Exercise 1
Description:
It is necessary to stay in the most compact "rounded" position while driving. The key here is the impulse, the driving force. The slower you roll back, the less the risk of inertia. Feel how each vertebra falls on the floor, just as you play the gamut on the xelophone. Remember the need to pull in the abdominal muscles and support the head and neck during the rolls. Elbows should be divorced in the sides. The head should not move back and forth during the exercise. Pull your head to your knees and lock in this position. Do not roll back far to the neck; stop on the base of the shoulder blades. Do not lift your shoulders. For complication, try placing your head between your knees and clasping your legs with your hands, instead of holding on to the shins.
Exercise 2
Description:
Sit in the middle of the litter, legs bend at the knees. Grasp the leg of the right leg and bring it to your chest, putting your right hand on your ankle, and the left one on your knee (this will ensure the correct position of the leg relative to the hip). Roll onto your back without letting go. Pull the second leg in front of you and hold it on the weight at an angle that ensures a tight fit of the back to the floor. Inhale, draw the stomach to the backbone. Elbows should be divorced in the sides, the chin tucked up to the chest. Imagine that you are anchored to the floor. On inhalation, change the position of the legs and hands, while the outer arm goes to the ankle, and the inner one - to the knee. Pull your leg away from the hip joint and align with the center of your body. Do five to ten repetitions of the exercise, then pull up both bent legs to the chest, prepared for stretching the muscles of both legs.
Exercise 3
Description:
It is necessary that the upper part of the body be raised and remain completely immobile during the exercise. The ascent should be initiated by the abdominal muscles and the back wall of the chest (look at your stomach). Your stomach all the time when doing an exercise on the Pilates system should be "concave". When changing feet, try to pull the stomach deeper into the spine. Elbows should be divorced in the sides, shoulders are omitted for more effective work of the abdominal muscles. While lifting your leg, squeeze the buttocks: this helps to integrate the position. Do not start lifting from the neck. The elongated leg should be raised not below the hip joint, but at such a height that your spine should remain flat. If you have sore knees, then bring your hand under your knee, and do not put it on top. If you have a weak loin, then straight leg up vertically, and then as the muscles of the back strengthen, you can gradually lower it at an ever smaller angle to the floor.
Exercise 4
Description:
Lie on your back, both legs bend at the knees and pull up to the chest. Elbows spread apart, head and neck lift. Take a deep breath, pull out the trunk, hands straighten over your head, stretch your legs forward at an angle of 45 degrees, as if stretching yourself in the morning after sleeping. Imagine that your body is tightly pinned to the floor, just like pulling the leg muscles, and do not lift your head from the chest. On exhalation, pull up your bent legs to your chest and wrap your arms around them. Immerse the abdomen towards the spine, press the knees to the chest to increase the exhalation tension, as if you squeeze out air from the lungs. Repeat the sequence five to ten times, your torso must remain motionless both during inspiration and during exhalation. At the end, pull both legs to the chest at the same time as forced exhalation, and proceed to pulling out a straight leg.
Exercise 5
Description:
During the Pilates exercise it is necessary to maintain complete immobility in the central area of the body. Maintain the muscles of the neck without lifting your chin from your chest. To support the muscles of the waist, when stretching the legs, tightly press the buttocks and the backs of the inner surface of the thigh. While drawing on inspiration, your hands should be straight, and you should stretch in opposite directions (as if you are pulled by the arms and legs in opposite directions, and your abdominal muscles are pinned to the floor). If you put your hands on your knees and exhale them from your chest with an exhalation, dilating your elbows to the sides, you will feel a pleasant sensation of relieving tension in the upper back and neck. When you stretch your arms above your head, do not put your head on the floor. If you have a sensitive lower back, straighten your legs vertically upwards, and then as you strengthen your back muscles, you can gradually lower them at an ever smaller angle to the floor to 45 degrees.
Exercise 6
Description:
Lie on your back, both legs bend at the knees and pull up to the chest. Elbows spread apart, head and neck lift. Pull the right leg up vertically, grasp the ankle with your hands, pull the left leg in front of you over the floor. Imagine that your body is tightly pinned to the floor, and do not lift your head from the chest. On exhalation, immerse the abdomen deeper towards the floor. On inhalation, double-spring, pull the straight, raised leg towards the head. On an exhalation quickly change position of the extended legs, as though having executed scissors. Grab the ankle of your left leg and repeat the movement with it. Imagine the rhythm of the wipers on the windshield of the car. Do 5-10 repetitions, finish by stretching both legs vertically upward in the position of the Pilates system and putting your hands behind your head, thus prepare for stretching your straight legs.
Exercise 7
Description:
During the drawing and scissors it is necessary to maintain complete immobility in the central zone of the body. Your sense of rhythm should help you control the dynamics of this exercise with springy movements with each stretch. Your gaze should focus on the abdomen, the belly should weight the time being concave. Your shoulders should not fall to the floor during the exercise. The ascent should start from the middle of the back. The weight of the raised leg should not fall on the shoulders. Use the energy source for this! If such a stretching is given very hard at first, try to lower your leg slightly. Try to hold onto the calf or even the thigh. Just do not hold on under the knee! More advanced modification: try to perform the exercise with hands stretched along the trunk. Use the ability to control movement and common sense. If you have a neck or lower back, stop immediately. Now we know the exact description of the Pilates system exercises.