Every term at Ad Astra Yoga and Pilates the members are polled on the private Facebook group for what they’d like to focus on for the following term. This term they have opted to do Pilates moves for strength, so here’s what will be going on in class…
The peak pose – Teaser
The idea is that by the end of term we’re nailing the ‘peak pose’, and in the weeks running up to it, we build strength to prepare ourselves through other moves.
Teaser is number 22 in the classical order of the 34 original mat Pilates moves and some might say it’s the ultimate move for full-body control and core strength.
Deep core engagement: It fires up the ‘powerhouse’ of the body by targeting the deep transverse abdominal muscles, whilst also relying on the obliques and rectus abdominus.
Spinal mobility and articulation: Getting into Teaser takes gentle articulation of the spine, rolling up vertebra by vertebra. This keeps your spine supple and helps you maintain control.
Balance and coordination: Holding this V-shape challenges your coordination, breath control and mental focus – trust me!
Hip flexor and lower body control: Your quads, hip flexors and glutes are also working hard to keep the legs steady while in Teaser. This helps you maintain stability through day-to-day life.
The progressive moves
It’s best to at least warm up the core before attempting Teaser, and this term we’re building strength, so there’s lots of prep going on in the earlier weeks. These are the moves I’ve picked to progress towards the peak pose…
100s
The very first move in mat Pilates, The Hundreds refers to the number of times you pump your arms while holding your legs aloft.
Just as with Teaser, you’re hitting the deep and superficial core muscles, and all around the upper legs. And as with any Pilates move there are adaptations to make it more manageable. This involves varying the height of the legs and whether you bend the knees or not to vary the length of the lever. You can even move your arms further up to get an even longer lever.
Half roll back
And here’s the second classic mat Pilates move. More spinal articulation, specifically for your lumbar region, and more deep core activation. You just have to ensure you get that C-shape curve in your spine before you move.
This is a great foundational move for the roll up too…
Roll up
(I will try to replace this image with a video on the website)
Number three in the order… Rather than beginning in a sitting position like a half roll back, with the roll up we begin lying on our backs with arms overhead. As the arms move up and over the face, the head moves with them, steadily uncurling the spine and lifting the back, one vertebra at a time.
You then sit up straight when you get to the top, before leaning forward toward the toes, and then doing it all in reverse until we reach the starting position.
And to round off our Pilates moves for strength…
A couple of chains, just for fun!
Chain No.1 – Plank with knee to diagonal wrist, forearm plank with knee dip, forearm to side plank, and of course side plank with leg raise.
Chain No.2 – Supported dorsal raise, supported dorsal raise with leg lift/open/close, static dorsal raise with arm circles, and short plank pushing back toward the heels.
These chains will be filmed in class so if you want to see how they look, check them out on Facebook or Instagram.
By the end of term, we’ll all be feeling much stronger, and have better balance…
Have your say and join in
If you’re looking for a class where you get to have a say in what body functions or regions we work on join Ad Astra Yoga and Pilates by messaging me to book a free trial class. Then join the members group on Facebook and look out for the poll.