body. Give you
the appearance of being taller and slimmer. |
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Pilates Exercise: The Hundreds (100's)
The purpose of the 100's to strengthen the abdominal
wall. Concentration is required to prevent the
ribcage rising toward the thighs and prevent the
shoulders from hunching. |
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Pilates Exercise: The Roll Up
In the past the fitness industry would have crucified
you for doing straight leg sit ups. The roll up
will teach you how to connect and mobilise your
abdominal wall to promote strengthen and stability.
This will also promote breathing, mobilise the
spine and stretch the hamstrings. |
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Pilates Exercise: Preparation
Preparation promotes coordination of the arms
and legs. The aim is to work the abdominal wall
in order to prevent the back from overarching.
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Pilates Exercise: Roll Over
Roll Over requires some Strength, coordination and understanding. It focuses
on mobilising and stretching the spine while strengthening
and the abdominal wall. Roll Over
will also help to strengthen the obliques. These
muscles are extremely important when rotating
the torso |
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Pilates Exercise: Shoulder Bridge
Shoulder bridge assists in mobilisation of the
back, lengthening of the abdominal wall. A graceful
exercise when performed correctly that requires
much concentration and development of the core
region. |
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Pilates Exercise: Double Leg Stretch
This exercise requires concentration, coordination
and strength. It helps to strengthen the adductors
and abdominal wall while moving the centre of
gravity. It causes you move out of balance to
create balance which is the foundation of core
stabilisation. It also helps to coordinate arm
and leg movement. |
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Pilates Exercise: Pelvic Lift
Pelvic Lift improves basic mobilisation of
the spine using the abdominal wall. It helps to strengthen
and control the core and back and teaches you abdominal control, therefore
decreasing low back strain and pain.
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Pilates Exercise: The Bow
Bow will help to strengthen and mobilise the
back. With careful concentration, this exercise
will mobilise your spine like never before. |
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Pilates Exercise: Seated Spine Stretch
The seated stretch concentrates on stretching
the Trapezius and Lumbar spine with a small movement
of the feet it will also stretch the calf and
Hamstrings. The benefit of this is that it helps
to release those tight muscles in the shoulders
and lower spine. |
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Pilates Exercise: Kneeling Quadricep Stretch
If you feel
that you have stretched you quadriceps in the
past wait until you try this. The kneeling Quadriceps
stretch in particular stretches the Rectus femoris
which is one of the hip flexors it also helps
to connect the "T Line. It works with a posterior rotation of the Hips and an imagery of pressing the knee cap through the floor whilst drawing the rib cage away from the hips to assist in lengthening the muscle groups. |
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Pilates Exercise: Lying Hamstring Stretch
To primary purpose of the seated Hamstring stretch
is to stretch the Hamstring and calf muscles.
With a light alteration in the alignment of the
body you will experience a stretch like never
before and when its done you will be able to mobilise
you're hips with so much more freedom. |
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Pilates Exercise: Lateral Stretch
Seated lateral stretch stretches the side of the rib
cage and the torso. It also stretches the groin
of the extended leg and the Hamstring. It also assists
in rotation of the torso. Performed with the arms extended over the head or with the top elbow bent,
you will feel extremely relaxed and loose around
the rib cage At the end of this stretch. |
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