Pilates Practitioner 101: Summer Stamina for Weeks 37-38

This week, I’ve returned to Pilates class after some time off, especially due to weather conditions. I did return to my Hydro Pilates class on and off, during the past two to three weeks. Although I’m a bit tired with my summer cold, and regaining my strength, I hope to resume my home practice for Pilates next weekend and take things slow for the rest of the summer season.

To kick off my summer Pilates session this 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 stomachs and with the ring, the chest lift with and without rotation, 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 2 swimming cycles, the sidekick series with the hot potato, the double leg lowers and single leg lowers for top and bottom leg, single and double leg drop, the side sashay/reverse side sashay, the bicycle and backpedal, and the single and double leg circles to our routine. We’ve also moved the ring around between our knees and legs, in which I had trouble with, since they weren’t strong enough. We’ve also done some neck tucks too. We also suspended them with our feet and watched them drop to our ankles. 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, some downward dog and cat-cows, and finished it with the Pilates stance.

For my 22nd Hydro Pilates session, we’ve warmed up with some body twists and side stretches in the cold water of the pool. We’ve did some knee raises, leg lifts, squats with straight and bent legs a new exercise when we pulled our arms back in a lunge for both sides, and some press and pull side stretches on both sides, knee pull-ups, and the hinge stretch. We’ve also did the plank and the one-legged plank by pulsing our feet in the water, and also did it with one leg circles on both sides. We’ve also did arm circles and the side plank to do some some bicycle/backpedal exercises and the side sashay/reverse sashays. The two new exercises we've done were the reverse plank against the pool with standing on our toes and extended our legs. We’ve also did the tree pose, in which I was able to balance on my right leg. We’ve also did the Warrior stretches with Warrior 3, a set of the press and pull stretch pose, and the chair squat pose in the water, too. To finish out the session, we’ve did the mermaid side stretch and the spinal twist and the Pilates stance.

For my 23rd Hydro Pilates session, we’ve used the resistance bands to warm 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 reverse plank on the step with crossing our feet, 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 arm circles and the side plank and reverse side plank on the steps after we’ve done some bicycle/backpedal exercises and the side sashay/reverse sashays. The one exercise we’ve did was the knee pull-ups and the pulse center exercises We’ve also did the tree pose, in which I was able to balance pretty steady on my right leg. We’ve also did the Warrior stretches, a set of crossed-leg planks, knee-ups and leg lifts on the pool steps with the reverse plank. To finish out the session, we’ve did the mermaid side stretch and the spinal twist and the Pilates stance.

For my 24th Hydro Pilates session, we’ve warmed up with some body twists and side stretches. 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 also did it with one leg circle on both sides. We’ve also did arm circles and the side plank to do some some bicycle/backpedal exercises and the side sashay/reverse sashays. The two new exercise we've done were the knee pull-ups and the pendulum. We’ve also did the tree pose, in which I was able to balance pretty steady on my right leg without using the pool edge. We’ve also done some new exercises: bent and straight leg raises, knee pull-ups and lean-back balance pose. We’ve also done a crossed leg squat in the water. To finish out the session, we’ve did the mermaid side stretch and the Pilates stance.