While I am a huge fan of yoga, I am not as big a fan of Pilates as I am of yoga. Frankly, I think Pilates is punishingly hard. That being said, I never shirk from a challenge. That being said, here is a 5 minute Pilates workout that I have worked my way up to doing. It’s still hard, but as opposed to my thinking it’s impossible, I don’t think that anymore.
So let’s firm up with some Pilates!
Pilates Push Ups
The idea of push ups in Pilates uses the same form as Plank in Yoga. So you begin by hugging your elbows in and bend them straight back, lower yourself until you are about five inches from the floor – keep your abs firm and your neck long and your hips lifted. You want to hold this position for a count of three and then push up again. Your feet should also be elevated with no contact between your legs and the ground. This is a tough form of push up. You want to use a timer – whether you do two of them or five of them in 30 seconds, that’s fine, but at the end of 30 seconds move to a different exercise.
Wall Slides
I practiced these using a ball first – then removed the exercise ball to do it without. It takes a lot of muscle control. You stand one pace away from the wall and you press your back against the wall surface. Slowly bend your knees to 90 degrees as you slide your back down the wall. Hold in this position for 20 seconds and stand up. Repeat it twice more. You want to do this 3 times or so per session. Work at it over time and your goal is to get up to holding that position for 40 seconds to a minute. (I’m at a count of 30 at the moment)
Inner Thigh Lift and Work
The inner thigh lift works the the thighs and glutes and if you’re at all like me – this is the one you really want to see work and tighten up for you. Lie on the floor on your right side. Rest your head on your right hand and extend your legs at a 45 degree angle from your body, cross your right leg over your left thigh and put your foot on the floor. Grasp the left ankle with your left hand and then raise your right leg towards the ceiling. Yes – this is as tough as it sounds. Repeat 8 to 10 times and then switch legs.
CrissCross
The CrissCross is like doing bicycle crunches, but instead of staying in constant motion, you hold for 2 second intervals. This is actually the easiest of these exercises for me to perform and probably why I do it last – better to give myself a break at the end of the workout! So – begin by laying on the floor on your back with your knees bent to your chest and put your hands behind your head. Lift your head and shoulders off the floor and extend your right leg to the ceiling, keep your left knee towards your chest while pointing your right elbow towards your right leg. You want to hold in this position for a count of two. Remember to control your breathing and then slowly, change position – bring your right knee back to the chest, left leg extended and left elbow pointed towards the left leg. Hold for another count of 2 and then wash, rinse, repeat. Do this four to six times for each leg.
Pilates can be tough and it’s not about speed, it’s about control and muscle strength. Your heart rate will be up. You will be sweating. You will feel this workout. Have you ever performed Pilates?
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