Posture perfect

Pilates is easy to do and increases your flexibility, thus, improving your overall posture. Madonna and Oprah Winfrey swear by it. Perhaps it’s about time you got started on it, too.

What is pilates

When Joseph H. Pilates devised a fitness programme during World War I to train injured soldiers, he didn’t imagine that the fitness form, then known as Contrology, would become such a rage across the world, years after his death. Simply put, Pilates is a form of exercise that targets the core areas of the body, i.e., the abdomen, back and the hips, thereby increasing flexibility and improving the overall posture.

The exercises focus on the core postural muscles, which help keep the body balanced and are essential for providing support to the spine. You don’t necessarily require fancy gym equipment to do these. The Pilates method utilises the whole body instead of isolating one particular muscle, which increases the level of resistance.

Teaser

This one strengthens your abdominal muscles, the focal point of Pilates exercises. Lie down on your back with your arms stretched above.

Lift both legs straight up in a 90 degree angle, pointing toes towards the ceiling. Inhale in this position.

Exhale, and moving your arms, lift your head till you reach a parallel position (see pic) between the arms and legs. Repeat on the other side with 1-3 repetitions.

Pelvic raises

Lie down on your back with your arms placed sideways. As you progress, take your arms all the way up and lift yourself up from the glutes (rear muscles), without arching your back, or moving your arms.

The movement should be: going up, squeezing the bottom, then going down.

A more intense and rigorous form of this exercise (Power Pilates) would be lifting the bottom along with the right leg. Do 5-10 repetitions. The exercise tones and strengthens your thighs.

 

 

Mermaid

This one’s highly recommended for stretching the back and the abs. Sit on your sides, with one leg placed over the other. Keeping one hand on the ground, lift the other in a ballerinalike curve, inhaling down and exhaling up as it moves.

The second part involves moving and stretching your legs like a mermaid’s fin.

Power Pilates would include lifting yourself from the abdominal area and stretching your body as you move.

Do 1-3 repetitions.

 

Side passé

Lie down sideways with your left leg placed over the right leg, supporting your head with the right elbow. Lift the left leg up and down and then bend the raised leg with the toes touching the right knee.

Just slide down the leg in the final position. Do 5-10 repetitions.

The exercise works on your outer and inner thighs and glutes. Make sure your stomach stays tucked in throughout the exercise.

 

Be a tree

Pilates exercises are often infused with elements of yoga. Sit in the padmasana position and fold both your hands. Inhale.

As you start exhaling, start raising your arms towards the ceiling, like a tree which is growing taller and taller. Now, spreading your fingers, start opening both your hands like you’re widening the branches, gradually assuming the namaskar position. Bring them down and stretching them, bring them forward clasping both your palms, imagining all this while that you’re hugging a large tree. The exercise strengthens your spine by stretching it and relaxes your body.

 

Caution: Do not try these exercises without expert supervision.