Mat Pilates Exercises with the ring
Adductor squeeze with ring
Lie on your right side on the mat. Legs are slightly in front of your body, With the hips stacked. Place the ring above your ankles, with legs externally rotated. Right elbow is under your shoulder and left hand on the mat by your ribcage. Exhale – squeeze into the ring; tighten your abs, inner thighs and gluteals. Inhale – release a little. Exhale and squeeze, holding it for 3-2-1. Repeat 8 -10 times.
Start with the following, before doing exercise 2.
- Spinal elongation: Lie on your back and lengthen through the left arm and left leg, then the right arm and right leg. Extend the legs out of the hip and lengthen the waist as you stretch. This is your neutral spine or neutral alignment.
- Forced exhalation (FE): with the hand placed on the ribcage, breath in. On the exhale, force the air out through pursed lips or by making the “ha” sound (as if you are steaming up a mirror). As you blow the air out against resistance, contract the abdominals and close the ribcage. This helps to enhance the contraction of the deep abdominals. Use this type of breathing during the exercises to deepen your ab contraction.
Abdominal curls with the ring
- After a spinal elongation, bend your knees (keeping your spine neutral) and place the ring between your legs. Exhale – tighten your pelvic floor and low abdominals (drawing your belly button in) (do NOT press your lower back into the mat). Again - inhale and exhale, tightening deeper into your pelvic and ab muscles, as you lightly squeeze and hold. Repeat 4 times.
- To curl up: Inhale – lengthen the spine, reaching your arm overhead. Exhale – squeeze into the ring, reach the arms forward and come up in a curl. Let the breath, and the pelvic contraction lead the curl. Remember NOT to lead with neck or shoulders. Float the head at the top of the curl. Lengthen – exhale – squeeze ring as your contract abs - curl. Repeat 8 – 10 times.
Ribcage stabilization: lateral reach with curl
- Lie on your back. After a spinal elongation, stretch your legs to the ceiling and externally rotate them. Inhale – lengthen the spine, reach the ring overhead and open the legs, reaching them long.
- Exhale – tighten the pelvic floor and squeeze the inner thighs closed. Contract the abdominals (drawing your belly button in) and come up in a curl, reaching the ring towards your feet, without tensing up the neck and shoulders. Repeat 8 – 10 times.
Knee changes with oblique twist
- Lie on your back. After a spinal elongation, hold the ring above the ribcage. Exhale – Curl up as you pull the left knee in towards your chest extending the right leg long (off the mat). Twist towards the opposite knee, holding the ring. Keep the hips equal.
- Inhale – Maintaining the curl, extend the left leg and pull the right knee in. Keep the neck and shoulders relaxed. Continue to switch sides. Repeat up to 8 times.
Leg changes
Lie on your back. After a spinal elongation, stretch your legs to the ceiling and curl up. Exhale – Pull the left leg in towards your chest as the right leg extends long out of the hip. Pull from your arms and abs, not from your neck and shoulders. First change legs slowly with pointed feet, then faster. Repeat 8 – 10 times.
More challenging: add an oblique twist with hands behind your head.
Spine stabilization
- Sit with the legs in a diamond shape (if your hamstrings are tight) or hip width apart. Lengthen your spine; hold the ring on a forward diagonal. Float the head up, keeping the shoulders down. Exhale – lift your pelvic and ab muscles as you squeeze the ring (press lightly and contract your upper back, abs and pelvic floor). Inhale – lengthen your spine. Repeat 3 times.
- Maintain a long spine. Exhale – contract the abdominals (draw your belly button in) and tuck the pelvis while squeezing the ring, as you round back. Inhale – lengthen the lower spine and reach up. Keep the shoulders down and waist long.
- Roll up with ring: Exhale – tighten your hips and roll all the way down (slowly), reach the ring overhead and lengthen. Inhale – and on the exhale squeeze the ring and roll up, using the breath. At the top, lengthen forward with the shoulders released. Repeat 6 times.
Forward stretch (with legs together or apart)
- Sit slightly forward on the pelvis, legs stretched out in front of you. Lift up through the abs and pelvis. Exhale – hinge forward on the hips and reach for your toes.
- Inhale – reach up through a flat back. Keep the shoulders down and chest open, lengthen the spine and float the head. Repeat 4 times.
Alternating rotation
- Sit with the legs in a diamond shape or hip width apart. Anchor the pelvis and lengthen your spine. Hold the ring in front of your chest.
Exhale – squeeze the ring, contracting upper back muscles. Float the head up, keeping the shoulders.
- Exhale – Lift up through the spine as you rotate to the right, squeezing the ring. Inhale – lengthen your spine. Exhale as you rotate to the left.
Fitness is a BALL… of fun!
5 exercises performed with a ball for fitness anytime, anywhere.
By: Greet France, certified Spinning and Pilates instructor.
Waist whittler
Works abs and hips
A1.Lie on your right side, rest your head in your right hand and stabilize yourself with your left hand planted on the floor and in front of your chest. Keep your chest open, hips are stacked. A2.Inhale and engage your abs, then squeeze into ball and raise both legs about 12 inches off the floor as you exhale. Hold for a count of 4, then lower them just above the floor. Inhale and raise again on the exhale. Do this 8 to 10 reps and repeat on the left side.
Torso twist with squat
Works abs, hips & quadriceps
B1.Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart, knees soft, holding the ball in front of you. Shift weight to right leg, rotate torso left as you extend arms overhead. Return to starting position. B2.Squat, rotating torso left and bringing weight to outside of left thigh as shown. Return to start. Repeat 8 to 10 times. Switch sides.
Half roll-back with ball
Works abs, lats, inner thighs, back
D1.Sit up tall, extending spine, knees bent, feet flat on floor. Place ball between knees. Extend arms in front of you at shoulder height. Engage upper back muscle by squeezing shoulder blades. D2.Squeezing ball, inhale as you roll back, one vertebra at a time, to the middle of back. Keep feet flat and arms relaxed. Exhale as you return to sitting position. Do 8 to 10 reps.
Hand on ball push-up
Targets chest, triceps, abs
C1.Get in full push-up position and place one hand on a ball. C2.Do a push-up, bending elbows until chest almost touches the ball. Push back up to starting position while exhaling. Do 8 to 10 reps.
Reverse tuck and roll
Works abs
E1.Tuck a ball behind your knees, gripping it with your calves and lie faceup with your arms out in a T, palms down. Lift your legs so your knees are directly over your hips. Pull your bellybutton toward your spine and slowly lower your legs, feet flexed, until your heels touch the floor, then return to starting position. E2.Next, keeping your shoulders on the floor, roll your hips to the right until your knees are halfway to the floor. Return to starting position. Really pulling your abs in; lower heels to the floor, bring them up again and then drop knees to the left to complete 1 rep. Do 8 to 10 reps.
To make these exercises more challenging, use a 5 lbs. medicine ball.
Fitness is a BALL… of fun!
5 exercises performed with a ball for fitness anytime, anywhere.
By: Greet France, certified Spinning and Pilates instructor.
Waist whittler
Works abs and hips
A1.Lie on your right side, rest your head in your right hand and stabilize yourself with your left hand planted on the floor and in front of your chest. Keep your chest open, hips are stacked. A2.Inhale and engage your abs, then squeeze into ball and raise both legs about 12 inches off the floor as you exhale. Hold for a count of 4, then lower them just above the floor. Inhale and raise again on the exhale. Do this 8 to 10 reps and repeat on the left side.
Torso twist with squat
Works abs, hips & quadriceps
B1.Stand with feet wider than hip-width apart, knees soft, holding the ball in front of you. Shift weight to right leg, rotate torso left as you extend arms overhead. Return to starting position. B2.Squat, rotating torso left and bringing weight to outside of left thigh as shown. Return to start. Repeat 8 to 10 times. Switch sides.
Half roll-back with ball
Works abs, lats, inner thighs, back
D1.Sit up tall, extending spine, knees bent, feet flat on floor. Place ball between knees. Extend arms in front of you at shoulder height. Engage upper back muscle by squeezing shoulder blades. D2.Squeezing ball, inhale as you roll back, one vertebra at a time, to the middle of back. Keep feet flat and arms relaxed. Exhale as you return to sitting position. Do 8 to 10 reps.
Hand on ball push-up
Targets chest, triceps, abs
C1.Get in full push-up position and place one hand on a ball. C2.Do a push-up, bending elbows until chest almost touches the ball. Push back up to starting position while exhaling. Do 8 to 10 reps.
Reverse tuck and roll
Works abs
E1.Tuck a ball behind your knees, gripping it with your calves and lie faceup with your arms out in a T, palms down. Lift your legs so your knees are directly over your hips. Pull your bellybutton toward your spine and slowly lower your legs, feet flexed, until your heels touch the floor, then return to starting position. E2.Next, keeping your shoulders on the floor, roll your hips to the right until your knees are halfway to the floor. Return to starting position. Really pulling your abs in; lower heels to the floor, bring them up again and then drop knees to the left to complete 1 rep. Do 8 to 10 reps.
To make these exercises more challenging, use a 5 lbs. medicine ball.