Freemotion Pilates online workout

THE HUNDRED :

Lie flat on your back with your arms by your side palms down.
Pressing your spine into the mat draw your naval to your spine.  Don't suck your stomach in or hold your breath.
Think of a weight drawing your navel through to your spine.
Draw your knees above your hips, toes softly pointed from the ankles.
Chin towards your chest (note if your neck begins to get heavy simply release your head down to the floor and lengthen through the back of the neck.
Lift your hands in line with your abdominal wall.  Pressing your shoulders away from your ears reach your fingertips pasted your hips.
Vigorously begin to pump your arms breathing in and out through your nose for 5 beats and out for 5 beats until you count to 100.
If you do the 100 your will take 10 deep breaths.
Beginner maybe start with 5 deep breaths.
Be aware of your legs staying in line with your hips.

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Check points:

Keep yourself firmly anchored to the mat with your belly button towards your spine.
Eyes towards your stomach watching to make sure it doesn't bulge.
Full inhalation and exhalation
Do not hunch your shoulders reach with your fingertips.

THE ROLL UP

I suggest holding a sweat towel.
Traditionally this is performed from a laying position, hence the name roll up but I am going to start from a sitting position on account that beginners may find it difficult to roll up.

Place your feet flat on the floor, hip distance apart. Hold the sweat towel tort in your hands shoulder distance apart.  Drop the shoulders, lift the sternum and drawing your navel towards your spine.  In this particular exercise the pelvic floor is of great importance. To locate the pelvic floor focus on pulling up the perineum.  This is located between the anus and genitals.    Tuck your pubic bone towards your belly button and roll down to the point where your arms are level to your knees.  Pay particular attention to your pelvic floor and naval to spine.  On the return movement lift the crown of your head towards the ceiling returning to neutral spine.  Breathe out as you roll down and in as you come up.

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Check Points:

Practice isolating the pelvic tilt, chin to chest
One vertebra at a time keep your stomach flat

LEG CIRCLES

What I am offering here is a modified version of the classical position. Laying flat on your back feet hip distance apart pelvis flat (table top position) find yourself in neutral spine. Taking your right leg directly above your hips you can flex or point your toe, I recommend swapping from time to time. Make a circle across your body, down towards the mat out and up. Think of stretching your leg away from your body. Eight circles in either direction repeat on left leg. Breathe your leg out towards the mat and in towards your head.

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Check points :

 those with tight hamstrings may want to start with a bent knee and smaller circles.

Be aware of the supporting leg being firm and supported in alignment from your hips all the way down to the toes.

Anyone with hip problems including instability around the hip joint should avoid crossing the body. If unsure please take the safe option and consult your Freemotion instructor.

 Proficiency of movement is the key. Avoid stomach bulge and use your palms to avoid (Rocking) from side to side. Be sure not to make your circles too large keep control.

ROLLING   (LIKE A BALL)

A relaxing spine massaging exercise encapsulating the control and flow of the Pilates mixture of hard and soft.

Sit on the front of the mat toes together in the middle knees apart. Round your back tucking your pelvis in navel to spine head aiming between your knees. Hold your ankles strong arms tightening around your legs. Heels stay close to your bottom.


Stay tight roll back without uncurling until your bottom leaves the floor and you are resting on your upper back. Roll all the way up to start position. Press your thighs to your chest visualise the shape of a ball. Keep the rhythm for eight to ten repetitions. Breathe in as you roll backward and out as you roll up.

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Check Points:

No stomach bulging

Chin to chest

Keep your heels tucked to your bottom

Maintain control don't roll too far back

SINGLE LEG STRETCH:

Lie on your back in neutral naval towards your spine.  Tuck both knees into your chest.  Lengthen though the back of your neck pulling your chin to your chest focus on your belly button pulling towards the spine as though a heavy weight is pulling it down. Shoulders dropping away from your ears. Right hand grabs left knee and left hand grabs left ankle.  Extend your right leg away long and strong and toes softly pointed. Elbow remains wide. Swap so that Left hand grabs right knee and right hand grabs ankle.  Extend left leg away long and strong with toes softly pointed. Breathe in or two leg stretches and out for two leg stretches.

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Check Points:

Inhalation and exhalation should be equal.
From the crown of your head to your pelvis remains stable.
Beware of abdominals bulging.
The challenge increases if you lower the extended leg towards the floor, but be sure to maintain neutral spine.
A smooth flowing movement is essential.

DOUBLE LEG STRETCH:

Lie on your back in neutral naval towards your spine.  Tuck both knees into your chest. Lengthen through the back of your neck pulling your chin to your chest focus on your belly button pulling towards the spine as though a heavy weight is pulling it down.   Shoulders dropping away from your ears.  Place your hands behind your head cupping the head for support  be sure not to lose the lengthening through your neck.  Keep the elbows wide.  Extend both legs away long and strong heels together and toes pointing outwards.  Keep pulling up through your inner thighs.  Breathe in as you extend the legs and out as you pull the knees into your chest.

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Check Points:

Toes softly pointed
Beware of abdominals bulging
Maintain neutral throughout the exercise
A smooth flowing movement is essential

SPINE STRETCH:

As well as this being a stretch for your back it is fundamentally a breathing exercise.  Sit on your mat with your feet a little wider than hip distance apart.  Flex your feet towards you and push through your heels.  Lift your spine towards the ceiling creating as much space between the base of your spine and the crown of your head as you can.  Keep your buttocks anchored to the floor.  Raise your arms in front of you in line with yours shoulder.  Extend through your fingertips taking the crown of your head towards your belly button pulling up on your perineum and have the sensation of pulling your naval underneath your rib cage and create the letter P extending from your head as you exhale fully. Inhale reverse the movement and return to the start position.

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Check Points:

Inhalation and exhalation should be equal.
Note your arms remain in line with your shoulders throughout the movement
Relax through your shoulders keeping them away from your ears
Those of you with tight hamstring should bend your knees.
Don't force the exercise remember it's a stretch for your back
Remember to keep pulling up the knee caps thought out the exercise

THE SAW:

The set up for the saw is exactly the same as SPINE STRETCH except you now take your arms out to either side reaching through finger tips. Rotate through your spine creating torque until your right hand is in line with the little toe on the left foot. As with SPINE STRETCH use the letter P sensation as you saw of your little toe pushing all the air out. Inhale back up and de-rotate to the start position lifting the crown of your head to the ceiling and repeat opposite side. Repeat four to five times working alternate sides.

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Check Points:

Very important to keep fix your hips forward at all times. Don't allow your hips to lift. Those with tight hamstrings or hips bend your knees. Note that once set up the knees should not bend anymore through the duration of the exercise. Hands should not drop lower than the level of your toes. Relax your shoulders and glue your navel to your spine. Don't get overly concerned about reaching your toes the technique is the most important get the foundation solid. Control is far more important.

SIDE KICKS:

Lie on your side.   There are two arm positions available depending on which one you find most comfortable.  Laying your arm flat or bending your elbow to hold your head up.  Find yourself in neutral with the sensation of lifting your waist away from the floor.  Tucking your pubic bone towards you.  Place the opposite hand on the floor for support.  Your feet should be slightly forward of the body and draw your naval towards your spine.  With your top foot stretch the leg kicking forward away from your hips keeping it level with the hips aim to kick yourself in the head as you breathe in.  On the out breath kick back keeping the leg level with the hip keeping going until the leg is extended behind you.  Torso and hips remain fixed throughout the exercise.  Repeat 5-8 times and then change sides.

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Check Points:

Keep your body firm and motionless
Naval to spine
Top hip bone stays directly over the anchored hip
The leg kicks remain at hip height throughout

SWIMMING:

Lie on your stomach with your arms straight out in front of you with your palms on the mat dropping your shoulders down away from your ears lengthen through your neck tuck your pelvis towards the floor pulling your naval towards your spine.  Extend through your legs toes reaching down the mat engaging your hamstrings and clenching the buttocks.  As you breathe in extend your right arm and left leg to the point of lift anchoring the opposite side down.  On the out breath release.  Repeat lifting the left arm and right leg. Continue alternate sides for 5-8 repetitions.

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Check Points:

Arms and legs straight
Be sure to extend and stretch
Hold neutral
Naval to spine
Clench your buttocks
Keep your neck long and don't hunch your shoulders
Once familiar with this exercise after your 5-8n repetitions on alternate sides try up to 20 strokes breathing in and out for 5 counts moving arms and legs in rapid succession.  Remember opposite arm and leg.