How to Maintain Control of Standing Arm Work Facing Out on Trapeze Table
Standing Arm Work Facing Out strengthens the shoulder stabilizers and arms. It also improves core control by strengthening the oblique abdominals.
But we can't get any of these benefits if we lose control of the movement.
How do you know if control is lost? Allowing the momentum of...
Keep Your Shoulders Safe in Hanging Pull-Ups on the Trapeze Table
Hanging Pull-Ups is a rare example of an exercise that’s not as difficult as it looks. Many students ooh and aaah when they see someone else do it and are super proud when they can do it themselves.
Perhaps it's when we get caught up in the fun of the exercise that proper shoulder alignment...
Low Back Arching in Teaser on the Spine Corrector? Try This!
Teaser, the classic Pilates exercise, is a fantastic abdominal strengthener. Practicing it on the Spine Corrector is a great stepping stone to the more difficult versions, like on the mat.
A common mistake in this exercise is the lower back arching. (Don't confuse this with the upper...
Taking the Discomfort out of Swimming on the Spine Corrector
Swimming on the Spine Corrector contributes to Pilates' good reputation for improving posture. It strengthens the upper back and spinal extensors and improves shoulder positioning. What does that mean for you? A tall, open, and confident posture!
But sometimes getting into the...
Improve Hip Rotation with Footwork Straddle on the Chair
Footwork Straddle on the Chair is also called Seated Leg Pumps-Side Sit, V-Sit, Pumping, or Footwork.
Add this exercise into your routine to strengthen the quadriceps, hamstrings, and external hip rotators. This variation is also great for strengthening the core (especially your...
Make the Glutes Work( Instead of the Thighs) in Side Kick Series on Spine Corrector
Side Kick Series on the Spine Corrector effectively improves hip dissociation, which is the ability to move the legs while keeping the spine and pelvis still. It also strengthens the lateral hip stabilizers, which we especially appreciate when we need balance for walking, running, hiking,...
Increase or Decrease the Range of Motion of the Pilates Chair Pedal
Many students have a hard time keeping their sagittal alignment during exercises like Footwork on the Chair. Sometimes, limiting the motion to a range that the student can control makes all the difference in keeping good alignment. In this case, a pedal stopper can come to the rescue! Don't...
Don't Forget To Challenge The Sides of Your Body
How many side-lying exercises can you think of? Probably a few, but not nearly as many as supine exercises, right? There are not many exercises in the Pilates repertoire where the force to the core comes from the side, challenging the body in the frontal plane. When building a balanced body, it's...
Are Your Abs Working or Your Hip Flexors?
The Series of 5 or Stomach Series is a Pilates staple. And for good reason! These exercises build abdominal strength, endurance, and core control. I love to teach the Stomach Series on the Spine Corrector instead of the mat because it can be done more correctly by more students.
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Pilates Improves our Everyday Activities
One of the greatest benefits of practicing Pilates is how much it helps us in our daily lives. It can help us tackle our favorite hiking or biking trail, but it also helps in much smaller everyday activities.
For example, maybe you can now sit at your desk for hours with improved posture...
