subject: Learning Different Pilates Exercises [print this page] Modification is an essential element of Pilates training. Modifications allow you to make a movement more or less difficult, or adjust it to compensate for any physical limitations you may have.
The importance of centering oneself and warming up well before launching into more strenuous movements cannot be over emphasized. Pilates is not only a physical training method, but a body-mind integrative practice as well.
Taking the time to get centered and warm up both body and mind will go a long way toward making your workout more effective. Good centering and warm-up exercises include imprinting, the pelvic curl, and sequential breathing.
Pay attention to the placement of your head because it is so heavy. If you have neck or back problems, leave your head down when you are exercising on your back or front.
Once you have developed a lot of core strength, you will be able to support the head and neck with less strain. Sample movements that are effective with the head down are the single leg stretch and the hundred.
Always treat the head and neck as extensions of the spine. If you are on your belly, lift your head as an extension of your spine and don't break at the neck.
If you are doing a flexion exercise, where you curve forward, don't over tuck your chin, but rather continue the curve of your spine with your neck. Experience the full length of the spine with maneuvers like the swan, plank and wall roll down.
Experiment with alignment support for your head and neck. Some exercises feel better with a neck roll or with the head supported by a low pillow.
On the reformer, you may want to put the headrest up. Never have a pad under your neck, or the reformer head rest up if you are rolling back or lifting your legs over your head.
Rolling maneuvers, like rolling like a ball and open leg rocker, are standard movements in Pilates mat workouts. If you have back or neck problems, you may want to skip the rolling part of these exercises and use them as balance challenges instead.
Like your head, your arms are heavy, and the further from your body they are, the more challenging the task. In a roll down it will be easier on your neck and back to cross your arms across your chest than to have them outstretched.
Using the arms as leverage to make a task more difficult is a good technique if you want more of a challenge. Many of the exercises in the side kick series can be done with the top arm away from the mat.
A common progression for Pilates movements that are done on the back is to begin with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor. This is a good position to work the upper body portion of an exercise from.
As abdominal strength builds the legs should move to table top position where the knees are bent and the shins are parallel to the floor. This allows more of a lower ab challenge to keep the pelvis and legs stable.
Many Pilates movements can be developed following this progression. Different exercises are the hundred, one leg teaser, and double leg lowers
If your legs are outstretched in the air, the lower they are, the harder your abdominals have to work. If your back starts to arch as you lower, then they are too low and you will put strain on your back.
It is far better to work with the legs a little higher, develop the abdominal strength that will protect your back, then start to workout with them held lower. Work height with the single leg stretch and the hundred.
Many people have tight hamstrings that don't allow them to sit up comfortably with their legs straight out. An easy way to work tight hamstrings in sitting maneuvers is to put a small lift under the hips.
A folded towel or a foam wedge work well for this, or you can just bend the knees slightly. The
spine stretch and the saw will work well with slightly bent knees.
You can also use a foam wedge for wrist exercises. In many cases, a foam wedge or folded rubber pad under the heel of the hand will take enough pressure off the wrist joint to make weight bearing exercises easier.
