This week’s recap of Pilates movements from Joseph H. Pilates RETURN TO LIFE book in the original order includes:
- March 13th: The One Leg Kick – *****Superstar for low bone density***** Strengthen your back extensors, serratus anterior, hamstrings & glutes while stretching your quads and improving your scapular stability, axial elongation & abdominal support in extension
- March 14th: The Double Kick – Same as above just swap out the serratus anterior/scapula stability work for a lovely chest & shoulder stretch
- March 15th: The Neck Pull – Increase your abdominal strength
- March 16th: The Scissors & Bicycle – Increase your core control while stretching your hamstrings & hip flexors
- March 17th: The Shoulder Bridge – Strengthen your hamstrings, gluteals & erector spinae
- March 18th: The Spine Twist – Increase your spinal rotation safely
- March 19th: The Jack Knife – Learn how to stabilize your shoulders as you develop core strength & control.
Props I use:
- Towel under pelvis & ribs (try a small pillow)
- Yardstick tied around my waist with a resistance band (use a dowel or scarf to tie)
- Foam roller for under the hips (use a small ball or rolled-up towel)
All of the exercises are taught with low bone density in mind and are modified for safety. It’s really important to include back strengthening exercises if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis and The One Leg Kick & The Double Kick are perfect for you! They are also great for those looking to improve those posture muscles.
Explore below and let me know which one is your favorite down in the comments!
Remember to go back to the previous posts to see the exercise tutorials from the beginning which is key to building up or warming up the body for the following exercises in the Mat Pilates sequence.
We are more than halfway done with March! Next week’s post will be exploring The Side Kick, The Teaser, The Hip Twist, Swimming, The Leg Pull Front & Back, and The Side Bend! It just gets more challenging! I love Pilates!
March 13 – The One Leg Kick: 6-10 sets
Coming out of The Swan where I show a preparatory exercise with the forehead on your stacked hands, this same setup is a good place to begin in The One Leg Kick. This version may decrease the discomfort for those who get really tight in the low back or are prone to neck & shoulder stress.
SETUP: I like to lengthen my legs out and find my pubic bone and hips. I use my breath to hollow my belly up off of the mat.
If you have knee issues, stretching the quads first is best.
If you have low back issues, try pressing your pubic bone into the mat to help take pressure off the back or stay with the head down version.
MOVEMENT: Take one leg, reach it and lengthen it out so far it floats up.
Kick your heel into your butt twice to fire up the hamstrings and then lengthen the leg out again to set it down.
Repeat on the other leg.
FULL EXERCISE: The sphinx position upon the elbows really works to improve low bone density where we need it in the upper thoracic area, back extensors, and hoovering the pelvis up really gets into how to keep the alignment & elongation in the spine and use the abdominals to support in the position.
I think about all the shoulder blade muscles coming down my back as my heart’s center is going forward. I like to pull the hands apart on the mat energetically to feel more width in the upper back and get an oppositional feeling. It’s very important to keep the low belly lifting here as you lift your pelvis off the mat just slightly. Low belly and ribs connecting and feeling the shaky feeling.
I’m thankful for this position as an alternative to sitting when on the computer or reading with my kids. It’s a great alternative to open the hips and strengthen those posture muscles!
March 14 – The Double Kick: 3-6 sets
TRANSITION: We just did our single leg kick, we’ll bring the head down and take the hands behind the back. If getting the hands on the small of your back isn’t happening with tight shoulders, just reach the hands down by your side towards your feet.
If you have low back or knee issues, see the previous exercise for tips.
MOVEMENT: Hoover up the head, lengthen the feet out away, and kick, as you lengthen the legs back out you come up in the torso. You’re in the swan thoracic extension position just with your hands behind you stretching your shoulders and chest open. You can turn your cheek to one side, then the other as you kick.
For low bone density, watch that the range of motion doesn’t get too extreme in the upper back extension. Think about a long rocking horse curve in the spine.
Benefits are similar to The One Leg Kick above. Strengthens the back body, stretches the shoulders, chest, and quads.
March 15 – The Neck Pull: 3-6 reps
TRANSITION: Coming out of The Double Kick, I’m using my yardstick and resistance band again. The Neck Pull is like in the roll-up (hinge back for low bone density) exercise but harder with your hands behind your head.
If you have neck or shoulder issues, try the Roll-up (hinge back) where your hands are not up behind your head.
SETUP: I want to feel the yardstick on my head, in between the shoulder blades and pelvis throughout the exercise.
MOVEMENT: I place my hands on the back of my head pressing into my head and my head pressing into my hands to find that oppositional feeling to help lengthen me up. I energize my heels away, connect into my inner thighs and hinge back. I’m still thinking about my shoulder blades gliding down my back. I play with hinging forward too. I only go to my challenge point where I feel shaky but I can keep control of the movement.
This will increase abdominal strength and work on posture.
March 16 – The Scissors & Bicycle: 4-6 reps
PROP: I’m using my foam roller for hip support. You could try a squishy ball or a rolled-up towel.
If you have low back issues or the prop doesn’t feel good for any reason try keeping the hips down moving the legs keeping the pelvis stable.
SETUP: Come down to your side and onto your back. Place the roller behind your thighs and hinge bridge up to get your hips on top. Make sure your pelvis feels supported here and keep off the lumbar vertebra. Collarbones are open wide, hand on the ends of the roller. I use my breath on an exhale to soften the ribs down.
MOVEMENT: One leg up to tabletop, then the other leg meets the first in a tabletop position. Extend both legs up to the ceiling, you can have a slight bend in the knees. Scissor one leg towards your head and the other one away keeping the pelvis still. Find the stretch of both the back of the leg and the opposite front of the hip.
For Bicycle, you drag your heel energetically towards your bottom and reach back into the scissor, then drag the other heel bicycling your legs alternating. You can reverse the direction.
To dismount, lift the hips into a bridge and roll the roller out from under you, then let the spine reconnect with the floor and settle.
It’s great to work on core control and stretch the hamstrings & hip flexors.
I’m thankful for my foam roller knowledge to open up and release tight areas especially since it’s been forever since I’ve had a proper massage.
March 17 – The Shoulder Bridge: 3-4 sets
For low bone density, we take the hips into a low bridge vs the high bridge with the hands supporting underneath.
SETUP: Come into a bridge, feet sit bone distance apart, arms are planted into the mat, shoulder blades gliding down and softening the ribs.
MOVEMENT: I hinge bridge up to bring my spine into a long line from shoulder joints to the pelvis to knees reaching away. Collarbones fall open, stand down into the left foot to bring the right leg into a tabletop while keeping the hips level. Extend the leg up to the ceiling, flex your foot to kick down 3 times, and point up. Repeat on the other leg.
This works the whole back of the body, not just the hamstrings that I mention. The glutes help to keep the pelvis up & erector spinae are helping as well. Notice which side is harder, mine is the left.
I’m thankful for this exercise to help me gain more strength in my left side glute and hamstring that tend to be out to lunch!
March 18 – The Spine Twist: 4-8 sets
SETUP: Sitting up with knees bent and hands under thighs. Keep tall and lengthened up.
If you have low back discomfort, try sitting up on a rolled-up towel or even up on a chair to get your pelvis in a better position.
MOVEMENT: Gently rotate to one side but not the full range of motion. Come back to center, lengthening up tall, inhaling. Exhaling and spiraling, think about your belly button turning. Add on the hand across the opposite thigh to assist in the spiraling stretch upwards. Add on the arm going back behind with the palm down. Try the other side. Remember to not force the stretch and think 75% vs 100% range of motion.
I’m thankful for being able to find safe ways to get my rotation in!
March 19 – The Jack Knife: 3-4 reps
Come down onto your side and roll onto your back. Jackknife is similar to the roll-over as it’s another inversion. The low bone density safe variation is to perform it the same as Rollover prep.
Modification, try with legs bent to start or use the resistance band around the arches of your feet to get a good stretch in the backs of the legs.
Arms are down by your sides, legs come up to the tabletop position, legs extend to the ceiling, Small roll of the pelvis, curling the tail up a bit. I add on a resistance band to hold with my hands to assist in getting my upper arm bones externally rotated.
I’m thankful for the resistance band tip from my teacher trainer!
If you missed last weeks post, keep scrolling and you’ll find the previous Mat Pilates movements in order from Joseph H. Pilates RETURN TO LIFE book.
- March 6th: The One Leg Stretch – Strengthen your abdominals, develop pelvic stability & core control
- March 7th: The Double Leg Stretch – Same benefits as above, just harder
- March 8th: The Spine Stretch – Learn how to sit up tall with support and find your axial elongation
- March 9th: Rocker with Open Legs – Improves scapular & pelvic stability, core control, coordination & balance
- March 10th: The Corkscrew – Increase your core support, control, and scapular stability
- March 11th: The Saw – Increase the mobility of your shoulder girdle and find a safe and gentle rotation
- March 12th: The Swan-Dive – ***This one is a superstar for low bone density*** You will improve your back extension & scapular stability by strengthening your back extensors along with your hamstrings & gluteals