While Pilates can't change the length of your thigh bone, it can help strengthen the often-neglected hamstrings without repeatedly contracting them. Incorporate Pilates exercises that stretch your quadriceps into your routine for a leaner physique, better muscle balance and a reduced risk of injury. Perform exercises with a mat or on Pilates equipment.
Leg Circles
Leg circles are part of the beginner Pilates mat series. While only your legs move during this exercise, you'll feel your stomach muscles working as you draw circles with your feet.
Lie on your back and press your navel to your spine to engage your lower abdominals. Hold your torso stable as you extend your legs to the ceiling with your heels touching and your toes turned out. Lower your legs a few inches toward the mat to challenge your abs--do not arch your lower spine. Open your legs to the side, keeping the turn out, then circle your legs down and squeeze your heels to meet at the bottom. Hollow out your lower abdominals and raise your legs, not quite to vertical. Keep your leg circles even. Perform six repetitions in each direction.
Thigh Stretch
The thigh stretch exercise requires a Pilates cadillac, which is a large table with a metal frame above it. You can use the springs, bars and swings attached to the frame to achieve positions that isolate weaker muscles. The thigh stretch is an advanced cadillac exercise. Avoid this one if you have weak knees. The support of the roll back bar--a bar attached to the cadillac frame by springs--will help you relax the front of your legs during this movement.
Kneel on the cadillac, facing the roll back bar. Hold the bar with your hands outside the springs. Relax your arms and extend them in front of you. Stretch tall from your knees to the top of your head, engaging your lower abdominals to support your lower back. Hinge at the knees and bend your body straight back like a plank. Squeeze your buttocks and draw in your lower stomach to bring your straight body back to a vertical position. Perform four repetitions. To increase the stretch on your thighs, expand your range of motion.
Front Splits
The reformer may be the most familiar Pilates apparatus. This machine uses springs to create resistance for the carriage, which slides with the aid of straps and pulleys. The front splits exercise comes from the beginner reformer series. This is one of the few Pilates exercises where one foot will be higher than the other. This position will increase the stretch on the front of your supporting thigh. Use medium springs.
Place your hands on the foot bar for support. Kneel on the carriage with your feet pressed into the shoulder blocks. Draw in your lower abs, then lift the ball of one foot onto the foot bar. Keep your chest broad and shoulders relaxed away from your ears with your stomach squeezing inward. Stretch tall through the top of your head as you press your foot into the shoulder block to move the carriage back. You should feel a stretch in your hips, hamstring, hip flexor and quadricep. Engage your lower abs to bring the carriage back to the starting position. Perform three repetitions on each leg.
References
- "Complete Idiot's Guide to the Pilates Method"; Karon Karter; 2001
- "Pilates' Return to Life Through Contrology"; Joseph H. Pilates and William John Miller; 1998
- Mayo Clinic: Pilates
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