How To Control Balance In Pilates Video

Balancing is one of the best ways to test your muscle strength. Learn how to control balance in your exercise routine with this Pilates video lesson.

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Don't suck in stomach
Avoid tucking pelvis
Inhale through nose
Exhale forcefully through mouth

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Known as the trainers' trainer, Carol Ann has 19 years of professional fitness training experience, a Master's degree in Exercise Science and Health Promotion, and CEC provider status with AFAA and ACE. She holds current fitness certifications including Group X Instructor, Personal Trainer, Pilates, Yoga, Aqua Fitness, Kickboxing, and Lifestyle Fitness Coaching. Carol Ann has traveled nationally and internationally training fitness professionals, presenting certifications and workshops, and sharing her knowledge for specific training techniques and application. Along with various fitness training DVD's, she is the creator and star of the fitness DVD series called The Steel Physique System. She also is a freelance fitness expert writer for several publications. In 2008 she is launching Studio Group X, a premier state-of-the-art group exercise studio in North Tampa, FL. The focus is to engage her clients into leading healthy lifestyles for a lifetime through an educational and fun process.

CAROLANN: Balance is a very important component when we're performing Pilates. So in order for us to control balance when we're performing our movements, there are a couple of things that we want to keep in mind. Number one, to control balance you want to pull that navel in towards your spine. Now what that means is you want to engage your abdominal muscles without sucking in your gut, so sucking in your gut means that you maybe holding your breath. So to pull your navel in towards your spine means just to engage the muscles. Next, in order to control balance you will want to squeeze your glutes. Now try to avoid tucking the pelvis under any time we're working on balance. You want to squeeze the glutes so that we're still maintaining length within our muscles. Next, to control balance you want to breathe properly. So you want to inhale through the nose; exhale through the mouth forcefully. So when you're inhaling, inhale expand the ribcage outwards, and then as you exhale, exhale forcefully like you're being singed in a corset through your ribcage. And then, next, in order to control balance you want to think about lengthening out through the crown of the head and pull your shoulder blades back and down. And all of these little tips will help you to control your balance when you're performing Pilates.

How to Control Balance in Pilates Video

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