Design a 55 minute Pilates class including:
- 5 exercises with props (can be used in warm-up)
- Reason for exercise selection
- Principles used
- Purpose
- Muscles Used
- Set-up / Alignment
- Execution
- Imagery / Teaching note
- Progressions and modification
By Kaz Marsden
10th July 2011
Target Class
Beginners: newly attending a Pilates class at local gym. Intermediate fitness, mainly women aged 16 – 60 years old.
Welcome
Hi, I am Kaz, your Pilates instructor for today. Welcome.
Pilates is a series of exercises that strengthens our deepest muscles. It will improve your posture, shape and general movement. I want you to focus on good quality executions – smooth and controlled.
Let’s start with our breathing; it will assist your muscles as we go.
Lateral Thoracic Breathing
- Standing. Feet hip width apart – shoulders and knees relaxed
- Place your hand on your rib, thumb towards your back
- Breath in through you nose, filling you lungs front, side and back
- Exhale through pursed lips
- Place other hand over your belly button
- Breath in through your nose, relaxing your shoulders
- Purse you lips, forced exhalation – as if you were blowing into a balloon
- Repeat a few times.
We always aim to breathe in to prepare for a movement, and exhale to perform.
Neutral Pelvis Standing
- Place the heels of your hands onto the front of both your hips bones
- Thumbs come together and fingers point down onto public bone, forming the pelvic triangle.
- Breath in – tilt triangle downward, arching your back
- Forced exhalation – tilt triangle upward, scooping in your abdomen
- Breath in – anterior tilt
- Breath out – posterior tilt
- Repeat a few times
- Find the halfway point of the movement; this is your neutral pelvis. Imagine your belly button is stacked perfectly above your pubic bone, like 12 and 6 on a clock face.
Warm-Up Movements with Magic Circle (5 exercises)
- Calf raise; magic circle from chest to roof as we rise on the foot, lowers as foot lowered. (Repeat x
- Side Squat, with ‘turning steering wheel’. Alternate sides (6 each side)
- Warrior slides, one hand on circle, try and keep it at same height. Alternate sides (6 each side)
- Pec squeeze, 4 pulses moving up, 4 pulses moving down. Repeat x 4
- Kneeling Biceps (6 each side)
Body of Class
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Exercise / Reason |
Muscles Used |
Execution |
Imagery |
Teaching Note |
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DRAW UP PELVIC FLOOR to find and strengthen pelvic floor |
Pelvic Floor |
Lie supine on floor, knees bent. Feet hip distance apart, arms beside the body. Draw up pelvic floor. |
Think of drawing your two sit bones together. OR draw you pelvic floor upwards to your head like an elevator rising from the bottom of your pelvis | |||
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PELVIC ROCKS to find neutral pelvis supine |
Pelvic Floor “Core Muscles” = 1.Transveres Abdominals 2.Internal Oblique 3. External Oblique 4. Diaphragm 5. Multifidus |
Lie supine on floor, knees bent. Feet hip distances apart, arms beside the body. Inhale – anterior pelvic tilt Exhale – posterior pelvic tilt Repeat 4 – 6 times. When in neutral activate “core muscles”. |
Imagine there is a marble rolling from your belly button to pelvis as you tilt. You should be able to balance it when in neutral. Tighten your torso as if you were pulling in a corset |
some people may need a chi ball under their head to get correct alignment relax shoulders |
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TABLE TOP To strengthen core muscles and introduce position |
Lie supine on floor. Arms beside the body, head and neck relaxed. Draw up pelvic floor, tighten muscular corset. Inhale – Float right leg up to a 90 degree angle Exhale – Float left leg up to a 90 degree angle |
Imagine a helium balloon tied to your ankle floating your leg up. Legs look like they are creating a table |
Hands to knees to check positions, if correct, arms should be straight. | |||
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TOE TAPS Stabilize torso during movement. Hip mobility |
Core Muscles Hip Flexors Adductors |
Lie supine on floor in table top. Inhale – Draw up through pelvic floor, activate core. Exhale – lower one leg away and down to floor keeping the 90 degree shape 6-8 Repetitions |
Imagine you are balancing a ruler across your pelvis, try not to rock or wobble the ruler. Toes tap the floor like a kitten softly landing. |
Use principle Precision – tap toes same spot each time | ||
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ARMS TO A ‘T’ Scapula placement. Rest from table top. |
Core Muscles Deltoid Pectorals Latissimus Dorsi |
Lie supine on floor, knees bent, hip distance apart. Arms raised to ceiling, palms in. Inhale – Draw up pelvic floor, activate core Exhale – Arms open to the side and move toward the floor, making a T shape. Inhale – arms move back to starting position 6 – 8 Repetitions |
Picture the ball in your shoulder joint rolling as your arms move |
Can do single arm or alternate arms as progression Use principle Flow – movement is smooth |
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SINGLE LEG STRETCH Strengthen abdominal muscles. Give “gym goers” a challenge |
Core muscles Rectus Abdominus External Obliques Hip Flexor Quadriceps Adductors |
Lie supine on floor in table top. Hands placed on knees. Lift trunk into forward flexion. Inhale – draw up pelvic floor, activate core Exhale – extend one leg out to a diagonal Inhale – simultaneously change legs, places the hands on the bent knee. 6-8 Repetitions |
Push out from the toes to create “light legs” |
Keep torso still through-out the movement Use principle control – legs are controlled, not using momentum |
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LIFT UP SLIDE DOWN Movement of scapulae Return to neutral in case lost. |
Core Muscles Posterior Shoulder Girdle Scapulae |
Lie supine on floor, knees bent. Arms raised to the ceiling Inhale – draw up pelvic floor, activate core and elevate shoulders Exhale – depress shoulders 6-8 Repetitions |
Draw you shoulder blades in to kiss your spine then reach for the ceiling |
Progression – can do in Table Top Use principle of breathing, to support movement |
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KNEE DROPS Keep pelvis in neutral during movement (last supine exercise) |
Core Muscles Adductors |
Lie supine on floor in table top. Arms beside the body. Inhale – draw up pelvic floor, activate core Exhale – move knee away and lower, then return to centre 6-8 Repetitions |
Imagine a glass of water balancing on stationary leg |
Only lower the knee as far as can be controlled, so no rocking or lifting. Use principle of concentration – balancing glass |
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| *roll onto right side and come up into a seated position | ||||||
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C-CURVE ROLL DOWN PREP Core strength, Spinal mobility |
Core Muscles Rectus Abdominus External Obliques Deep neck Flexors |
Seated, legs bent, heels on floor Hand under thighs and sitting tall. Inhale – draw up pelvic floor, activate core, anterior tilt Exhale – roll back Inhale – return to starting position 6 – 8 Repetitions |
Create the letter ‘C’ with you back, scoop in abdomen. |
Only go as far as core can be controlled Use principle centring; centre yourself every time you reach the starting position. |
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| *roll onto right side and come into a 4 point kneeling position | ||||||
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CAT STRETCH Develop abdominal control Find neutral spine kneeling Increase lower back flexibility |
Core Muscles Serratus Anterior Rhomboids Trapezium Pectoralis Minor |
In 4-point kneeling. Hands under shoulder, hips over knees. Spine in neutral. Inhale – draw up pelvic floor, activate core Exhale – draw abdominal muscles in and arch spine into flexion. Inhale – reverse action 6 – 8 Repetitions
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Like a cat stretching |
Head and pelvis to follow natural alignment of spine Use principle of awareness, feeling the range of movement your body offers. |
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FRONTAL SUPPORT Stabilize trunk and shoulders |
Core Muscles Rectus Abdominus External Oblique Erector Spinae |
In 4 point kneeling. Inhale – Draw up pelvic floor, activate core and extend one leg to back of the room Exhale – Extend other leg back Hold for 2 – 3 breathes Inhale – Return one leg to kneeling Exhale – Return other leg to kneeling 4 – 6 Repetitions |
Picture you body strong as a plank of wood. Like the perfect push-up starting position. |
Can regress to one leg. Use principle of efficiency, working the body as a whole in one movement. |
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RISING SWAN Develop thoracic mobility and strength Shoulder stabilization (Balance the muscles, now working the back.) |
Core Muscles Erector Spinae Serratus Anterior Rhomboids Trapezium Pectoralis Major |
Lie prone, legs extended Arms at 90 degree angle at the elbow, scapulae retracted. Inhale – draw up pelvic floor, activate core. Exhale – lengthen thoracic spine and neck to lift upper back and lower to starting position. 4 – 6 Repetitions |
Extending up like an elegant swan. |
Keep glutes relaxed. Use principle of efficiency, only activate needed muscles. Can progress to straight arms |
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CHILDS POSE Stretch. Spinal flexion |
Core Muscles Gluteus Maximus Piriformis Hamstrings |
In kneeling position Inhale – draw up pelvic floor, activate core. Exhale -bring sit bones to the heels, knees can be slightly apart, forehead rests on the floor, arms extended in front. Hold for a few breaths |
Like a child curled up | |||
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*come into side lying position |
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CLAMS Develop gluteal activation Stabilize in side lying (Right Side) |
Core Muscles Gluteus Maximus Gluteus Medias |
Lying on side. Align hips, knees and ankles. Bottom arm out stretched and head lying on bicep. Top arm in front of floor. Inhale – Draw up pelvic floor, activate core, Exhale – open top leg keeping both heels together then return together 6 – 8 Repetitions |
Opening like a clam, heels glued together. |
Range of movement should be pain free and only as far as can be controlled. Use principle of control, return leg with-out “dropping” down. |
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OYSTERS develop gluteal activation |
Core Muscles Gluteus Maximus Gluteus Medias |
Lying on side. Align hips, knees and ankles. Bottom arm out stretched and head lying on bicep. Top arm in front of floor. Inhale – draw up pelvic floor, activate core Exhale – open top leg and lift knee with ankle aligned off bottom leg the return together. 6 – 8 Repetitions |
Imagine a rubber band tied around you ankles that you are stretching. |
Avoid any rotation Use principle of control |
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*roll to other side |
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CLAMS (Left side) AS ABOVE |
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OYSTERS (left side) AS ABOVE |
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*roll onto back |
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BUTTERFLY OPENINGS To re-centre and begin to relax. |
Core Muscles Shoulder Stabilizers Adductors |
Lie supine. Arms to ceiling, palms together. Knees bent and opened to the sides, ankles together. Inhale – hands open to the side downwards to the floor while knees draw in to centre. Exhale – Reverse the action 6 – 8 Repetitions |
Like a butterfly opening and closing it wings |
Range of movement only to where it is controlled. Start to unwind. Use principle harmony, feeling all the good work we have done. |
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RELAXATION To enhance harmony and relax the body |
2 – 3 minutes | |||||