Name: Playbook - Christina Relke - Pilates Foundations
Uploaded: 2024-05-06T23:53:12.002Z
Duration: 20 min
Description: Pilates Foundations

A Pilates foundations workout focuses on building core strength, flexibility, and body awareness through precise movements and controlled breathing, making it ideal for beginners to establish a strong foundation in Pilates practice.

Setup: Lie on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet flat on the floor. Rest your arms where they are most comfortable. If needed, support your head with a rolled towel or small pillow.

Execution: Breathe in through your nose and expand your ribcage into the upper back, upper lobes of the lungs, and side to side.
Exhale, completely emptying your lungs. Allow your ribs and abdominals to softly funnel into your Centerline as you gently lengthen tailbone to crown.

Reps: 5

Breathing

Setup: Lie on your back. Make a diamond shape with your hands, bringing your forefingers and thumbs together. Place the diamond on the abdomen with your fingers reaching toward your pubic bone.

Execution: Exhale, deepen and draw in and up the lowest part of the diamond, the center of the diamond, and the highest part of the diamond. Keep your pelvis stable and still. Inhale, breathe into your ribs. Repeat.

Reps: 5

ISO Abs

Setup: Exhale fully and bring one knee toward your chest as you Scoop. Stop when the knee is directly over the hip. Inhale and control your leg and bring the foot to the floor, keeping your abdominals scooped. Change legs.

Variations: 1. Work from supine table top, lowering and lifting the legs alternately.
2. From supine table top, lightly "run" the legs, allowing them to pass one another and move simultaneously. Breathe naturally.

Reps: 5 each leg

Knee Folds

Setup: Lie on your back, with your arms alongside your body. Lift your arms up with your fingertips reaching toward the ceiling, directly over your shoulders.

Execution: Reach your arms back, keeping your posterior ribs on the mat. Do not allow your back to arch or your ribs to pop off the mat. Inhale, bring the arms back up toward the ceiling.

Reps: 5

Rib Cage Arms

Setup: Lie on your back, as with Rib Cage Arms, but with arms long by your sides.

Execution: Reach through the crown of your head and then tilt your chin upward slightly, opening the front of your throat. Draw your chin toward your chest, lengthening the back of your neck. Keep these movements small

Pilates Foundations

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