Pilates matwork is somethingthat can be done at home, at thegym or away from home if youtravel for work. All that isrequired is a mat to protect your

spine and enough space to lie down andwave your arms and legs around!

Back to basicsThe principles of Pilates are:■ Concentration – Key to

connecting mind and body■ Relaxation – working

without undue tension■ Coordination – being aware of

what your body is actually doing■ Breathing – deep thoracic

(rib) breathing ■ Centering – initiating movements

from the ‘powerhouse’ or centre■ Flowing movements – movements

should be graceful and fluid■ Control – each movement is

performed in a slow controlled manner

■ Precision – each movement has a purpose

Pilates is great for creating a long, leansilhouette – like a ballerina and can giveamazing strength as well as a leanphysique. It uses a very important andoften neglected part of our anatomy: thedeep musculature of the pelvis and torso:

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Joseph Pilates said “in ten sessions you will feel thedifference, in twenty you will see the difference andin thirty you’ll have a whole new body” Well I can’tguarantee that, but I can guarantee this – Pilates isa fantastic way to shape up!

PilatesSuper Body Shaper

By Caroline SandryPhotos shot on location at Sha Wellness Clinic, Spain.www.shawellnessclinic.com

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the pelvic floor (PF) and the transversusabdominus (TF) which work in harmonywith each other to support the spine andinternal organs. The ‘powerhouse’includes these muscles, plus themusculature of the hips, buttocks,abdominals and lower back.

When we were young, we were oftentaught to ‘suck in’ our belly, and mostpeople would breathe in to so-called holdtheir stomach in. But – this is wrongpractice; inhaling naturally expands thechest and stomach whereas exhalingnaturally flattens the stomach. Try puttingyour hand over your navel and thenblowing out hard. You should feel theabdomen contract and draw inwards -this is the TA working – similar to aninvisible girdle. With this in mind, try toexhale on the exertion part of each (andany other) exercise whilst drawing yourabdomen in- navel to spine. You couldimagine a weight pressing down on your

stomach or an internal cable insidedrawing your belly button down towardsthe floor. Because the abdominals areengaged in this way, breathing changesin Pilates to lateral thoracic breathing orsideways rib breathing. In simple terms –because your abdomen is drawn in, youneed to use another space for the breath,so the aim is to fill the sides and back ofthe ribs. Try this; lie on the floor with yourknees bent, and place a heavy book onyour abdomen. Gently draw your bellybutton down as you exhale, and then tryto stay flat in the abdominals keeping thebook still as you inhale and exhale intothe sides and back of the rib cage.

I mentioned before that the PF workswith the TA: your PF muscles are deepinternal muscles which support your internalorgans such as the bladder. You have frontand back PF muscles, and we need to locatethe front group - try to draw your internalmuscles upwards as if lifting something upinside. (Try not to squeeze your bottom asyou do this.) As you practice Pilates, try toget used to drawing PF upwards and TAinwards simultaneously in a relaxed manner.

WOMEN’S FITNESS

Single leg stretch 1■ Lie on your back knees bent and hip width apart, feet flat on the floor ■ Exhale and engage TA & PF as you lift one leg at a time until your knees are aboveyour hip and bent to 90 degrees■ Place fingertips behind your ears, and flex head and shoulders forwards■ Exhale to straighten and lower one leg away from you, inhale to return.■ Keep head and shoulders lifted and abdominals flat■ Repeat 10 on each leg and then move onto -

Single leg stretch 2Repeat as before, but this time with arms heldout to your sides about one foot from the floor,palms facing forwards. To increase thechallenge hold toning balls in each hand.

Training tips – The challenge is to keepneutral spine and flat abdominals throughout so pay attention to yourspine and ensure it stays still as you move your leg away from your body.

The exercises selected are all intermediate and not for complete beginners, or forthose who may have an issue with their back or neck.

Run through the movements slowly a few times taking care to apply theprinciples of Pilates, and then once you are familiar with the exercises, try to moveswiftly from one to the other in a flowing sequence which you can repeat twice.

Warm up■ Standing tall, feet and knees hip width apart, slowly circle your shoulders back x 5■ Inhale and lift your shoulders up to your ears, exhale and release them down x 5■ Keeping your chin parallel to the floor, turn your head 3 times each way■ Raise up onto your toes, and bend one knee then the other ‘marching’ on the spot for one

minute■ Standing tall, inhale to prepare, and then exhale to slowly roll down one vertebra at a time

until your hands are down by your toes, or shins according to flexibility. Inhale to stay,and exhale to slowly curl back upright, using your abdominal muscles to rebuild thespine. Repeat x 3

THE EXERCISES

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Pilates uses a veryimportant and oftenneglected part of ouranatomy: the deepmusculature of thepelvis and torso: the pelvic floor (PF)and the transversusabdominus (TF)

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Rollover

■ Lie on your back knees bent and hip width apart, feet flat onthe floor ■ Exhale and engage TA & PF as you lift one leg at a time untilyour knees are above your hip and bent to 90 degrees■ Straighten legs and inhale to draw them in towards your chest■ Exhale and flex the spine up off the mat, one vertebra at atime until legs are overhead and parallel to the mat■ Inhale and separate legs slightly wider than shoulder width apart■ Exhale to articulate spine down to the mat from your upper backthrough to your tailbone, slowly and with control. Lower the legs aslow as possible whilst keeping the head and spine on the floor■ Inhale to re-start the process■ Repeat 3 to 4 with legs separate and 3 to 4 with legs together.

Training tips – keep your weight off your head and neckand on your shoulder blade area. Keep TA & PF engagedthroughout the movement. Try to keep shoulder bladesdown and away from your ears.

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Swimming prone■ Lie face down with arms overhead and legs outstretchedand hip width apart with a slight outward rotation (toespointed and turned out)■ Inhale to prepare, and exhale to lengthen and lift all fourlimbs from the floor. Head lifts in line with the spine.■ Exhale to lift right arm and left leg even higher, and then exhaleto lift opposite limbs in a kicking style as if slow motion swimming.■ Speed the movement up as if splashing in a pool, and inhale forfive kicks, exhale for five kicks repeating a series of 20 – 30 kicks.■ Push back into the Child Pose afterwards to stretch out theback: bottom back on your heels and head down on the floor, withfingertips down by your toes. Stay and take several deep breaths.

Training tip – it is still important to draw PF & TA upand in gently as you perform this exercise to helpstabilize the spine. Keep the legs turned out (thinkballerina) and the buttocks gently squeezing. Try tolengthen your limbs as you lift as if you are trying totouch opposite corners of the room.

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WOMEN’S FITNESS

Side Lying Legs

■ On your right side, arm bent and with elbow directly under your shoulder, legs out stretched – slightly in front of you■ Keep your rib cage lifted and your spine straight, as you lift the top leg up to hip height■ Exhale to lift the top leg, keeping the hips and waist still and inhale to lower■ Repeat 10 times■ Lower your leg back down and rest for 20 seconds, before lifting the top leg again and drawing small circles x 10 in each direction.■ Repeat on the other side.

Training tip –keep navel drawn in to spine, and stay lifted in the ribs and waist. Keep the torso very still as youmove – particularly as you circle the leg.

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If you enjoyed this sequence and want more great Pilates workouts,or to order toning balls check out Stott Pilates great range of DVD’s –I recommend the ‘toning balls power pack’ which includes a DVD, wall poster and two weighted balls.www.stott-pilates.co.uk or freephone - 0800 434 6110.

Once you have completed the sequence, come onto yourback, draw your knees into your chest and gently rockfrom side to side. Place both feet on the floor, knees bentand arms relaxed by your sides and rest for a minute,taking deep relaxing breaths.

Scissors■ Lie on your back knees bent and hip width apart, feet flaton the floor ■ Exhale and engage TA & PF as you lift one leg at a timeuntil your knees are above your hip and bent to 90 degrees■ Exhale and flex head and shoulders up off the floor to lookthrough your knees■ Straighten both legs and lower one towards the floor,bringing the other in close to your face and reaching bothhands up towards your ankle.■ Exhale and pulse the lower leg twice (breath is two puffs –as if blowing out candles)■ Inhale as you start to switch legs by reaching them uptowards the ceiling so they pass each other■ Exhale as the second leg lowers and pulses twice andcontinue with a smooth flowing motion scissoring the legsapart. Repeat x 16■ To increase the challenge, try performing with your armsdown by your sides, palms down and six inches off the floor, orwith toning balls in each hand and palms turned upwards.

Training tips – Stay engaged in TA/PF and keep abs flatthroughout. Think of reaching the legs away from eachother, and try to prevent the hips from rocking around.

The Side Bend■ Sit on one hip with your knees bent and the top leg opened,foot flat on the floor slightly in front of your sitting bones. Yourbottom leg rests on the floor with the foot just behind your topfoot. Your body is supported on your arm – hand in line withthe hip and a little away from the body. Your top hand rests onyour top knee.■ Inhale to prepare and lengthen the supporting arm, drawingthe torso away from the floor and the shoulder away from the ear.■ Exhale to lift the pelvis upwards (imagine your hips arebeing lifted in a sling) squeezing inner thighs together andreaching top arm overhead.■ Inhale to bend the knees and return hip back to the floor,hand back to the knee.■ Repeat x 3-5 on each side.■ To increase the intensity you could hold a toning ball in thetop hand.

Training tips – keep the hips stacked throughout - onehip on top of the other. Imagine a sheet of glass infront of the hips and keep both hip bones touching theglass. Keep TA and PF engaged and stay lifted in theribs and waist. Keep ‘lifted’ in the supporting shoulder.

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