This video teaches a variety of ways to do Pilates Roll Ups and 100′s with a Pilates Band. Great exercises for your abs and your arms. This video is just about 5 1/2 minutes long.
May 062010
More tips on toning those arms! It’s springtime…which means strapless dresses and swimsuits are just around the corner, right ladies? In this video, you’ll learn a number of Pilates exercises using hand weights to help tone those arms. Check out our new neoprene dumbell set which offers weights in 2lb, 3lb and 5lb pairs. Great to have a selection for different exercises or to grow into as you get stronger. And, it comes in a convenient carry/storage case. You could also use the 2lb Pilates Toning Balls in these exercises as well.
Apr 292010
A brief video on toning your arms in Pilates. Being mindful of your movements and activating those muscles is a sure way to get results. Adding a Pilates Ring, Pilates Bands, or soft-weight toning balls will also help you achieve your desired results…and quick! These Pilates tools add weight and resistance to your routine and will help you to focus on engaging those muscles.
How to Tone Your Arms With Pilates — powered by http://www.livestrong.com
Apr 292010
Some quick benefits of using Pilates equipment – such as the Pilates Ring or Pilates Bands in home use, or studio-style equipment.
How to Use Pilates Equipment — powered by http://www.livestrong.com
Apr 222010
Exercises to Do With the Pilates Magic Circle
The Pilates Magic Circle is a circular ring that is made of a flexible metal. It is padded on the inside and outside of the ring, so that it can be placed on the inside or outside of the legs for lower body exercise, or held in the hands for upper body work. The Magic Circle provides light resistance to a Pilates exercise program. It can be used four times weekly. Since Pilates exercise emphasizes form and precision, as opposed to repetition, perform one set of no more than eight repetitions.
Bridge With Abduction and Adduction
While the bridge is a butt and core exercise, adding the Magic Circle will work your inner and outer thighs. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place the circle between your inner thighs, right above your knees. Engage your core and lift each vertebra from the floor, until you are in a bridge position. Simultaneously squeeze the circle with your inner thighs. Complete one set, and then place the circle over your outer thighs. Perform the same exercise, but press out with your outer thigh muscles.
Magic Circle Chest Press
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Hold the circle at chest height, and place each hand on the outer pads. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, contract your pectoral muscles and squeeze the circle.
Upper Back Exercise
Good posture depends on correct strength ratios balance between the pectoral and upper back muscles. Most people tend to be significantly stronger in their pectoral muscles, which may account for a hunched forward posture. So, if you perform the chest press, you will also need to perform an exercise for your upper back. Sit in a cross-legged position. Lean forward at the waist. Place the circle on the floor behind your back, and hold the outer pads with each hand. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, engage your upper back muscles to squeeze the circle. Imagine that you are trying to create cleavage in your upper back.
Butt Squeeze
Lie on your stomach with your knees bent. Place the circle between the inside of your ankles. Until you get used to working with it, this may be awkward, so ask a friend to help you place it in position. Place one hand over the other to make a pillow, and rest your forehead on your hands. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, squeeze your glutes and press the circle in with both ankles.
Apr 152010
Here are some great exercises for working your upper body with a Pilates Ring.
Upper Body Toning Exercises with the Pilates Ring
Work Your Arms, Chest, Back and Shoulders
By Marguerite Ogle, About.com Guide
Updated June 21, 2009
About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
Here we move through a set of Pilates ring exercises that tone the upper body. The Pilates ring, or magic circle, provides moderate resistance when you squeeze the sides together. Different positions create exercises that tone the arms, chest, and shoulders.
Pilates ring exercises are done in the context of movement that is integrated with the whole body, not simply isolated muscles. Therefore, you will need your full presence in a strong posture, with legs and abdominal muscles engaged and connected to the upper body.
Using the Pilates Ring (Magic Circle)
(c)2009, Marguerite Ogle
As you move through Pilates ring exercises, you want the movement to connect all the way to your core.
You will be doing pulses with the ring, but use control in both the squeeze and the release. As you squeeze and release, feel the width of your shoulders, chest and back. Feel that you grow taller with each pulse.
When you lift the ring, your shoulders stay down. Feel that your shoulder blades slide down your back. Also, your shoulders won’t move forward or pull way back. This will let you strengthen your shoulders in the most stable position.
Review shoulder stability
Begin With Good Posture, Shoulders Stable
(c)2009, Marguerite Ogle
With your Pilates ring in hand, adjust your posture so that you are standing straight and tall.
Your legs can be in Pilates stance,, which is legs together, and rotated slightly outward at the top of the thigh so that the heels are together and feet make a V shape. Pilates stance is a good opportunity to activate the inner thighs. You can also have the legs parallel and hip distance apart. This is a stable position that lets us train in a stance that is viable in daily life.
Pull your abs in and drop your tailbone toward the floor. Think of your pelvis as being like a bowl, you don’t want anything to spill out to the front or the back. Relax your shoulders and send energy out through the top of your head. Breathe.
Low Ring
(c)2009, Marguerite Ogle
In the next 3 exercises, moving the ring from low to high, you will breathe normally. Your arms will be straight, but don’t lock your elbows. Notice as the ring moves up, how the exercise pattern reflects the Pilates fundamental move, arms over.
Low Ring:
Your arms are straight and your palms are flat against the handles of the ring.
Pulse the ring 8 – 10 times, control the release.
Keep your chest open, but use your chest muscles.
Think of using your arms in a balanced way so that they are activated all the way around.
Middle Ring
(c)2009, Marguerite Ogle
Slide your shoulder blades down your back as you bring the ring up to chest height.
Diagonal Ring
(c)2009, Marguerite Ogle
Again, keep your shoulders down and your shoulder blades moving down your back as you raise the ring to a high diagonal. The ring should remain visible in your peripheral vision.
Pulse the ring 8 – 10 times
Your should feel this in your pectoral muscles (chest muscles).
Before you move on, check your posture. Are your shoulders down? Scapula (shoulder blades) settled on your back? Pull up through center and take a few deep breaths.
The Halo Ring
(c)2009, Marguerite Ogle
Your shoulders stay relaxed as you bring the ring overhead so that it is flat to the ceiling. It is tempting to let the ribs pop forward, don’t let that happen.
Bend your elbows out to the side so that the ring comes to just above your head, like a halo.
Feel your back and chest to be very wide.
Squeeze and release the ring 8 – 10 times. Inhale on the squeeze, exhale on the release. Use control.
Biceps with Ring
(c)2009, Marguerite Ogle
Prop the ring on your shoulder, just inside the joint. The ring is vertical, your elbow is out to the side, and your hand is flat.
Do this exercise with a slow pumping action. It is wonderful for toning the biceps.
Squeeze and release the ring 8 – 10 times. Inhale on the squeeze, exhale on the release. Use control.
Side Press with the Ring
(c)2009, Marguerite Ogle
Nestle the edge of the ring into the notch at the top of your hip. The ring will be flat to the floor.
Your elbow is slightly bent as you squeeze the circle in. From there, pump the circle 8 – 10 times. Breathe normally.
Feel that the lattisimus dorsi, the big muscle that runs diagonally along your back to fan out along the side, is doing the work.
The following video shows you how to do two simple exercises for your inner thighs. You’ll need a Pilates Ring (aka Pilates Magic Circle), and a cushioned, non-slip Pilates Mat will help as well.
Shapely Legs: Inner Thigh with Magic Circle — powered by http://www.livestrong.com
Pilates Bands are a very simple and affordable way to add some strength training into your floor exercises – including your Pilates mat routines.
Pilates Band Exercises
Pilates exercises can be enhanced through the use of elastic resistance. The bands can ether provide movement resistance, movement assistance or movement clarification. There are three types of Pilates bands. Therabands are wide, flat bands that usually come without handles. Tubes resemble jump ropes with handles on the ends, and ankle bands are circular and can be used for leg work.
Using Bands for Pilates Breathing
The breathing technique is one of the most challenging aspects of Pilates to master. Unlike yoga, which involves deep abdominal breathing, in Pilates, you do not inflate your belly during inhalation. The band can help you clarify this breathing movement. Wrap a Theraband around your waist, and tie the ends at your lower belly. Take a deep breath in, and allow your belly to expand. You will feel your abdomen press against the band. Then, take in another breath. This time, the breathing will not be as deep. Do not expand your belly. Practice the movement until you no longer feel your abdomen press against the band as you inhale.
The Hundred Exercise
The Pilates Hundred exercise was originally designed to teach the student the connection between the abdominal muscles and the latissimus dorsi, which run down the sides of your back. In an ideal postural alignment, the abdominal muscles are pulled upward and inward, while the shoulders are down and relaxed. Often, if the lats are not properly engaged, the shoulders will hike upward. When The Hundred is performed on the Pilates reformer, the use of the latissmus dorsi is obvious. You grab the overhead cables, and pull them down by your sides as you pump your arms.
As a floor exercise, the arm pumping movement in The Hundred is far less obvious. This is where the bands come in handy. Place the band under your arms. Grasp each end, and pull them down until your hands are along side of your waist. If you are engaging your lats, the band will be taut, and there will be no slack. Lift your head and shoulders from the mat. Depending upon your core strength, your feet will either be flat on the floor or your legs will be elevated with your knees either bent or straight. Lift your head and shoulders from the mat, and turn your palms downwards. Begin pumping your arms. Breathe in for five counts and out for five counts. Repeat for ten cycles.
Bicycle Movement
The band can provide resistance for the Pilates bicycle movement. If you require neck support, you should only use the bands on your lower body. If you are strong enough to perform the exercises without supporting your neck, you can add upper body resistance. Wrap a Theraband around your feet, and hold one end in each hand. The leg movement will be the same, no matter which way you are using the band. Lift your legs from the floor. As you bend one leg, extend the other. Rotate your upper body in the direction of the bent leg. If you are working with the band only on your feet, clasp your hands behind your head, and rotate your torso. You will feel added resistance in your butt and thighs. If you are also using the band for your upper body, grab each end. As you bend your knee, bend the corresponding elbow and pull it back behind you. You should feel some added resistance in your upper back and biceps.
Mar 252010
Add some variety to your ab workout. Follow Susan as she performs the Waterfall floor exercise with a 45cm Stability Ball.
Stability Balls come in a variety of sizes. Usually you’d choose your size depending on your height, so when you sit on the ball, your legs would be at 90-degrees. In this exercise, she is choosing a smaller-sized ball to manage easily between her hands as she rolls it up and down her legs.
In this video, you’ll learn how to use a small, inflatable exercise ball in the Pilates exercise called Lower and Lift.
We have two different sizes of these small exercise balls: a 7″ Mini Exercise Ball and a 9″ Mini Exercise Ball for you to choose from. You’ll see in this video that they perform this exercise with the ball somewhat deflated. This is recommended when using these mini-balls during exercises. If you want to use the ball for massage therapy or myofacial release, inflating them more will work better. These Mini Exercise Therapy Balls have many uses.
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