Pilates Exercises For Beginners

The recent years have seen pilates exercises gaining more popularity. Practiced in almost all parts of the world, this form of exercise can be taken up by all age groups. Athletes, dancers, aging people, women in the post delivery stage and even people who are under physical rehabilitation can practice the exercise. The most common benefit of pilates exercises is that they make people stronger, longer and leaner. They are a great way to strengthen core muscles and spine, toning and tightening the muscle groups, thereby sculpting the body. The Pilates workouts are based on six principles, namely, centering, control, flow, breath, precision and concentration. Read on further to know some pilates exercises for beginners.

 

 

This exercise is an excellent one to release stress and acquire quick rejuvenation. Lie on a pilates mat with your back and arms to your side. Bend your knees but keep your feet flat on the floor. Start relaxing each body part of yours, starting with the shoulders. Gradually come to your jaw and throat. Follow down to the ribcage allowing your sternum to drop. Let your back ribs move on the floor. Relax your abdominal and spinal muscles followed by hips and legs. Do this exercise 3 to 5 times. Place a towel under your neck to provide support to it.

 

Pelvic curl is performed to provide a gentle warm up for the spine, abdominal muscles and lower body. To start off with, lie flat on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Place the feet at a distance of your hip width. Do a pelvic tilt, while exhaling and pull your bellybutton down towards the spine. Inhale slowly and lift your tailbone towards the ceiling, raising the hips, the lower spine and middle spine. Balance your weight on your shoulders and feet. Exhale slowly and return back the spine to the floor. Do not perform this exercise in case you are suffering from neck or upper back problem.

 

This exercise works on the abdominal muscles and stretches the back and hamstring. Lean against the wall, with a distance of six feet between the wall and your feet. Keep your shoulders away from your ears, suck in your abdominal muscles and raise your hands straight above your head. With arms set parallel to your ears, slowly roll your spine down and away from the wall. Relax your head and neck while bending down as much as you can, without moving your hips off the wall. You will be able to feel a curve in the entire back and a stretch in your hamstring. To come back, roll back up one vertebra after the other.

 

This exercise will open up the front body, expand your chest and stretch the abdominal muscles. Lie on a mat with your stomach down and hands close to your body. You can place your legs either close to each other or hip width apart. Lift your torso off the floor using your abdominal muscles. Press your arms firmly on the ground to support your upper body. Ensure that your head is in line with the spine and hips throughout the exercise. To come back, lower your lower belly first followed by mid belly, chest and lastly shoulders. Repeat this exercise 3 to 5 times.