GRACE PILATES

1. BREATHING

Starting Position: Sit in an upright position with knees bend.

Benefits: Warming up the body and improving overall circulation.

Inhale: Head nod

Ehale: Slowly roll your spine over your knee, while sliding your hands down towards your ankles.

Inhale: Keeping your head down, slowly roll your spine back to starting position and straightening your neck at the end.

 

Repeat for 8 counts.

 

 

2. SPINE TWIST

Starting Position: Lay down on  your right side with knees bended, arms extended at shoulder level

Benefits: Releasing tension in the spine. Allowing for more mobility in the trunk area.

Inhale: Raise your arm to the ceiling, fingers reaching upwards.

Exhale: Twist your spine to the left as you bring your arm back. Focus on twisting from the middle of your spine, ensuring your hips remain stack one on top of another.

Inhale: Contract your abdominals and bring your torso and arm back to starting position.

 

Complete 5 reps.

 

Repeat on the left side.

 

 

3. SCAPULAR ISOLATION

Starting Position: Starting Position: On your hands and knees. Check that your wrists are directly under your shoulders and your hips are directly under your knees. Spine in neutral position.
Benefits: Releasing tension in the shoulders.

Inhale: Gently retract your shoulders. Focusing on your shoulder blades gliding closer to each other and sliding down towards your spine.

Exhale: Protract your shoulders. Focusing on your shoulder blades gliding away from one another each other along the sides of your chest.

 

Complete 5 reps.

 

 

4. CAT TO COW STRETCH

Starting Position: On your hands and knees. Check that your wrists are directly under your shoulders and your hips are directly under your knees. Spine in neutral position.

Benefits: Releasing tension in the spine. Strengthens the arms and abdominal muscles.

Inhale: Sequentially articulate your spine such that you come up to a cat stretch. Contracting your deep abdominal muscles at the height of the arch.

Exhale: Sequentially roll your spine to go pass your neutral spine and coming up into a cow stretch. Focus on your chest and shoulder muscles opening and relaxing as you relax your spine and sink your abdominals in. 

 

Complete 5 reps.