Find out the secret method that will help maintain muscle tone and have a healing effect for the whole body. Pilates harmoniously combines Eastern and Western healing methods. A special feature of Pilates in comparison with other complexes of physical exercises is the ability to work out deeply located muscles that are not used during other exercises. In addition, the exercises must be performed at a time when the body is unstable and this allows you to increase the load on the stabilizing muscles, training them qualitatively.
If you practice Pilates regularly, your body will gain flexibility, increased endurance and improved coordination. An equally important effect of constant training will be the formation of correct posture. Among other things, Pilates is completely safe and has no restrictions or contraindications. Anyone can do it using the Pilates set of exercises, which we will now talk about.
The system includes a large number of exercises that can be performed with your own weight, all possible devices and on simulators. As part of this article, we will show you a set of Pilates exercises, consisting of simple movements, for which you do not need any additional equipment.
Performing these movements regularly will help you eliminate back and neck pains, strengthen your muscular corset, and build your dream body. It is very important to perform all movements in a slow style, concentrating on the technique. In Pilates, the number of repetitions is not critical, and the quality of their performance comes to the fore.
A set of Pilates exercises
- Movement # 1. Lie on your back with your body in a straight line. The arms are located along the body, and the palms are directed downward. Bend your knee joints without lifting your feet off the ground and at the same time raise your head and arms. Make sure that the chin does not touch the chest, and the shoulder joints are straightened. Breathing should be even and slow, inhale and exhale in five counts. Simultaneously with each breath count, you must perform punches with your hands, as if you were hitting water. It is very important that when performing hand movements, the abdomen is pulled in and the body remains motionless. When the movement is performed correctly, then you feel the tension of the press, and the muscles of the chest and shoulder girdle warm up. For advanced users, there is a second option for performing this movement. The initial position remains unchanged, but bending the knee joints, then lift them to the chest. After that, perform all the movements that were in the first version. The third option for performing the exercise is for the most experienced. From the starting position, you need to raise your legs vertically at right angles to the body. All other movements are unchanged.
- Movement number 2. When you have performed the first movement, it is necessary to eliminate the tension that has arisen in the spinal column. Lie on your stomach and stretch your arms forward. Leaning on your hands, begin to lower the body to your heels, but the head and body should not rise. At the same time, stretch your arms forward, thus stretching the lumbar spine.
- Movement number 3. Take a prone position with your arms bent at the elbows and rest your head on them. Breathing in. Start lifting your legs and hitting your heels against each other. For one inhalation, you should perform five strokes and the same amount for an exhalation. When performing the movement, you should feel how the muscles of the buttocks are tense. Thus, in one set, 10 heels should be performed, and there are three approaches in total, the pause between which is 60 seconds.
- Movement number 4. Take a sitting position and spread your legs to the level of the shoulder joints. Hands must be extended in front of you. As you inhale, draw in your stomach and begin to slowly lower your torso forward. Exhaling air, stretch your arms and chest forward, and then, while inhaling, return to the starting position. Then repeat the movement in the direction of each leg in turn.
- Movement number 5. Lie on your side with your body in a straight line. The upper leg should then be bent at the knee joint and placed on the ground. As you inhale, understand the lower leg, and as you exhale, return to the starting position. In each direction, you must perform from 5 to 10 repetitions.
- Movement number 6. Lie on your side with your legs and lower arm extended. The upper arm should be on the waist or on the ground. Inhaling, lift your upper leg to a right angle between your torso and leg. Exhaling air, return to the starting position. In each direction, you must perform from 8 to 10 repetitions.
- Movement # 7. Take a supine position with your hands at your waist or next to your body. Lift one leg and circle it five times. After that, change your leg and repeat the movement. Beginners can bend the leg at the knee joint when performing circular movements, but it is necessary to strive for the fact that the legs should be straight.
- Movement number 8. Take a supine position, and put your hands in the lock and place them on the back of your head. One leg must be bent at the knee joint and pulled to the opposite elbow joint. In this case, the second leg must be lifted off the ground. Change your legs, pulling them alternately towards you. In total, you need to perform 10-20 repetitions.
- Movement number 9. Take a prone position with your arms and legs extended in the opposite direction. While inhaling, tear off the opposite arm and leg, fixing the accepted position. Then change limbs. As a result, you have to perform movements that resemble swimming.
Remember that only regular exercise will bring positive results. You will quickly feel an improvement in your condition - the pain in the back will begin to disappear, and the body will become more flexible.
Check out this video for a set of Pilates exercises for home use:
