Audrey's Pilates 

ROLL DOWN/ BACK (modification)

INSTRUCTIONS: Begin from a sitting position with the feet under the straps, the hands placed on the back of the thighs.

1. Inhale, sink the “navel to the spine” and roll the small of the back into the Mat. If possible, roll down until the elbows are straight.

2. Exhaling, deeply scoop as returning the spine tall and, if needed, the arms can help “pull” you up. Repeat 6 times

THE HUNDRED

INSTRUCTIONS:  Lie on your back with arms stretched long, alongside your body, palms facing down. Easier = bent knees with feet flat on the mat. Harder = stretching the legs straight forward while hovering 2 inches over the mat. Arches are long.

1. Lift both legs about 2 inches above the Mat. Bring the chin to the chest, “draw” the weight of the head into the center of the body. Do not lift the upper body above “the base of the shoulder blades” off the mat. Raise the arms about 6-8 inches above the thighs (I prefer that measurement off the Mat).

2. Inhaling slowly through the nose, pump the arms vigorously up and down for 5 counts. Keep the arms straight and pump only from the shoulders.

3. Exhaling slowly through the nose, continue to pump the arms vigorously for 5 more counts.

4. Repeat until a maximum of 100 movements is accomplished (10 sets/breaths).

5. Relax completely.

REMEMBER:

Begin with only 20 pumps. Gradually increase until the maximum of 100 pumps is accomplished.

The arms are beating rapidly to get the heart and blood pumping and the breath circulating.

Make sure the back remains completely flat. Otherwise raise the legs to a controllable level where the back can remain anchored.

THE ROLL UP

INSTRUCTIONS: Lie flat on your back. Extend the arms, shoulder width, over your head with palms facing up. The legs are straight and together. Sink the “navel to the spine.”

1. Inhaling slowly, raise the arms up to the ceiling. The head goes through your arms as you pull the navel deeper to the spine.

2. Exhaling slowly, start rolling up one vertebrae at a time bringing the arms forward.

3. While finishing the exhalation, continue forward until the upper body is over the legs.

4. Inhale slowly as you roll down to the mat one vertebrae at a time. Maintain the arms at shoulder height.

5. Exhale as you lift the arms to the ceiling and then back overhead, stretching more and more.

6. Repeat 3-5 times.

REMEMBER:

Put the feet under the strap if it is too difficult to roll up smoothly one vertebrae at a time.

If necessary, bend the knees slightly to insure the entire spine remains flat to the Mat.

With significant weakness, replace the ROLL UP with the ROLL DOWN variation.

SINGLE LEG CIRCLES

INSTRUCTIONS: Lie on your back with arms stretched long, alongside your body, palms facing down. Sink the “navel to the spine.”

1. Bring the right leg to the upright, right angle position. Reach for the center of the body. (“to the nose”)

2. Keeping both hips anchored to the Mat, cross the leg over the body first as making a small circle.

3. Repeat 5 circles in each direction. Inhale on the first half of each circle and exhale on the second half.

4. End by bending the leg and “hugging” it towards you, stretching.

5. Repeat on the other leg.

REMEMBER:

The crossing over the body and the reaching up for the center are the most important part of the exercise. The accent of the circles is on the “up".

Keep the circles small and controlled; small means ”within the joint.” Do not move the sacrum.

Make sure that throughout the exercise the whole body stays anchored to the mat.

ROLLING LIKE A BALL

INSTRUCTIONS: Sitting up, bend your knees and move your hips forward to your heels. Hold onto your ankles bringing them into the buttocks.

Bend the head forward with the chin to the chest and the nose between the knees.

The arches of the feet are long with the toes off the Mat.

1. Inhaling slowly, press the “navel to the spine” to initiate the rolling back action.

2. Exhaling slowly, return forward maintaining the ball position.

3. Repeat 6 times.

REMEMBER:

Warning: People with a bad neck should not attempt this exercise.

For those who have trouble rounding the spine, modify the hand position. Instead of holding the ankles, place the hands under the thighs to help deepen the "C curve" of the spine.

When new to Pilates, or especially stiff and weak, leave out the rolling and work on control as described in the modification, THE ROLL DOWN.

SINGLE LEG STRETCH

INSTRUCTIONS: After finishing ROLLING LIKE A BALL, sit back to the center of the mat and lie flat on your back.

1. Pull the right leg, bent, as far as possible towards the chest, inhaling slowly. *The crown is lifted high with the chin on the chest. *Place the left hand on the right knee and the right hand on the right ankle. (This hand position is used to keep the ankle, knee, and hip aligned.) *The left leg is extended out at an angle to the floor, while still maintaining a flat back.

2. Exhaling slowly, change legs and pull the left leg, bent, into the chest. Extend the right leg out.

3. Repeat 5 and 10 sets.

REMEMBER:

Make sure the chin touches the chest. Keep the elbows lifted to the sides. Continually attempt to lift the upper back while maintaining the rest of the back flat. Keep the navel sinking into the spine.

DOUBLE LEG STRETCH

INSTRUCTIONS: Lie flat with both legs bent into the chest, pulling your ankles in with your hands.

1. Inhaling slowly and keeping the chin to the chest, reach simultaneously the arms overhead and the legs long/ forwards. The heels are about 2 inches off the Mat. Keep the “navel to the spine.”

2. While exhaling slowly, circle the arms around and “draw” both legs upward into into the chest again. The hands grab the ankles, hugging the legs firmly into the chest, deepening the exhalation.

3. Repeat 5-10 times.

REMEMBER:

The navel is pulled into the spine to insure a flat back while attempting to lift the upper back. Extend the legs only as low to the floor as the back can remain flat and belly scooped.

This is a breathing exercise!

SPINE STRETCH FORWARD

INSTRUCTIONS: Sit with the legs straight, open slightly wider than shoulder width apart. (Or place the heels in the middle of the traditional Mat boxes). Draw the toes upward and backward. Extend the arms, straight forward, at shoulder height.

1. Inhaling, pull up tall, start from the top of the head, chin touching the chest, roll down and forward one vertebrae at a time. Press the “navel to the spine,” carving the letter “C” in the lower back.

2. Reach the arms forward with a sliding motion, as the body stretches forward and down, as far as possible. Keep the “hip bones” over the “sit bones.” Exhale

3. On the inhalation, initiate from the navel and roll back up.

4. Sitting up tall, exhale.

5. Repeat 3 times, trying to reach further down and deeper into the spine each repetition.

REMEMBER:

Keep the abdominal wall drawn in and the chin dropped to the chest. Concentrate on the opening of the lower spine.

This is a stretch “into” your spine.