Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Spine Curl

Spine Curl: Start Position

1. Lie in the Relaxation Position with your feet slightly apart and 30 cm from your buttocks. You may place a pillow between your knees and squeeze it if you wish.

2. Pelvic neutral, Anchor the Scapulas

Spine Curl: Action

1. Breathe in, then zip and hollow. Maintain the zip and hollow throughout the exercise. 2. While breathing out, slowly curl the tailbone off the floor a little. 3. Hold the position and breathe in. 4. While breathing out, slowly curl the spine back down onto the floor. 5. Repeat steps (2) and (3), but each time wheeling a little more of the spine off the floor. Imagine that your

spine is a bicycle chain under tension, and that it is being wound up onto a wheel, and then wound back down again.

6. Repeat 6 times. 7. Finish with a hip flexor stretch

Comments

1. Be slow and precise. You are teaching the spine to free up each vertebral joint, in succession.

Spine Curl, Start Position

Spine Curl, End Position

What it does:

When a healthy back bends, each joint moves equally, and the stresses are shared equally. If one intervertebral joint has been damaged and has forgotten, its flexibility, its neighbors have to bend that much further, so that they too are more likely to sustain damage. Wheeling the spine teaches the joints to share the load evenly.

Watch Points

1. Stop if you experience back pain. You will need to emphasize strengthening of the back muscles until the pain is under control.

2. Keep your neck relaxed. Feel free to place a small cushion under your head.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Arms Openings

Arm Openings: Start Position

1. Lie on your side with your head on a pillow, and knees and hips at about 45 degrees from straight. 2. Place a tennis ball between your knees, and stack each joint directly over the ankles, knees, hips and

shoulders. Don't let your waist sink to the ground.

Arm Openings: Action

1. Breathe in and lengthen through the spine. 2. Zip and hollow strongly, and breathe out. 3. Apply the scapular anchor and while breathing in, lift the upper arm up and over behind your back. Do not

force it. Follow your hand with your eyes. Concentrate on keeping the pelvis and lower legs absolutely still.

4. Breathe out as you bring the arm back around to its start position.

Arm Openings: Start Position

Arm Openings: End Position

Comments

This exercise is the Pilates answer to the lower back stretch.

What it does

• The zip and hollow helps to clamp the pelvic bones against the sacrum, thus protecting the Sacro-iliac joints against the disastrous consequences of over-twisting.

• The zip and hollow also helps to tense the lumbo-sacral fascia, thus protecting the lower spine against the likewise disastrous consequences of over twisting.

• The spine is thereby encouraged to twist where it twists best: the mid region between chest and abdomen.

Watch Points

• Maintain a firm zip and hollow throughout. • Keep the rest of the spine relaxed and lengthened. • Don't let the waist sink to the ground.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Shoulder Lift

Shoulder Lift: Start Position

1. Relaxation position, with both arms pointing up at the ceiling. Keep the elbows soft. 2. Pelvic neutral. Gently anchor the scapulas.

Shoulder Lift: Action

1. While breathing in, reach up to the ceiling. Feel your shoulder blade come off the floor. 2. While breathing out, let the shoulder drop back to the floor. 3. Repeat five-10 times each side.

Comments

1. Good exercise for breaking neck tension headaches.

Shoulder Lift, Start Position

Shoulder Lift, End Position

What it does:

• Muscle rebalancing. • Encourages the scapula to adopt its proper central positioning and sound movement

patterns.

Watch Points

• Breathe wide and full. • Gently apply the scapular anchor, but otherwise stay relaxed.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Cross Shoulder Lift

Start Position

1. Relaxation Position, with both arms pointing up at the ceiling. 2. Keep the elbows soft. 3. Pelvic neutral. 4. Gently anchor the Scapulas.

Cross Shoulder Lift: Action

1. Zip and hollow, and breathe in. 2. Breathing out: reach your right arm upward while crossing the other arm. Feel your

shoulder blade come off the floor and let your chest and head move with the arm. 3. Breathe in and breathing out again: let the shoulder drop back to the floor. 4. Repeat five-10 times each side.

Comments

1. Good exercise for breaking neck tension headaches.

Crossed Shoulder Lift, Start Position

Crossed Shoulder Lift, End Position

What it does:

• Muscle rebalancing. • Encourages the scapula to adopt its proper central positioning and sound movement

patterns.

Watch Points

• Zip and hollow and maintain pelvic neutral. • Breathe wide and full. • Gently apply the scapular anchor, but otherwise stay relaxed.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Ankle Circles

Ankle Circle: Start Position

1. Lie in the relaxation position. 2. Maintain pelvic neutral. 3. Apply scapular anchor. 4. Bring one thigh up and take hold of it just behind the knee.

Ankle Circle: Action

1. Gently zip and hollow. 2. Keep the leg completely still, and circle the foot slowly and as widely as it will go. 3. Repeat 3-5 times, and then circle in the opposite direction. 4. Repeat for the opposite leg.

Comments

1. If you have ever sprained your ankle, then your ankle stabilizer muscles are probably still weak. This exercise will get them up and running again.

Action:

What it does:

• Protects from sprained ankle. • Exercises the ankle stabilizer muscles.

Watch Points:

1. Maintain pelvic neutral. 2. Keep your upper body and arms relaxed. 3. Keep your neck relaxed. Feel free to place a small cushion under your head.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Star Fish

Star Fish: Start Position

1. Lie in the relaxation position. 2. Breathe in.

Star Fish: Action

1. Zip and hollow, pelvic neutral, scapular anchor. 2. While breathing out, slide the left leg away along the floor, and take the right arm behind

you in a backstroke movement. 3. While breathing in, remain zipped and return the limbs to the start position. 4. Repeat the exercise but this time for the opposite limbs. 5. Repeat 3-5 times.

Comments

Looks simple, but hard to coordinate.

Start Position Action

What it does

1. Teaches the hip flexors to relax and lengthen up to their required maximum length. 2. Teaches the abdominal oblique muscles to resist lumbar extension with rotation during

hip extension. Lumbar extension with rotation is the most common movement pattern associated with lower back pain.

Watch Points

1. Maintain pelvic neutral. 2. Do not let your back arch. Only take your arm behind your head, as far as it will go

without your back arching. 3. If the pain is really severe, seek professional advice.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Shoulder Openings

Learning Shoulder Openings: Start Position

1. Standing or seated. Keep your spine long, pelvis neutral, scapulas anchored. 2. Bring your right forearm up and to the side with the palm uppermost. Place the finger tips of your left hand

over the back of the fleshy part of your right shoulder (posterior deltoid muscle).

Learning Shoulder Openings: Action

1. Gently zip and hollow, and breathe naturally. 2. Move your right hand backwards as far as it will comfortably go. 3. Without moving your right hand: gently move your right elbow forward. With the fingers of your left

hand, check that the posterior deltoid stays relaxed. 4. Hold for a count of 3 seconds. 5. Repeat three to five times each side.

Comments

1. You are working the muscles that cover the lower part of your shoulder blade. 2. Don't be surprised if they feel strain because these muscles are very often weak. 3. Once you have learned the basic exercise, proceed to the next step.

Learning Shoulder Openings Once learned, three alternatives:

Shoulder Openings: Start Position

1. Standing or seated. Keep your spine long, pelvis neutral, scapulas anchored. 2. Bring both forearms up (see alternatives above).

Shoulder Openings: Action

1. Gently zip and hollow, and breathe naturally. 2. Move your hands backward as far as they will comfortably go. 3. Gently move both elbows forward. 4. Hold for a count of 3 seconds. 5. Repeat two to four five times in each of the three alternative positions.

What it does

• Rotator cuff re-alignment: You are working some of the rotator cuff muscles that pull the head of the humerus away from where it rubs against the bones at the top of the shoulder blade.

• Protect against shoulder impingement injuries. Such as: o Supraspinatus tendon tear o Biceps tendonitis o Rotator cuff bursitis and tear

• Strengthens the Infraspinatus and Teres minor against possible injury.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Side Roll

The Side Roll: Start Position

1. Relaxation position. 2. Feet shoulder width apart. 3. Arms out to the side, palms upward. You will use your arms to stabilize your upper body against

rolling. 4. Pelvis neutral, scapulas anchored.

The Side Roll: Action

1. Breathe in and zip and hollow, 2. Breathing out: roll your head to the right and knees to the left. 3. Breathe in. 4. Breathing out: zip hard and use the abdominals to pull your knees back to the center. 5. With each repeat, go a little further. Only go as far as pain allows. 6. Repeat four to eight times each side.

Comments

• Lift the Spine off one part at a time • Roll the pelvis off the floor, then the waist, then mid, and finally upper torso. • For the return, do the same: the upper torso, then mid torso, waist and finally the pelvis.

Side Roll: Start

Side Roll: Action

What it does

1. This exercise develops control and strength in the abdominal obliques, which are major muscles of lumbar stability, and also help the Rectus abdominis in its function as well.

Watch Points

• Make sure that the pelvis looks to the side and does not try to look upward or downward. • The abdominal muscles perform the exercise. Not the legs. • Anchor your scapulas throughout.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Saturday Night Fever

Saturday Night Fever: Start Position

1. Sit facing the back of a kitchen chair. 2. Pelvic neutral, long back, scapulas anchored.

Saturday Night Fever: Action

1. Zip and hollow, and breathe in. 2. Breathing out: point up at the sky with your left hand, and stretch your left elbow up toward the sky as

hard as you can. At the same time, let your right shoulder drift downward. 3. Breathe in and hold the stretch for 3 seconds. 4. Breathing out and still pointing at the sky: relax your left elbow down so that the shoulders are level. 5. Repeat three to five times. 6. Repeat for your right hand.

Comments

This exercise is called Saturday Night Fever because the arm pointed to the ceiling is reminiscent of John Travolta in the movie of that name.

Saturday Night Fever: Action (getting the upper back to flex)

Same person doing a simple side bend. Note the non uniform curve when bending to the right. This person feels pain upon bending to the right.

What it does

The upper back can become stiffer than the middle or lower lumbar region. When this happens, one spot in the middle or lower lumbar spine can take up most of the side bend movement for the whole back, putting it under excessive strain, and pain results. Standard side bending tends to reinforce lumbar spinal movement. The Saturday night fever side-bend encourages just the upper spine to flex.

Watch Points: Long spine - don't let the back arch.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Wall Slides

Wall Slides: Start Position

1. Stand with your back to the wall and your feet about 20 cm from the wall. 2. Feet hip width apart with their inner sides parallel. 3. Lean back onto the wall. Don't force your head to touch the wall. 4. Pelvic neutral with tailbone lengthening down, long spine, scapulas anchored. 5. Form your foot arches, and check that your knees are passing over your feet, not inside of them.

Wall Slides: Action

1. Zip and hollow, and breathing in, lengthen up through the spine and release the head and neck. 2. Breathing out: bend your knees and slide about 30 cm down the wall. Make sure that your knees do not

bend to more than 90 degrees. Keep your feet flat on the floor and your tail bone against the wall. 3. Breathing in: slide back up the wall. 4. Repeat 4 to 8 times. 5. Come away from the wall and stand upright. Imagine that the wall is still there against your back.

Maintain the scapular anchor and breathe easily. Memorize this stance! It's good for your back.

Wall Slides:

Start Position Action

Comments

1. Physiotherapists recommend this exercise for lower back pain, especially for lumbar extension syndrome and lumbar extension with rotation syndrome.

What it does

• Teaches healthy movement patterns. • Encourages the hips to bend before the lower back when bending forward or down. • Encourages the hips to straighten before the lower back when coming up from bending down. • Stops the knees collapsing toward each other and pointing inwards, avoid hip medial rotation syndrome.

Watch Points

• Don’t slide down to far. • Keep the foot arches formed and the knees over the feet, not inside of them. • Keep the heels on ground and the tail on the wall.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Dart

The Dart: Start Position

1. Lie on your front with small pillow under your forehead if you wish. 2. Arms at your sides with palms facing inward. 3. Legs together and toes pointing. 4. Anchor the scapulas.

The Dart: Action

1. Breathe in, zip and hollow, imagine there is an egg under your stomach which you do not wish to break and lengthen your spine, especially the back of your neck.

2. Clench buttock and thigh muscles. 3. Breathing out: pull your shoulders downward, and up off the floor. 4. Breathe in and hold while maintaining a long body. 5. Breathing out: slowly lower your head and shoulders. 6. Repeat three to six times.

The Dart:

Start Position

Action

Comments

You have to understand the concepts of the scapular anchor and the chin tuck to make this exercise work for you.

Stop if you feel any pain in your lower back.

What it does

• Works the back extensor muscles without overextending.

Watch Points

• Hollow the abdominals • Keep the back of the neck long and soft. • Maintain the scapular anchor.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Muslim Prayer

Muslim Prayer: Start Position

1. Kneel in the quadruped position with knees separated 40 cm, and the feet the same distance apart. 2. Apply the scapular anchor.

Muslim Prayer: Action

1. Keeping your weight equal over your hands and knees: lean backward until your buttocks are resting on or between your feet. Rest your forehead on the ground.

2. Lift you head and glance between your feet to check that your body is centered between your feet. Once you are sure that your body is in perfect symmetry, place your forehead back on the ground.

3. Feel the stretch over the shins and the front of the ankles. 4. Relax and breathe deeply. Feel the back of your rib cage expand as you breathe.

Coming out of the Muslim Prayer: Action

1. Zip and hollow and firmly apply the scapular anchor. 2. Press down on your hands and ankles and use your gluteal muscles to rise up into the quadruped position.

Start (Quadruped) Position Action

Comments

This exercise can be used two different ways:

1. Going into and coming out of the prayer position. 2. Resting in perfect alignment while in the prayer position

Repeat the Moslem prayer four to 8 times without pause, and then the last time, remain praying for ten breaths or longer.

What it does

• Going into and coming up out of the Muslim Prayer challenges the scapular anchor muscles to function when being used in a way that they are not usually used, and this will help provide protection from injury.

• Rebalances muscle tension around the hips (see watch point below). • The Muslim Prayer stretches the gluteal muscles and the ligaments over the base of your back and sacrum:

very relaxing. • It also stretches the shin muscles and their covering, and can thus help with anterior compartment syndrome

and shin splints.

Watch Point: Don't let your rear end move to the side. For example, the person in the diagram to the right has tight muscles in the left buttock; this can be corrected with the help of an observant friend.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Roll Downs

Roll Downs: Start Position

1. Sit with your back to the wall and your feet about 40 cm from the wall. 2. Feet hip width apart with their inner sides parallel and knees bent. 3. Pelvic neutral, tailbone lengthening down, long spine, scapulas anchored. 4. Form your foot arches, and check that your knees are passing over your feet, not inside of them.

Roll Downs: Action

1. Strong zip & hollow, and breathing in, lengthen up through the spine and release the head and neck.

2. Breathing out: let your chin drop onto your chest and the weight of your head wheel the rest of your spine off the wall. Arms hang loose. Knees soft and remaining wide (not collapsing inward). If your back is sore, try sliding your hands down your thighs.

3. Breathing in: let your arms and head hang. 4. Breathing out: tuck your tail bone in and your pubic bone forward, and remain firmly zipped and

hollowed, slowly wheel your spine vertebra by vertebra back onto the wall. 5. Repeat 4 to 6 times.

Start Position Action

Comments

Wheeling the spine is a core Pilates concept. When done slowly and cautiously, it is safe, and will help to free and release any intervertebral joints that are clenched together by muscle spasm.

If you have a severe back problem (especially disc related), seek professional advice first. If you have minor back pain, proceed slowly and carefully.

What it does

• Wheels the spine, thereby getting each intervertebral joint to contribute equally to the work of bending.

• At the same time, the hip joints bend or flex, contributing to the total flexibility that you need to safely pick up objects.

Watch Points

• Do not sway over to one side. • Always keep the foot arches formed and the knees over the feet.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Pointing and Flexing the Foot

Start Position

1. Do this exercise either sitting or lying down in the relaxation position with one knee lifted.

Pointing the Feet: Action

1. Keeping your foot strictly in line with the ankle knee and hip joints: point the foot away from you.

2. Repeat slowly, five to 10 times each foot.

Flexing Feet: Action

1. Keeping your foot strictly in line with the ankle knee and hip joints. 2. Flex the foot, this time letting the heel push away from you, and the toe end of the foot come

toward you. 3. Repeat slowly, five to 10 times each foot.

Comments

The wheels on your car have to stay balanced and aligned for optimal function. The same applies to your feet.

Flexing and Pointing the Foot: Starting Position Action Flexing the Foot Pointing the Foot

Watch Points

• Don't point so hard that your feet start to sickle inward. • Don't flex so hard that your toes are curling toward you.

What it does

• This exercise teaches the ankle and foot to move inline. Any tendency to buckle to the side as for example in twisted ankle is reduced.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Perfect Abdominal Curl Ups

Perfect Abdominal Curl Ups: Start Position

1. Lie in the relaxation position. 2. Roll your neck from side to side as in preparing for chin tucks. 3. Lightly cradle the base of your skull with the fingers of one hand and perform the chin tuck. 4. Place your other hand on your lower abdomen to check that it does not bulge upward. 5. Anchor the scapulas.

Perfect Abdominal Curl Ups: Action

1. Breathe in, and zip and hollow. 2. Breathing out: try to lift your chest off the ground. This is a subtle movement, only the spine at the lower

end of your chest bends, and then only a little. Even with this small movement, your upper body has sufficient weight to really challenge those abs.

3. Keep the length and width in front of the pelvis, and make sure that the tail bone stays down on the ground (pelvic neutral).

4. Breathing in: slowly curl back down. 5. Repeat three to five times each side.

The Perfect Abdominal Curl Ups:

Start Position and Action

Comments

You have to be really careful with what you are doing when you perform curl ups.

Proceed with caution if you have neck pain.

Benefits of Perfect Abdominal Curl Ups

• Strengthens the abdominals without the six pack muscle (Rectus abdominis) dominating the other muscles. • The abdominals are worked at their natural length, not at the length they have in the fetal position of the

Trunk-Curl Sit-Up.

Watch Points

• Do not forcibly flex the neck. • Cradle your head and neck gently, and keep the back of your neck long. • Release your neck tension by doing neck roles first, and anchoring your scapulas throughout the exercise.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Oblique Curl Ups

Oblique Curl Ups: Start Position

1. Lie in the relaxation position. 2. Roll your neck from side to side as in preparing for chin tucks. 3. Lightly cradle the base of your skull with the fingers of both hands and perform the chin

tuck. 4. Anchor the scapulas.

Oblique Curl Ups: Action

1. Breathe in, and zip and hollow. 2. Breathing out: bring your right shoulder (not your elbow) closer to your left knee. 3. Keep the length and width in front of the pelvis, and make sure that the tail bone stays

down on the ground (pelvic neutral). 4. Breathing in: slowly curl back down. 5. Repeat three to five times each side.

Start Position and Action

Comments

Proceed with caution if you have neck pain.

Benefits of Oblique Curl Up

• Safely activates and strengthens the oblique abdominals without the six pack muscle (Rectus abdominis) dominating.

• The abdominals are worked at their natural length, not at the length they have in the fetal position of the Trunk-Curl Sit-Up.

Watch Points

• Do not forcibly flex the neck. • Cradle your head and neck gently, and keep the back of your neck long. • Release your neck tension by doing neck roles first, and by anchoring your scapulas

throughout the exercise. • Don't forget the zip and hollow.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Abductor Stretch

Adductor Muscle Stretch: Start Position

1. Relaxation position. 2. Pelvic Neutral. 3. Anchor your scapulas. 4. Chin gently tucked.

Adductor Muscle Stretch: Action

1. Zip and hollow and breathe in. 2. Lift your left knee up and then your right. 3. Steady your knees with your hands. 4. Breathing normally: let your knees slowly relax outward and hold for 3 seconds. 5. After 3 seconds, slowly bring your knees together, and then repeat the 3 second stretch. 6. Five to ten times.

Hip Adductor Stretch:

Start Position Action

What the Hip Adductor Muscle Stretch does

• Gently stretches the hip adductor muscles. • Gives the hip adductor muscles a workout over their longer range of movement.

Watch Points for Hip Adductor Muscle Stretch:

• Maintain zip and hollow. • Maintain pelvic neutral. • Maintain back and sides breathing. • Maintain your scapular anchor and gentle chin tuck.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  One Legged Stance

One Legged Stance: Start Position

Stand in front of the mirror for this one. Once you have perfected one legged stance on firm ground, try standing barefoot on a cushion or foam squab (makes for great ankle sprain prevention.)

1. Stand relaxed 2. Inside of feet parallel and a few inches apart, arches formed, knees just slightly bent. 3. Pelvis in neutral with the tail bone lengthening away. 4. Long spine. 5. Anchored scapulas. 6. Back of neck long and chin gently tucked.

One Legged Stance: Action

1. Breathe in, and zip and hollow. 2. Breathing out and keeping the pelvis completely level: tighten your right buttock, transfer your weight to

your right leg, and lift your left leg off the floor. 3. Standing on right leg: breathe normally for a few breaths and concentrate on a level pelvis, long upright

back, clenched buttock, outward looking knee and formed foot arch. 4. Breathe in. 5. Breathing out: return your leg to the floor. 6. Repeat three to five times each side.

Start Position Action (Standing Correctly): (Note level pelvis):

Comments

• Lop Sidedness: if you have a painful spot on one side of your body (to the side of your spine, in one buttock, one hamstring, or one foot), that is pretty good evidence that you have a significant imbalance between your right and left sides.

What it does: Gives us the opportunity to observe ourselves doing this uniquely human movement pattern. We can observe what we are doing wrong and work on improving it.

Watch Points

• Hip level and long waist on both sides. • Always keep the foot arch formed and the buttock clenched. • Do not let the knee collapse inward.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Wind Mill

The Wind Mill: Start Position

1. Start in the relaxation position, with arms pointing up to the sky. 2. Keep your elbows relaxed and palms facing toward your feet. 3. Pelvic neutral. 4. Anchored scapulas.

The Wind Mill: Action

1. Breathe in and zip and hollow. 2. Breathing out: the right arm moves backward until it is pointing to the wall behind you. At the same time,

your left arm moves forward until it is pointing to the wall beyond your feet. 3. Breathing in: move the arms along the floor in opposite directions until your left arm is pointing behind

you and your right arm is pointing beyond your feet. 4. Breathing out: lift both arms back up to the start position (pointing up at the sky). 5. Repeat three to five times.

The Wind Mill:

1.

2.

3.

4.

What it does

• Encourages healthy scapular rhythm. • Encourages the scapular anchor muscles to function smoothly under minimal load. • Encourages the rotator cuff muscles to function smoothly under minimal load.

Watch Points

• Do not push the arms beyond their comfortable range. They do not have to reach the floor at any stage. • Maintain a stable pelvis and torso, and keep those scapulas gently anchored.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Single Leg Stretch – Simple

The Single Leg Stretch: Start Position

1. Lie on your back in the relaxation position. 2. Pelvic neutral and Scapulas anchored.

The Single Leg Stretch: Action

1. Breathe in and zip and hollow. 2. Breathing out: bring one knee up at a time to your chest. 3. Breathe in, and gently clasp your right knee with both hands. 4. Breathing out: slowly straighten your left leg up into the air. Keep your pelvis in neutral

and your scapulas anchored. 5. Breathing in: bring your left knee back to your chest. 6. Swap hands over on to the left knee, and do the same but on the opposite side. 7. Repeat six to eight times each leg.

The Single Leg Stretch:

Start Position Action

What it does

• It is a safe but challenging abdominal workout • Integrates a number of movements combined with core stability. Great for learning to

consciously optimize your body positioning and movement.

Watch Points

• Maintain pelvic neutral, zip and hollow and scapular anchor. • Keep your neck relaxed and the upper chest open. • Make sure that the sides of the waist remain symmetrical: don't buckle to the side.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Single Leg Stretch – Advanced

The Single Leg Stretch: Start Position

1. Lie on your back in the relaxation position. 2. Breathe in and zip and hollow. 3. Breathing out: bring one knee up at a time to your chest. Let the toes just touch, not the

heals. Hands placed on outside of calves. 4. Breathe in. Pelvic neutral and scapulas anchored. Check that the elbows are open and

your chest should be able to expand fully.

The Single Leg Stretch: Action

1. Breathe out and maintain zip and hollow: curl the upper chest up off the floor. The abdomen and lower chest remain still.

2. Breathe in, and place the right hand on the outside of the lower shin, and the left hand on the inside of the right knee.

3. Breathe out, and still zipping: slowly straighten your left leg to point toward the wall. It should be at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. Keep your pelvis in neutral and your scapulas anchored.

4. Breathing in: bring your left knee back to your chest. 5. Swap hands over on to the left knee. 6. Do the same but on the opposite side. 7. Repeat six to eight times each leg.

The Single Leg Stretch

Start Position Action

What it does

• This is a safe but challenging abdominal workout • Integrates a number of movements combined with core stability. Great for learning to

optimize your body positioning and movement.

Watch Points

• Maintain pelvic neutral, zip and hollow and scapular anchor. • Relax your neck (tuck your chin), and keep the upper chest open. • Make sure that the sides of the waist remain symmetrical: don't buckle to the side.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Hundred Level 1

The Hundred Level: Start Position

1. Lie on your back in the relaxation position. 2. Breathing out: bring one knee up at a time to your chest. 3. Pelvic neutral and Scapulas anchored.

The Hundred Level 1: Action

1. Breathing in: pump your arms up and down for a count of three to five. 2. Keep your scapulas anchored and fingers lengthening away. 3. Breathing out: pump your arms up and down for another count of five. 4. Repeat steps one and two for a total of five to ten times.

The Hundred Level: Start Position and Action

Comments

• This is a simplified version of the classic Pilates One Hundred Exercise. • Why One Hundred? Because after ten inward and outward breath cycles, you will have

pumped your hands up and down a total of 100 times. • It used to be the warm up exercise for all Pilates mat classes.

What it does

• Emphasizes lateral breathing (into the sides of your chest). • Integrates a number of movements combined with core stability.

Watch Points

• Your breathing should be comfortable. If you are getting light headed, take a break, and then re-start but do not completely exhale.

• Maintain the scapular anchor, and keep the tension in your arms and neck to a minimum. • Keep the upper chest open.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Hundred Level 2

The Hundred Level 2: Start Position

1. Lie on your back in the relaxation position. 2. Breathing out: bring one knee up at a time to your chest. 3. Pelvic neutral and scapulas anchored. 4. Roll your head from side to side

The Hundred Level 2: Action

1. Breathe in and zip and hollow. 2. Breathing out: curl your chest up off the floor. 3. Breathing in: pump your arms up and down for a count of three to five. 4. Keep your scapulas anchored and fingers lengthening away. 5. Breathing out: pump your arms up and down for another count of five. 6. Repeat steps three and four for a total ten times.

The Hundred Level 2:

Start Position Action

Comments

• This is a simplified version of the classic Pilates One Hundred Exercise. • Why One Hundred? Because after ten inward and outward breath cycles, you will have pumped

your hands up and down a total of 100 times. • It used to be the warm up exercise for all Pilates mat classes.

What it does

• Emphasizes lateral breathing (into the sides of your chest). • Integrates a number of movements combined with core stability. Great for optimizing your body

positioning and movement.

Watch Points

• Gently tuck your chin and keep the back of your long and neck relaxed. Refer chin tucks. If there is neck strain, use the alternative Hundred Level 1.

• Your breathing should be comfortable. Remember to breathe deeply into the sides of the lower rib cage.

• Keep your breast bone soft and your upper chest open between the shoulders. • Maintain the scapular anchor, and keep the tension in your arms and neck to a minimum. • Keep the upper chest open.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Hundred Level 3

The Hundred Level 3: Start Position

1. Lie on your back in the relaxation position. 2. Breathing out: bring one knee up at a time to your chest. 3. Pelvic neutral and scapulas anchored. 4. Roll your head from side to side.

The Hundred Level 3: Action

1. Breathe in and zip and hollow. 2. Breathing out: curl your chest up off the floor. 3. Breathe in and then (breathing out) straighten your legs so that your toes are softly pointing to the ceiling.

Keep your legs close to vertical to stop your lower back from arching. 4. Breathing in and still zipping: pump your arms up and down for a count of five. 5. Keep your scapulas anchored and fingers lengthening away. 6. Breathing out: pump your arms up and down for another count of five. 7. Repeat steps four and five for a total of five to ten times.

The Hundred Level 3:

Starting Position Action

Comments

• This is a simplified version of the classic Pilates One Hundred Exercise. • Why One Hundred? Because after ten inward and outward breath cycles, you will have pumped your

hands up and down a total of 100 times. • It used to be the warm up exercise for all Pilates mat classes.

What it does

• Emphasizes lateral breathing (into the sides of your chest). • Integrates a number of movements combined with core stability. • Great for optimizing your body positioning and movement.

Watch Points

• Gently tuck your chin and keep the back of your long and neck relaxed. Refer chin tucks. If there is neck strain, use the alternative Hundred Level 1.

• Your breathing should be comfortable. Remember to breathe deeply into the sides of the lower rib cage. • Keep your breast bone soft and your upper chest open between the shoulders. • Maintain the scapular anchor, and keep the tension in your arms and neck to a minimum. • Keep the upper chest open.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  The Spine and Hamstring Stretch

The Spine and Hamstring Stretch: Start Position

1. Sit on the ground with your buttocks close to the wall. 2. Spread your legs in a "V", a comfortable distance apart. 3. Scapulas anchored, long back stretching up the wall, chin gently tucked. 4. Let the feet point gently until you have the flexibility to flex your ankles.

The Spine and Hamstring Stretch: Action

1. Breathe in, and zip and hollow. 2. Breathing out: curl your head forward, and let the rest of your spine follow, until finally the hips

are contributing to the movement. 3. Breathing normally and remaining zipped: gently reach forward with your fingers. If you are

sufficiently flexible, flex your ankles, and lengthen through the back of the leg. 4. Hold for eight breaths then, breathing out: zip, hollow, and rebuild your spine, restacking one

vertebra upon another, uncoiling from the hip until the back is elongating up the wall. 5. Repeat on the other side.

The Spine and Hamstring Stretch:

Start Position Action

Comments

• A fantastic multi-purpose stretch. • Once you have the feel of this exercise, you can do it away from the wall.

What it does:

• Once you are confident, widen the "V" of your legs, and flex your ankles. This, combined with flexing your ankles will especially work the adductors and hamstrings on the medial side (inside) of your thigh.

Watch Points

• Long neck • Scapulas anchored • Breathe into back of rib cage.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Psoas Stretch

Psoas Stretch: Start Position

1. From the relaxation position, bring your left leg up and clasp it at the knee. 2. Pelvic neutral. 3. Anchor the scapulas.

Psoas Stretch: Action

1. Breathe in, then zip and hollow. 2. While breathing out, slowly stretch your right leg out along the floor. 3. Breathe in, and maintain zip and hollow. 4. While breathing out, bring your right leg back to the start position. 5. Repeat twice each side.

What the Psoas Stretch Does

1. A core exercise for treatment of a common cause of back pain: trigger points in the psoas muscle. 2. Gently lengthens the Psoas to its required length without the pelvis looking down. 3. Holding the other leg and applying the techniques of Pilates Controlology stabilizes the pelvis, and helps to

avoid low back pain. 4. This Psoas stretch is safe because it does not overstretch the psoas.

Psoas Stretch

Start Position End Position

Watch Points

• Keep your neck relaxed and scapulas anchored. • It is more important to keep the pelvis stable than to totally straighten the leg.

Psoas Stretch for Severe Back Pain

• If you experience severe back pain while extending your leg or returning your leg from the extended position, you should see a trained professional.

Psoas Stretch for Moderate Back Pain:

1. Breathe in, then zip and hollow and press your lower spine into the ground. This will tilt the pelvis so that it is looking upward.

2. While breathing out, slowly stretch your right leg out along the floor. Do not let you back arch. Stop at the point that you feel pain.

3. Breathe in, maintain zip and hollow. 4. While breathing out, slowly bring right leg back. 5. Repeat twice each side.

Pilates  Instructional  Cards  Hip Flexor Stretch

Hip Flexor Stretch: Start Position

1. Kneel with your right knee on the ground and your left knee up. 2. Pelvic neutral 3. Anchor your scapulas. 4. Chin gently tucked and neck lengthening upwards. 5. If you need to, steady yourself by resting one hand against the wall or on a chair back.

Hip Flexor Stretch: Action

1. Zip and hollow and breathe in. 2. Breathing out: clench your right buttock and lean forward while keeping torso and pelvis

upright. 3. Breathing in: maintain Zip and Hollow, and at the same time, return to the start position. 4. Five times each leg.

Watch Points for the Hip Flexor Stretch

• The aim is to maintain a stable pelvis, not to do an all out stretch. • Keep the rest of your body relaxed.

The Hip Flexor Stretch

Start Position Action

What the Hip Flexor Stretch does

• Teaches you to move your hip joints into extension while not moving your lumbar spine. • Abdominal muscles are working hard to achieve the desired lumbo-pelvic stability. • This is a multiple hip flexor stretch.