Pilates is a philosophy of exercise that combines core strengthening, body lengthening, mind focusing and deep breathing. Pilates can be modified for you to do while sitting in a chair. Practice these exercises with precise, fluid motion. Throughout each exercise, keep your spine and neck stretched tall. You should not feel any joint pain or muscle burn.
Abdominal Scoop
Every movement in Pilates includes an abdominal scoop. This foundational exercise flattens your tummy, incorporates deep breathing and strengthens your core. You can do this anywhere you can sit. Sit with a tall spine and neck. Place your hands on your tummy. Relax your tummy forward as you inhale. Scoop your entire tummy inward as you exhale. Leave your hands in the place where your tummy relaxed forward. Notice how much you compressed your abdomen inward and away from your hands. Progress to a single leg stretch. Begin with an inhale, but as you exhale compress your tummy and lift one leg up straight to a low angle and stretch it away, as if someone were pulling on it. This will lengthen and strengthen your body.
Criss Cross
This modified exercise strengthens your core muscles by combining torso rotation and a bent leg lift. You will be reaching your knee and opposite shoulder toward each other. Sit tall in the middle of your chair cushion so that your thighs are halfway off the edge and your feet are on the floor. Inhale and relax your tummy forward. As you exhale and compress your tummy inward, rotate your trunk and lift an opposite knee and shoulder toward the midline of your body. Inhale and return to a straight sit, exhale and reverse the motion. Alternate sides with controlled, fluid motion. You may repeat this exercise on the same side, but refrain from plopping the foot down. Instead, lightly touch the foot down and lift it again.
Spine Twist
This exercise is modified from Brooke Siler's book "The Pilates Body." It has lung-cleansing, spine-stretching and core-strengthening benefits. Sit tall with your fingertips touching your sternum and raise your elbows to a letter "T" position. Inhale as you face the front, exhale while turning your torso to one side and compressing your ribs and abdomen. Reverse this motion by inhaling as you turn across the front and exhaling as you rotate your torso to the other side. Visualize wringing out your lungs as you twist, like wringing out a wet cloth.
Hip and Buttocks Stabilization
Your hips and lower trunk are an important part of your core stabilization. One gentle exercise will strengthen both. First, perform the sitting abdominal scoop as described above. In addition, as you inhale open both thighs, keeping your heels together. Exhale and compress your tummy while squeezing your thighs and buttocks together. You can incorporate your arms by reaching them straight forward. Inhale and open your arms and knees. Exhale and press your palms together while you squeeze your thighs and buttocks. Keep a picture of your spine stretched tall while you are in motion.
References
- "The Pilates Body"; Brooke Siler; 2000
- "Ymca Pilates Instructor Manual"; YMCA of the USA; 2004
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