Rag Doll Pilates Exercise

Video Transcript

"This standing Pilates exercise is called the Rag Doll. This is great for stretching out those hamstrings, the lower back, and we're going to really focus on the breathe. So this is a good exercise that you can perform before you start any other Pilates exercises. So, your feet are hip width apart. Pull your abdominal muscles in. Shoulders back and down. And inhale, exhale. Start with your head, then your neck, then your upper back, your lower back. Look at your belly button, and then just hang as far down as you can. Inhale as you hold this stretch, then exhale. Draw your belly in, pulling up one vertebra at a time, and your head is the last to come up. Now to make it a little bit more challenging, take your feet into a Pilates stance, and then you're really going to feel a deeper stretch in your hamstrings and in your lower back. So, you want to really focus on bringing your chest as close to the thighs as possible, and then as you come up draw the belly in. The head is the last to come up, and that is your Rag Doll."