Pilates is a type of exercise created and designed with the aim of balancing, strengthening and stretching the entire body. Its goal is to achieve the restoration on a personal level of the one who practices it, through the correct connection between mind and body. The performance of specific exercises, repetitively over time, accompanied by the correct breathing patterns, has proven to be an effective way to maintain physical shape and a complement to the practice of other sports, as well as physical rehabilitation of any kind.
It is an exercise in which oxygen is not demanded, but in which breathing is essential, it is essential to take air through the nose and not through the mouth, while keeping the abdomen contracted, because this way the muscles are properly oxygenated. In addition to good concentration, to be able to carry out movements properly.
It has multiple benefits, reduces tensions, which help to be balanced physically and mentally. During the performance of Pilates, a certain elasticity and hardness is demanded, especially in the abdomen and lumbar area. The one who practices Pilates, walks more upright, without slouching.
To practice this method, you do not need to attend a specialized center necessarily, that is only an option, because it requires little material, and can be done at home.
Pilates improves the way the body looks, feels and acts. It improves flexibility, agility, relieving back pain, among other diseases. It teaches the person to know their body better, maintain better body posture and achieve an easier and more elegant movement when walking, as it optimizes the silhouette and improves the balance of muscle asymmetries.
It has multiple other benefits such as promoting respiratory control and circulatory function, increases metabolism, improves bone density and muscle tone, in order to calm nerves and tensions, as well as stay focused.
Professional athletes usually do it, to avoid injuries, improve and increase their strength and flexibility.
Pilates exercises.
Roll up
It is an easy and simple type of exercise, with it the abdominals are worked, which are mobilized, mainly, during flexion of the trunk, so that the legs remain stretched and glued to the ground, thus achieving adequate mobility and stability. The muscles of the legs and shoulders are also worked.
Place yourself on a mat, with your legs and knees extended, and try to reach your toes with your hands, all this is achieved by flexing the trunk, separating the spine, little by little from the mat, rising and descending on it.
How is it done?
Start by taking air, put your arms up, as if wanting to touch the sky, you must contract your shoulder blades, stick your chin to your chest, and grab your legs, you must stick your heels to the mat to get stability in the pelvic area. Release the air, and start getting up slowly, with control, while you flex your back on top of your legs. Take air in that pose and release it as you return to the posture of the beginning. You can do it about 5 times, holding the muscle tension of the abdominals about 15 seconds.
Rolling back
It is a simple exercise, in which the iliac psoas, the rectum of the abdomen and the obliques are worked, belongs to the abdominal series, improves balance, as it is a kind of massage to the back, which decreases the tension of the spine
How is it done?
Sit on a mat, with your legs bent, stuck to your chest, rest your forehead on your knees, keep your elbows slightly bent and your feet as close to your buttocks as possible, and hug your legs. Bring your chin to your chest moving your shoulders away from your ears, you must imagine that you are a kind of ball and wheels. Start by rocking backwards until you put your upper back on the mat, inhale air, then release the air as you return to the posture of the beginning. Try to maintain a position as round as possible. Do not support shoulders or head roll backwards, interrupt the movement at the base of the shoulder blades, do not lengthen the legs when rolling, keep them together and with your feet near the buttocks all the exercise. When going backwards, do it little by little, feeling how each vertebra sticks to the mat. Keep your elbows apart and slightly flexed. You can do it constantly, for 3 minutes.
The Sierra
This exercise consists of the rotation of the spine, working the waist, thus improving and increasing the flexibility of the ischiotibilials, adductors and develops the strength of the extensors of the spine, as well as the whole of the lumbar picture, rotators, lateral and flexors.
How is it done?
Sit on a mat, forming a V with your legs, expanding the width of your hips, put your arms in the shape of a cross, keeping your shoulders relaxed, stretch your back, as if you wanted to touch the ceiling with your head. Start by inhaling air, while turning the trunk on the right side, try to grab the right foot with your left hand. Then repeat the same, but with the limbs, start by moving the trunk to the left and grasping the left foot with the right hand.
Try to keep the weight well distributed on the ischiums, which are inside the buttocks, as well as the feet in a “Flex” position, that is, putting pressure on the heels. Try not to move your hips, while stretching to one side and the other. Note that, when extending your arms, your hands do not fall below your feet. Try not to have the nape of the neck with tension, while you perform the forward flexion.
You can repeat the exercise continuously between four and five times each side.
Spine’s twist
It is a very simple type of exercise in its execution, it works the abdominals, the obliques, and the extensors of the spine.
How is it done?
Sit on the ischia lengthening the spine, with your arms extended in a cross and with the palms of your hands facing the ground. Keep your legs together, hugging midline and your feet flexed. Start by inhaling in the center and when exhaling, pull the crown lengthening the back. Then turn the trunk twice to the right, while exhaling, without losing the verticality of the trunk. When you reach the top of the rotation, inhale deeply again as you return to the starting position. Keep your shoulders away from your ears.
It is important that you try to have throughout the exercise, the abdomen contracted. When you turn the trunk, try to turn the head and arms at the same time, let the spine be the one who naturally directs the head and not the other way around. Try to keep your legs still and your pelvis static.
Repeat the exercise three times in the same direction and then switch by turning left another three times.
Triceps funduses
Triceps bottoms are an exercise modality that works mainly the muscles of the arms, strengthening the triceps and shoulder muscles.
How is it done?
With your back to the chair or a bench, put your hands on the end, put your feet on the floor, with your legs bent, keeping your hips in line with the bench, without contact with the chair or the bench. Once in that position, a flexion of both arms is done by lowering the body downwards, as if you were going to sit on the floor, but without doing so, and then we make an extension of arms, thus returning to the posture of the beginning. You should try to make your elbows always look back, not open sideways. You can perform this exercise three times a week and the ideal would be to do 3 sets of 15 repetitions. You can always increase in intensity with practice.
Leg hug: Scissors
This exercise consists of improving the flexibility of the legs, and strengthening the thighs through its movement. It has multiple benefits for the abdomen and back. During the performance of this exercise, it is important to concentrate on breathing.
How is it done?
Take a mat and lie on your back, flex your hips and trunk, little by little. Bring your legs to the trunk, try to form a right angle with your body, then hug one of the legs that you must keep extended, while the other leg returns to the position of the beginning, attached to the fully extended mat. It is done in two parts, when you move one leg towards the mat and bring the other leg towards the head. You have to change the legs high and then position the other leg in two parts on the mat. You can repeat this exercise two sets about 10 times each.