Pilates Practitioner 101: Summer Power for Weeks 39-40
Regaining Power
This week, I’ve continued to go to my Pilates class, and my Hydro Pilates classes for the past two weeks. Although I still feel a bit tired with my summer cold, and regaining my strength, I’ll resume my home practice for Pilates this weekend, picked up where I left off, and still continue to take things slow for the rest of the summer season and into Labor Day Weekend.
There's three various levels of doing the side plank for beginning Pilates Practitioners to work on the mat and practice
For Home or at the gym, the Pilates Ring is a Versatile Prop to add Some Variety to Your Routines
More Mid-Summer Fun in Pilates Class
To kick off my summer Pilates session last week, after some time off, we’ve returned to our regular mat routines with the rings again for another full Pilates routine. We’ve warmed up with our arms over in a stretch and did some new leg extension exercises, including a spine stretch by tilting our legs to the right and to the left. We’ve also did a bunch of exercises with the rings: the 100 on our back and with the ring, the criss-cross, the roll-ups and mini peel-ups, the single and double leg stretch, the single straight leg stretch. We’ve also added 1 swimming cycle, the sidekick series with the hot potato, the double leg lowers, the side sashay/reverse side sashay, the bicycle and backpedal, and the single and double leg circles to our routine. We’ve also pressed down on the rings for balance. We’ve also done some neck tucks too and the scissor kicks.We’ve also did some planks with pulsing our feet with bent and extended arm, side plank with the mermaid stretch, side plank on bent and extended arms and/or legs, side one-leg planks, some cat-cows, and finished it with the Pilates stance.
Full speed ahead for my next mid-summer Pilates session, this week, we’ve returned to our regular mat routines, sans rings. We’ve warmed up with our arms over in a stretch and did the angel wings, and did some new leg extension exercises, including a spine stretch by tilting our legs to the right. We’ve also did a bunch of exercises—the 100 on our stomachs, on our backs and at tabletop, the criss-cross, the roll-ups and mini peel-ups, the single and double leg stretch, the single straight leg stretch, the V-sit stretch, and rolled like a ball with both opened and closed legs We’ve also added 1 swimming cycle the sidekick series with the hot potato, the double leg lowers and raises, the side sashay/reverse side sashay, the bicycle and backpedal, and the single and double leg circles to our routine with some mini chest lifts, the saw and the spinal twist. We’ve also did some planks with pulsing our feet with bent and extended arm, side plank with one and both arms, some forward folds with the mermaid stretch, and finished it with the Pilates stance.
Splashing Down in Hydro Pilates
Note: Next week, the pools will be closed at the gym for a week, due to their annual pool maintenance. I’ll return to my Hydro Pilates class in 1.5 weeks, after I have a week off from class.
For my 25th Hydro Pilates session, we’ve warmed up with some body twists and side stretches in the pool. We’ve did some knee raises, leg lifts, squats with straight and bent legs, and some press and pull side stretches on both sides, and the hinge stretch. We’ve also did the plank and the one-legged plank by pulsing our feet in the water, and we’ve also done it with one leg circle on both sides. On the steps, we’ve done some planks and reverse planks with crossed legs and leg raises/lowers, even with one arm. We’ve also did arm circles and the side plank with some side swerves, chair squats, and side knee pulls up with some new balancing exercises, along with the bicycle/backpedal exercises and the side sashay/reverse sashays. We’ve also did the tree pose, in which I was able to balance pretty steady on my right leg. To finish out the session, we’ve did the mermaid side stretch and the spinal twist and the Pilates stance.
For my 26th Hydro Pilates session, we’ve had our sub today, (the same one from May) to fill in for the class. We’ve warmed up with some breathing exercises, body twists and side stretches with some leg lifts and lunges. We’ve did some squats with straight and bent legs, and some press and pull side stretches on both sides, and the hinge lunge. We’ve also did the plank, the side plank with one arm, and some push-ups and side push-ups, inward and outward arm ovals and circles, and the one-legged plank by pulsing our feet in the water, and also did it with one leg circle on both sides, We’ve also did the tree pose, in which I was able to balance pretty steady on my right leg. We’ve also done the fly, knee kicks, some balance poses and other various exercises that have slipped my mind. To finish out the session, we’ve did the mermaid side stretch and the Pilates stance.
