Fun Note: Joseph Pilates only created the Front and Back side kick. The other variations came from Romana Kryzanowska.
This may look simple but it is deceptively difficult. Work towards the twist and reach without shifting your lower body.
This exercise was not created by Joseph Pilates but by one of his students, Romana Kryzanowska.
We like to refer to this as The Hundred-ish. Only go for as long as you can without feeling excess tension in your neck or back.
Start this in the range that you know you can control the movement without losing your connections.
Use your seat and only go as high as you can to feel your seat working NOT your hip flexors.
This is harder than it looks! Don’t give up - keep persisting and you will be successful.
Go easy with this one. Work on keeping your seat on to support your legs and not losing your center.
Open that tight back with this glorious stretch (hint: it’s not about the arms reaching).
These are not your typical push ups. Take your time and build these slowly with correct form.
This is not a beginner exercise in the Pilates system. Done in this way, you need to have built many skills on your Pilates journey.
Watch this introduction on what to expect from the Pre-Pilates videos.
If you find that The Hundred is still a challenge on the floor, then bring it into standing. Gravity is your friend with this one.
Well done on completing the Pre-Pilates series. Once you are comfortable and can do these well, it’s time to move onto the Foundation exercises.
These are deceptively difficult and will help you build the right connections to hold your arms from your back.
Another deceptively difficult one but so great for those of you who work on computers all day long. This can be done with a simple dowel or broomstick.
Upper body to centre connection to roll down and arm movement.
Work on those deep, stabilizing muscles of the neck and learn to activate the muscles which should be working to support your shoulder girdle.
