Shape Up with Caroline Sandry's Pilates workout
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22 ultra-FIT WOMEN’S FITNESS The Pilates method encourages amazing core strength whilst promoting spinal flexibility and supple joints. Caroline Sandry shows you how to use a soft ball to achieve great posture, strength and tone Muscle balance Muscle balance is determined by the length of a muscle around a joint and the strength of the muscle. We can classify most muscles as stabilisers or mobilisers. Stabilisers are made up of slow twitch muscle fibres and primarily stabilise a joint and assist in holding posture. Mobilising muscles are responsible for movement and tend to be more superficial and are made of fast twitch muscle fibres – see muscle fibre box out. People with poor posture or poor alignment tend to have weak and untoned stabilising muscles which can lead to pain and injury. Pilates exercises target the larger, mobilising muscles such as the rectus abdominus and the hip flexors, but also the smaller stabilising muscles, such as the lower fibres of the upper back (trapezius and serratus anterior) to stabilise the scapula (shoulder blade) and the abdominal muscles (transversus abdominus and multifidus) which stabilise the spine and pelvis. It is therefore important to focus on your alignment throughout to ensure that the correct muscle groups are challenged. The exercises in the workout are designed to be performed as a complete workout, or as individual exercises that can be added into your existing regime. They aim to open the chest, strengthen the core and build stability. Use slow, controlled movements throughout, and gently engage your deep stabilising muscles by drawing your pelvic floor upwards and your belly button inwards. This is a gentle contraction (not ‘bracing’). Practice by lying on your back (with a neutral spine, which is neither arched nor flat) with your knees bent, and one hand on your abdomen. As you exhale, gently draw your belly button down without moving your spine. Inhale to release. Try to build up to holding the contraction for several breaths, breathing into your ribs. ball Have a Get long, lean and limber with Pilates Muscle fibre types Muscle fibres are either fast or slow twitch. Fast twitch are and fast to fatigue but are responsible for explosive powerful movements, such as sprinting and jumping – mainly anaerobic activity. Slow twitch fibres contract slowly and are more enduring. They are responsible for aerobic, endurance activities such as running or swimming. Spine flex forward – warm up ✱ Sit up tall with a straight spine and shoulders away from your ears ✱ Inhale to prepare, exhale and flex the spine forward from the head drawing your belly button in towards your spine ✱ Inhale wide into your ribcage ✱ Exhale and press your palms gently into the ball to engage shoulder stabilisers as you rebuild the spine one vertebra at a time
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Ultra Fit & Caroline Sandry take you through a fantastic Pilates routine to strengthen your core & flatten your abs.
Transcript of Shape Up with Caroline Sandry's Pilates workout
22 ultra-FIT
WOMEN’S FITNESS
The Pilates method encouragesamazing core strength whilstpromoting spinal flexibility andsupple joints. Caroline Sandry showsyou how to use a soft ball to achievegreat posture, strength and tone
Muscle balanceMuscle balance is determined by the lengthof a muscle around a joint and the strengthof the muscle. We can classify most musclesas stabilisers or mobilisers. Stabilisers aremade up of slow twitch muscle fibres andprimarily stabilise a joint and assist inholding posture. Mobilising muscles areresponsible for movement and tend to bemore superficial and are made of fast twitchmuscle fibres – see muscle fibre box out.People with poor posture or poor alignmenttend to have weak and untoned stabilisingmuscles which can lead to pain and injury.
Pilates exercises target the larger,mobilising muscles such as the rectus
abdominus and the hip flexors, but alsothe smaller stabilising muscles, such asthe lower fibres of the upper back(trapezius and serratus anterior) tostabilise the scapula (shoulder blade) andthe abdominal muscles (transversusabdominus and multifidus) which stabilisethe spine and pelvis.
It is therefore important to focus on youralignment throughout to ensure that thecorrect muscle groups are challenged.
The exercises in the workout aredesigned to be performed as a completeworkout, or as individual exercises thatcan be added into your existing regime.
They aim to open the chest, strengthenthe core and build stability. Use slow,controlled movements throughout, andgently engage your deep stabilisingmuscles by drawing your pelvic floorupwards and your belly button inwards.This is a gentle contraction (not ‘bracing’).Practice by lying on your back (with aneutral spine, which is neither arched norflat) with your knees bent, and one handon your abdomen. As you exhale, gentlydraw your belly button down withoutmoving your spine. Inhale to release. Try tobuild up to holding the contraction forseveral breaths, breathing into your ribs.
ballHave a
Get long, lean and limber with Pilates
Muscle fibre typesMuscle fibres are either fast or slowtwitch. Fast twitch are and fast to fatiguebut are responsible for explosivepowerful movements, such as sprintingand jumping – mainly anaerobic activity.Slow twitch fibres contract slowly andare more enduring. They are responsiblefor aerobic, endurance activities such asrunning or swimming.
Spine flex forward – warm up
✱ Sit up tall with a straight spine and shoulders away from your ears✱ Inhale to prepare, exhale and flex the spine forward from the head drawing your belly button
in towards your spine✱ Inhale wide into your ribcage✱ Exhale and press your palms gently into the ball to engage shoulder stabilisers as you
rebuild the spine one vertebra at a time
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WOMEN’S FITNESS
Hip rolls
✱ Lie on your back with the ball held between your knees, armslengthened on the floor beside you and neutral spine
✱ Inhale to prepare, exhale and tilt the pelvis, gently gripping the ball✱ Continue exhaling as you peel your spine off the floor one vertebra at
a time✱ Inhale to hold still in the bridge position✱ Exhale to slowly flex the spine one vertebra at a time back to the floor✱ Repeat 5 hip rolls
Extended curls
✱ Start in the same position as controlled curls✱ Place your finger tips gently behind your ears✱ Inhale and extend your spine back over the ball – lengthening rib to
hip✱ Exhale and curl up to the controlled curl position✱ Inhale lengthen back and repeat 12 curls
If you have any issues with your back, start in neutral and donot extend back.
Oblique twister
✱ Start as with curls, fingertips behind ears✱ Exhale and keep neutral spine as you rotate towards the right, looking
right with your eyes, and hold in twist for a couple of seconds✱ Inhale back to centre✱ Exhale to the left and repeat 8 – 10 times each way
Avoid this exercise if you have disc issues.
Controlled curls
✱ Place the ball just under your shoulder blades with your feet and kneeship-width apart and feet flat on the floor
✱ Keeping your shoulders away from your ears, extend your arms by your thighs✱ Inhale to prepare✱ Exhale and draw navel to spine, bringing the bottom rib and hips closer
together in a controlled crunch✱ Inhale release to neutral spine✱ Repeat 10 times
This is not a big movement, but should feel ‘deep’.
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WOMEN’S FITNESS
Spine extension
✱ Lie face down with your legs hip to shoulder width with your palmsunder your face
✱ Inhale to prepare✱ Exhale, draw navel to spine and extend your upper spine off the
floor, keeping your head and neck in line with your spine✱ Inhale into your ribs to stay up✱ Exhale to lengthen back to the floor✱ Repeat 8 times
Try to focus on lengthening your upper back, extendingyour head as far away from your hips as possible
Ball teaser
✱ Lie on your back with your knees together, left leg bent and right legextended upwards
✱ Inhale and take the ball overhead✱ Exhale and curl up one vertebrae at a time, rolling the ball up your leg
to your toes (or as far as possible without jerking)✱ Inhale to hold✱ Exhale to flex the spine one vertebra at a time back to the floor✱ Repeat 6 to 8 times
Keep your shoulder blades down and stay wide across thefront of your chest
Oblique reach back
✱ Sit up tall with knees bent ✱ Place the ball behind you to the right, with your right hand placed
on the top, and your left hand reaching forward at shoulder height✱ Inhale to prepare✱ Exhale and flex your spine as you roll the ball back, looking back
to the right✱ Inhale and roll back up to start position✱ Repeat 6 to 8 times on each side
Keep your shoulders away from your ears and navel tospine at all times. Do not attempt this flexion with rotation ifyou have any back or disc injury.
WOMEN’S FITNESS
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Rollingshellstretch
✱ Kneel your bottomonto your heelswith your facedown and handsstretched forwardto rest on the ball
✱ Inhale deeply toprepare
✱ Exhale and drawyour abdomen inas you roll up onevertebra at a timegently pressinghands into the ballto engage shoulderstabilisers
✱ Inhale and exhaleto roll down andrepeat slowly 5times
For best results try to performthese exercises at least threetimes per week
Pilates express mat which is extra thick to protect the spine and hasVelcro straps to ‘roll & go’ available from www.stott-pilates.co.uk
Small Pilates ball available from Pilates Solutionswww.pilatessolutions.co.uk
Caroline wears clothing by ZOCA available fromwww.sheactive.co.uk
Final stretch and chest opener
✱ Place the ball under your shoulder blades and gently extend backwards✱ If necessary place a cushion under your head✱ Bring your feet together and knees apart to open the hips✱ Take deep slow breaths and allow the front of the body to open and release.
If this is too extreme, place a cushion or pillow under your head
