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| Journey to the Center -- Workout |
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| Anyone can benefit from a Pilates workout. Here are 5 powerfully effective exercises recommended by Brooke Siler. No elaborate equipment is necessary; you perform them on a mat. Do this workout 2 to 3 times a week, and you'll be ready to take charge in no time.
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| Breathing |
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1.Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted firmly on the mat about hip-width apart. Make sure your feet are parallel and your heels are aligned beneath your knees. Raise your arms straight up with your palms facing away from you [A].
2.Inhale and lower your arms toward the mat while you pull your navel deep in toward your spine, squeeze your buttocks, and--using the muscles of the abdominal core--lift your hips off the mat. ("Imagine you're suspended from a ceiling by a sling around your hips that keeps your center lifted," says Siler.) Brace yourself against the mat with your arms reaching long by your sides [B]. |
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3.Hold the breath for 3 counts, keeping your hips lifted and your abs flat and engaged. Continue pulling in your belly so as not to let your ribs flare out. Take the weight off your neck by reaching it long, and avoid sinking your chin into your chest.
4.Keeping your navel pulled in toward your spine, exhale as you slowly raise your arms again straight up, and roll down on the mat, beginning with the upper back, then continuing with the middle back, and finally the lower back. Repeat 3 times. |
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