Find out what effective full-body stretching exercises are available to help you feel light and invigorated throughout your workday. The exercise system called Pilates was created at the beginning of the last century and is very popular today. This is primarily due to its effectiveness and availability. Anyone can study under this system without restrictions. Today we will talk about pilates classes at home. By doing these exercises regularly, you can make your figure attractive and improve your health.
Pilates benefits and basic principles
Let's start our acquaintance with Pilates with its benefits:
- The mobility of the articular-ligamentous apparatus increases.
- The muscles of the whole body are being worked out.
- Muscular endurance increases.
- Fat deposits on the thighs and buttocks are removed.
- Posture improves.
- The efficiency of the vestibular apparatus increases.
As you can see, Pilates has a lot of positive effects. Before starting classes, you should get acquainted with the basic principles of this set of physical exercises:
- Constant concentration. You should be in a state of maximum concentration during exercise. This can be very difficult to achieve, but it is necessary to strive for it.
- Control. Pilates is all about controlling all the muscles in your body. As you improve, you will achieve a high level of body control, which is useful in everyday life.
- Centering. When performing all movements in Pilates, you need to find a reference point or center. It will act as a support for the body during stress. Most often, the centers are the buttocks, abdomen, back or thighs.
- The efficiency of all movements. You should not perform unnecessary movements. Strive for maximum efficiency in each exercise. It is also very important to master the technique of all exercises.
- Smoothness. All your movements should be interconnected and represent a single complex. This way you can achieve harmony.
- Breath. Be sure to monitor your breathing. This is one of the most important principles of Pilates.
Basic Simple Pilates Movements
- Movement "Hundred". This exercise will stretch your neck and leg muscles and strengthen your abs. Take a supine position with your legs up horizontally. At the same time, try to stretch your toes up. Lift your head and shoulder girdle off the ground and look at your stomach, but you shouldn't touch your chest with your chin. Raise your arms outstretched along the body and begin to make movements with them, similar to blows on water. Try to bring the number of hits to a hundred.
- Movement "Twisting up". The exercise massages the spinal column and strengthens the abdominal muscles. Take a supine position and bend your knees slightly. In this case, the feet should be on the ground, and the stomach should be pulled in. Begin twisting at a slow pace, lifting your head first and then each vertebra off the ground. Lift up until the body is perpendicular to the ground. After that, also slowly return to the starting position. Perform 10 to 15 times and after completing the set, it is advisable to do stretching exercises.
- Penknife movement. Designed for the muscles of the shoulder girdle, abs, back and arms. Lie on your back and draw in your stomach. While inhaling, take the "Birch" position and stretching upward, lower your legs behind your head. Return to starting position. Do 10 to 15 repetitions.
- Neck extension movement. This is an excellent exercise for building correct posture and increasing the mobility of the spinal column. Get into a supine position with your stomach drawn in and your socks pulled inward. Begin to slowly raise your body and lower yourself to your feet, which should be motionless all this time. Stretching forward, return to the starting position. Also do the movement 10 to 15 times.
Basic Complex Pilates Movements
- Movement "Raising the leg up from the support lying". Designed to develop the muscles of the inner thighs, calves and heel tendon. Lie on your stomach and rise up with your arms extended. As a result, you need to take a position similar to push-ups. Pull in your stomach and begin to slowly raise your legs one at a time. For each leg, you need to perform from 3 to 5 repetitions.
- Foot Circles movement. Sit on the ground and lean on your elbows with your legs straight up. After inhaling, perform circular movements with your feet. In this case, the muscles of the press should be tense. Exhaling, return to the starting position and repeat in the opposite direction. On each side, you need to perform from 3 to 5 repetitions.
- The Little Mermaid Movement … Take a sitting position on your side, slightly bending your knees and leaning on an outstretched arm. In this case, the upper foot should be located on the lower one. Start climbing up, relying only on your feet and hand, and then return to the starting position. It is necessary to perform the exercise at a slow pace. In each tyrant, you must perform three repetitions.
For an initial course of pilates exercises at home, see this video:
