PIlates2
Dear Good Friends and Patients,
Just to make you smile as we begin another week of easier lockdown, I was asked by my lovely neighbour to give a few Pilates lessons to her and her lodger. We have a shoulder high garden wall separating the gardens. So accordingly, I stood on my garden bench and oversaw the girls next door perform their Pilates moves from a distance. Much laughter and enjoyment from all 3 of us! Fingers crossed their core muscles were being used correctly!
Are you ready for the next Pilates exercises? All set?! So off we go…
- One Leg Stretch
Resting position – remember this is lying on your back with your knees bent and feet resting hip width apart, shoulders drawn in and down and neck long with your centre engaged.
Breathe in to prepare and as you breathe out slide your left heel forwards along the floor, lengthening your leg. As you breathe in again slide your foot back along the floor to the original bent position. Repeat, alternating legs.
- Hip Twist
Resting position – breathe in to prepare and then as you breathe out, allow your left leg to fold outwards from your body. Breathe in and return your left leg until your left knee is in alignment with the left hip. Repeat alternating legs.
- Scissors
Resting position – breathe in to prepare and on your out breath slide your right foot inwards towards your sitting bone and float this leg upwards into “tabletop position”. Hold this position as you breathe in again and as you exhale, lower the leg to the mat. Repeat alternating legs.
- Hundreds
Resting position – breathe in to prepare and as you exhale, float your right knee up to tabletop position leg position. Hold this position and focus on 5 breath cycles. You can gently move your arms up and down x5 times. On the fifth breath lower your leg to assume the rest position. Repeat with your opposite leg.
- Shoulder Bridge
Resting position – inhale to prepare and as you exhale gently roll your lower back into the mat, scoop your tailbone upwards and continue to peel your spine off the mat, bone by bone, until you are resting on your shoulder blades. Inhale and hold this position. Then as you exhale lower the shoulder bridge one bone at a time to the mat, beginning with the highest vertebrae of your bridge and finishing with your tailbone to return to neutral position.
- Hip Twist
Resting position – your arms out to the side just below shoulder height and palms facing upwards. Connect your legs together and hold a rolled towel/small ball between your knees.
Inhale to prepare and as you exhale, roll both knees to the right and continue to roll your pelvis, waist and then lower back towards the right. Then roll your head and neck towards your opposite shoulder, keeping your neck long. Breathe in and hold. Then as you exhale again, roll your head and neck back to the midline and roll your lower back, pelvis and finally legs to neutral position (midline).
Next week I shall add more positions and exercises to trial. We will move into side-lying and prone (tummy-lying) positions. Hopefully you now have all accomplished the resting position and maybe some of you have managed the breathing idea. Not to worry if this is still a challenge-I promise you it will happen!
I am seeing patients at 55 Harley Street W1G 8QR if anyone is in need of Physiotherapy, Lymphoedema/Lipoedema treatment or acupuncture. The City practice hopefully will open soon. We await the owner’s decision on the date who is following Government guidelines.
All the best from us at Charterhouse Physiotherapy.
Caro, Elizabeth and Suzanne
