This routine works the whole body and is a great way to shift your energy so that you start the day positively and bring that energy with you throughout the day. Pilates is such a great way to change your state and move into a higher vibration.
Begin with taking a moment for yourself. Sit in comfortable cross-legged position, hands on your thighs with palms facing upwards. Close you eyes and take a few breaths here.
Place the hands by the side of the body and take the right arm over head moving into a side stretch. Swap sides keeping the sitting bones grounded on the mat. Begin to bring some fluidity to the movement as you stretch from side to side in one flowing movement.
Come into a kneeling position on the mat. Extend the right leg along the mat and take the arms out to the side. Taking the right arm over head, place the left hand on the mat, using a block if you need to. Feel a deep stretch along the right side of the body. Using the core return back to centre and take a counter stretch to the other side by lifting the left hand over the head. Gaze towards your left hand. Repeat 5 x and then on the opposite side.
Lying on your front push the ground away and come into a back extension with your hips and thighs off the floor. Keep the shoulder blades sliding down away from the ears. As you inhale begin to push the hips towards the heels keeping the knees on the floor. Exhale and round the back as you roll forward into the back extension. Begin to bring fluidity to the movement, rolling forward and backward waking up the spine.
Begin on all fours kneeling, hands directly under shoulders and knees under hips. Keep the spine in neutral and draw the belly button in engaging gently through the abdomen. As you inhale slide the right hand and the left foot along the mat. Exhale to lift into a ‘superwoman’ position. As you breath in begin to round the back and draw your elbow to the opposite knee. Exhale extend back to superwoman. Keep this movement up for a repetition of 6 then swap sides.
Coming into a plank position with your shoulder blades spread far apart and your hips in alignment so that they are not sagging down. Stay strong through the centre. Begin to draw the hips towards the heels as you bend your knees. Using the legs to power forward come back into a plank position. Continue the movement and you’ll start to feel the body generating heat as you power forward and backwards.
Moving onto your back begin to get yourself into position for the Hundred. Modfiy the starting position to wherever you feel comfortable. Legs are at 45 degrees, but you could keep them pointing to the ceiling, in table top position or even on the floor. Take the head off the mat and extend the arms along the side of the body floating off the ground. Begin to beat the air with your hands to the count of 5 on each inhalation and exhalation. Inhale 2, 3, 4, 5. Exhale 2, 3, 4, 5. See if you can make it to 100, but do less if you need to and build it up. Don’t worry about
Lying down with your spine in a neutral position, knees bent and feet hip distance apart close to your body. Inhale, taking your hands behind your head. As you exhale draw your navel towards your spine as you slowly start to peel up off the mat. Use your abdominal muscles to lift you so that your head rests lightly on your hands. Repeat for a count of 12.
This time take the right shoulder off the mat and move towards your left knee. Alternate sides. Again the focus is on using your abdominals to lift you and to bring the shoulder off the mat rather than the elbow to the knee.
Lying on the mat with your hands interlaced behind your head and head lifting off the ground, take your legs towards the ceiling. Keeping the lower back pressed into the mat, slowly begin to lower your legs to a 45 degree angle as you exhale. Inhale as you bring the legs back towards the ceiling and repeat for a count of 10.
Lightly taking hold off the right knee as your head comes up off the mat and your left leg hovers off the floor. Switch legs taking hold of the left knee and keep this exchange going in a fast but smooth motion.
Keep your torso stable as the movement comes from the just the arms and legs. If your lower back is starting to come up off the mat raise your legs higher to reduce the load. The lower your leg is the more challenging this exercise is so adjust to where you’re at.
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Lying down bring the feet close to the body place them hip distance apart. Extend your arms along the side of your body. Inhale as you begin to tip the pelvis towards you, sending the hips high as you exhale. Inhale lower the hips just above the ground, exhale as you send them high squeezing the glutes as you reach the top. Try to keep you chest still throughout so it doesn’t pop up as you hips rise. Lift and lower for a count of 10 then begin to pulse using tiny inch movements up and down for around 30 seconds.
Take the feet wide to the edge of the mat and come up on to the balls off the feet. Again, begin to lift and lower rising on the exhale and lowering on the inhale. Finish in this position by pulsing the hips at the top so you are squeezing and squeezing the glutes.
Place the feet down and lift the toes to balance on your heels with the feet turning outwards. As you lift the hips high start to pulse. You’ll feel this mainly around the lower part of your bottom and it’s great way to tone this area.
Lying on your front with your forehead on the mat, place your hands level with your ears towards the edge of the mat. Take a breath in and as you breath out press into the hands and forearms as you lift into a small back extension. Lower back down.
This time as you lift begin to lift the hands and forearms off the mat too. Keeping your abdomen engaged and your pelvis in a neutral position as you lift and your feet on the floor. Keep the base of the ribs touching the mat.
Place the hands down and then push into the hands lifting a little higher. Take the hands off the mat and hold it hear for a couple of breaths. As you breath out slowly lower back down. Pause for a breath in between each movement and repeat two more times.
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