Routine is the secret to keeping and staying fit
Pilates expert Aisling Quinn shows how to give your full body a final workout
FULL BODY
All week we have been building up to these three exercises. If you’re tight on time and looking to target your entire body, these are the three Pilates exercises to do. For example, the Pilates Push-Up builds core strength, arm strength, shoulder stability and pelvic stability. This exercise is so challenging that it’s the last exercise in Joseph Pilates’ book, Return to Life Through Contrology.
Leg Pull Back is also known as leg pull or reverse plank, and it’s considered an intermediate level mat exercise. Building on the back work we did during the week, Leg Pull Back adds a stability and flexibility challenge. It stretches the front of your body, which can feel great, whilst strengthening your back, hamstrings and arms.
Leg Pull Front Prep is one of my favourite exercises for switching on my lower abs before a workout. For an added stability challenge, you can lift one foot and then the other.
1. LEG PULL FRONT PREP
Target Muscles:
Pectorals, deltoid, triceps, core abdominals, glutes, adductors
Starting Position:
1. Come to an all fours position with the knees bent directly under the hips, place the hands on the floor directly under the shoulders.
2. Your knees and inner thighs are squeezed together, and your toes are tucked.
Movement:
1. Inhale to prepare. 2. Exhale to engage the core abdominals, role the shoulders back and down, press your hands firmly into the mat to engage the scapula stabilisers, squeeze the inner-thighs and knees together, and lift the knees two inches off the with the pelvis in neutral.
3. Hold for 30 seconds and do three reps, rest in between.
Tips:
O Ensure the core abdominals are engaged throughout to prevent the back from dipping or the bottom sticking up as the knees lift off the floor.
O Maintain the length between the ears and shoulders, and avoid collapsing in between the shoulder blades.
O Maintain length on both sides of the waist.
O Keep the hips and pelvis level throughout.
2. LEG PULL BACK
Target Muscles:
Back muscles, core abdominals, glutes, hamstrings, triceps and scapula stabilisers
Starting Position:
1. Sit tall with your legs together extended straight in front of you.
2. Your abdominal muscles pull in and up as your spine lengthens. Relax your shoulders.
3. Keep your chest open and your shoulders rolled back and down as you place your hands behind your hips, palms facing down pointing frontwards. You may be leaning back slightly.
Movement:
1. Inhale to prepare. 2. Exhale to engage your core abdominals, hamstrings and glutes, and lift your pelvis to create a long line, ankle to ear. Push down through the backs of your arms to help keep your chest open and get more support from your back. 3. Inhale at the top. 4. Exhale to maintain stability in the pelvis, and lift the right leg straight towards the ceiling as high as you can maintain neutrality of the hips. Your hips don’t move and your bum doesn’t drop.
5. Inhale to return the left to the floor, slowly and purposefully. 6. Exhale to lift the left leg. 7. Inhale at the top. 8. Exhale to lower back to the down, always maintaining space between the ears and shoulders. Repeat five times.
Tips:
O Be careful not to hyper-extend the elbows and knees.
O You should feel like your body is being lifted, not sinking.
O Use your glutes to take the pressure off your knees.
O Don’t let your neck sink into your shoulders
3. PILATES PRESS-UP
Target Muscles:
Upper body, core abdominals, scapula stabilisers, glutes and hamstrings
Starting Position:
Stand with your feet and legs directly under your hips. Your legs and feet are parallel, and your knees are pointing forward, straight but not locked.
Movement:
1. Inhale to prepare. Keep your shoulders down as you bring your arms straight up over your head.
2. Exhale and nod your head. Begin to slowly roll down towards the mat, allowing your arms to follow your ears. As you roll down, pull your abs in and curve your spine until your hands reach the mat.
3. Inhale to walk your hands out on the mat in three big steps until you are in a plank position. End in plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders, your legs straight, and your body in one long line from your heels to your ears.
5. Exhale to hold your plank position with straight arms and legs. The heels, hips, shoulders and ears should be in one line. Rotate your arms are so that the inside of the elbow faces forward to help stabilise your shoulder blades. 6. Inhale to bend your elbows so that your arms brush your sides. As you slowly lower yourself towards the mat, keep your shoulder blades back and down.
7. Exhale to keep your core abdominals engaged and lift back up to plan position.
8. Inhale to walk your hands back to your deep curve position. Keep your pelvis lifted.
9. Exhale to engage your core abdominals to slowly return the pelvis to the upright position, allow the rest of the spine to roll up like a bike chain being lifted off the ground, vertebra by vertebra.
10. Restack your spine, ending in a standing position.
11. Inhale to lift your arms and repeat five to eight times.
Tips:
O Only do as many reps as you can maintain perfect alignment.
O Keep your pelvis stable as you walk out your arms.
O Make sure your shoulder blades remain back and down as you lower from plank to bent elbows.
O Use your core abdominals as you lift back up to walk back into the starting position.
To join one of Aisling’s online classes visit sweat25.com. Prices range from €5 for the beginner’s class to €8 for the specialist class and numbers are strictly limited to nine per session.