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Category: Pilates, Yoga & Tai Chi

The August Five

Fluid Movement & Massage offers five moves each month that incorporate yoga, Pilates, and strength exercises to help you build strength and increase your flexibility.

1) Lion Drinking

 

From hands and knees, inhale as you slowly bend your elbows to lower your nose towards the ground. Exhale to press back up (this is a smaller move than a push up, keep your back flat and shoulders wide.

2) Thread the Needle

From hands and knees, inhale as you extend right arm out to the side. Exhale and reach under your left arm, look to the left. Spine twist, hip stabilization.

3) Bridge

Lying on your back. Exhale as you press into your heels and curl your pelvis up towards the ceiling. Inhale here then exhale to slowly lower back down. Spine articulation.

4) Scissors

On your back. Round head and shoulders off the mat and hold on behind your right leg, extend left leg out away from you. Inhale and drag your left leg towards you, exhale and switch legs. Active hamstring stretch, hip and shoulder stabilization.

5) Yoga Dancer

Stand on your left foot and extend your left arm to the ceiling (or hold on to a wall for balance).  Hold your right foot with your right hand or a strap and gently pull your foot straight back behind you allowing your hip and quad to stretch.

Client Testimonial – Pilates

I recently received this testimonial from a client. I sure do love hearing success stories like these!

 

I started doing Pilates on my own after rupturing my achilles tendon, having surgery, etc. I bought a book (did a lot of research and found one that was excellent) and was able to stay in amazingly good shape while I recovered. I then went to the reformer class in Seattle, which I loved. Then I moved down here and found you through Yelp.

I was a little nervous about taking a “mat” class vs. the reformer and was concerned that I wouldn’t get the same level of workout. Boy, was I wrong. You really are a gifted teacher, Anne. Your commitment to your profession is an inspiration – I’m always impressed by the fact that you’re constantly learning new things and incorporating them into our class. The class is never the same (so we don’t get bored), you always give very good “visuals” to help us do things correctly and it’s a GREAT workout.

I REALLY, REALLY appreciate you and am so, so happy to have found you. I have noticed that my arms are much stronger. All those pilates push-ups that I hate have helped me a great deal – Ha! 🙂 My spine is also healthier than it’s ever been!

The July Five

 

Each month I assign my clients five exercises to work on everyday. Last month we did a leg focus. This month we work upper body, core, standing balance, and a hip stretch. Here are a few of my yoga ladies demonstrating these exercises. Try going through these once on your own this week and let me know if you have any questions. For more details descriptions of these exercises click here.

1) Criss Cross

Right elbow to your left knee. Switch sides.

2) Medicine Ball Push Up:

One hand on a medicine ball. 5 – 10 push ups, then switch hands.

3) Big Twist:

Press up into a side bend.

Twist your feet and reach under (like a one armed down dog). *Note this third photo is taken from the other side.

Slowly lower back to the ground.

This is the most complicated of the five – I am happy to show you this personally the next time I see you.

 

4) Warrior III:

Stand on one leg, lift back leg, shoulders down.

5) Pigeon:

From hands and knees, slide your right knee forward and slowly lower your hips.

 

If you have tight hips place a block or pillow under your hip for support. If you feel pain in your knee stop immediately. You should feel this stretching your hip.

Six Exercises to Relieve Low Back Pain

I had an interesting experience this week while training one of my couples. They had been out of town for a few weeks on a road trip so I was excited to see them and planned an awesome strength session which included some of the husband’s favorite leg exercises plus theraband, and Swiss ball moves. This couple is very athletic, getting in some form of activity- walking, elliptical, Pilates or strength work – most days of the week. My challenge in working with them is designing a program that they both enjoy that includes elements of stabilization, strength, cardio and flexibility while helping both of them reach their fitness goals.

When I arrived at their house the husband reported low back pain so I threw my plan out the window and we spent an hour working on basic stabilization exercises, core strength and flexibility. After our session they both felt like that got a good workout and stretch, and he reported reduced back pain. I learned to come prepared AND be prepared to adjust my plan based on what is going on with my client that day. If his back is feeling better this week we will resume a more rigorous strength program.

Do you suffer from low back pain?

Here is a video of yours truly demonstrating a basic back stabilization program that includes the following:

Swimming

Thread the Needle

Lion Drinking

Cobra

Single Leg Kick

Flight

Try going through these moves on your own and let me know if you have any questions.

 

 

 

 

 

The June Five

Who wants sexy summer legs? Shorts weather is just around the corner and these moves are designed to get your gams in shape. Try for one minute of each of these moves a few days this week.

On Friday my courthouse Pilates class got to try out this month’s five and Cindy and Dan were coerced volunteered to model a few of these for me. Check them out doing the Reverse Warrior and Calf Raises below.

 

1) Goddess Pose (Wide Leg Squat):

  • Stand with feet apart, inhale and arms extended overhead.
  • Exhale and bend your knees to sit into a squat as you draw your elbows in and down.
  • Make sure your knees stay right over your ankles.
  • Builds leg and arm strength, hip flexibility.

2) Reverse Warrior:

  • Stand in a lunge (Warrior II) with right foot front, left foot at a 45º angle, hips face the side wall.
  • Stretch your right arm up towards the ceiling, rest left hand on your back leg.
  • Strengthens legs, stretches shoulders and hips.

3) Step Ups:

 

  • Stand in front of a low step or bench.
  • Step right foot up onto the bench, then step back down.  If you have healthy knees try jumping up and back down.  One minute, moving at a pace that feels challenging.
  • Strengthens legs, improves balance.

4) Calf Raises:

  • Stand with feet together.
  • Lift both heels, then slowly lower.  Ten standing on both feet, then lift one foot – ten on each leg.
  • Strengthens calves and ankles, improves balance.

5) Chair Pose:

  • Stand with feet together.
  • Inhale and stretch your arms up towards the ceiling.
  • Exhale and bend your knees as if to sit on a chair behind you.  Hold for one minute.
  • Strengthens legs and back and stretches shoulders.