Wednesday's Workout

For all you pilates fans out there, this Wednesday's Workout is a pilates mat class! Pilates is a method of exercise created by Joseph Pilates, focusing on the core postural muscles. Pilates also incorporates breathing techniques and increases flexibility. Although pilates can incorporate equipment, basic pilates is done on a mat with no equipment. Try these traditional pilates exercises at home to strengthen your core and increase flexibility:

The Hundred: Start lying on the floor or a mat on your back. Pull abs up and in like you are trying to zip a pair of tight pants. Bend your knees and keeping your knees and legs together. Take your feet off the floor so you shins are now parallel to the floor and knees are directly over hips. Lift head, neck and shoulders off the mat and lift arms off the floor but keep them straight and by your side. Start pumping arms up and down in small pulses up and down while breathing in for five breaths. Continue pumping arms and breath out for five breaths. Repeat this exercise ten times.

Advanced Option- Extend legs out to a 45 degree angle and do the exercise with legs straight.

To see a video of the hundred click here.

The Plank: Start lying on your stomach on the mat. Put your hands underneath your shoulders and push yourself up into a pushup position. Pull abs in and up and hold. For a modification either drop onto your knees instead of having legs straight (as if doing a pushup on you knees) or instead of using straight arms, drop down onto your forearms but keep legs straight. Try to hold the plank for 30 seconds to one minute while keeping your body in a straight line.

To see a video of the plank click here.

Obliques: Start by lying on your back with legs straight. Lift your legs two inches off the floor. Lift head, neck and shoulders up off the floor with hands behind the head as if performing a crunch. Bend the right leg and bring the right knee in towards your chest while simultaneously bringing your left elbow to right knees. Then switch legs and bring left knee in while bringing right knee towards left knee. Keep switching legs until you have done 10-20 repetitions.

To see a video of the oblique exercise click here.

For a complete at-home pilates workout. Check out these three ten minute videos from Pilates on Fifth:

Pilates Workout 1

Pilates Workout 2

Pilates Workout 3

Trying doing all three for a great 30 minute workout!