Pilates Benefits

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Ashley Ludman from Seaside Yoga here today to tell you a little bit about Pilates. First, if you've never tried Pilates I would recommend finding an instructor in your area who has experience and is certified to teach Pilates. You will find that there are some classes that are mat-based classes and some classes that are equipment-based, just depending on what style you're interested in. So, in order to first get an understanding of Pilates, Pilates is a form of exercise that empowers your core center. So, think of this as your powerhouse, your deep abdominal muscles. From this stability, you'll also find movement. So, as we first learned to breathe in Pilates, it's imperative that you pull the breath up into your upper rib cage and lungs. Instead of letting the belly fill, engage the belly to pull the breath upward. So, the breath expands posteriorly into the back of the ribs and laterally into the sides of the rib cage. You can start by placing your hands to your ribs and take a breath in. See if you can open the breath in this way. Breathing in through the nose and you can exhale either through the nose or through the mouth. Make a strong connection with your deep core. As you do this, you want to make sure you are not tightening and tensing the upper chest, neck, or jaw. Just do this a few times. Once you get the understanding of the breathing and the centering of the breath, then you'll come down onto your back. I'll demonstrate the first exercise which is called the hundred beats. This is an exercise to help stabilize the pelvis, the lower spine. As the same time, you're engaging the upper rib cage muscles and increasing the heat preparing for the rest of the exercises. So, we'll begin on our back with neutral spine which means you have a nice natural curve to your lower back. Bring your arms down to your lower back. Bring your arms down by your back over the floor and as you exhale, scoop the belly, just like we did in sitting and draw the rib cage in to lift the head and shoulders. Now, if this is too much on the neck, just place your neck back down. But if it's not, you can sustain this hold, using the strength from your core, not the strength from your neck. So, you start to pulse the arms down breathing in for five beats and exhale like you have the scoop hallowing out your belly for five beats. If this is comfortable for you you can go another level then you'll pick up your knees, hover your knees over your hips, and keep breathing like this. If you would like to advance the exercise you can extend the leverage of your legs continuing your breath. In for five beats, exhaling for five beats. The reason this is called hundred beats is because you'll perform that breath 10 times and you'll reach one hundred."