Pilates Ball Exercise: Knee Bends

Video Transcript

"This exercise is designed to work the hamstrings, of course in every exercise in Pilates; we're always working the ribcage and the abdominals, as well as the back. So, what you're going to do is take a nice inhale, and exhale, push the ball out, inhale, bringing it back in. Now, we're going to try it with the reversed breathing, we're going to inhale to, inhale push the ball out, exhale, use the abs to bring the ball in, inhale out, and exhale in. Now, if you're taking some tension in your neck because you're using your abs and it thinks it's attached, just go ahead and gently rock your neck from side to side. A more advanced version of this exercise is to go ahead and keep your feet on the ball, and push up into pelvic press. This is very difficult, even in this position; you can feel the hamstrings begin to contract. Take a nice inhale, push the ball out, and exhale, pull it back in, inhale, push out, exhale, in, one more time, come all the way up, exhale out, and inhale in, and come down."