I added this chapter to give you 25 more total body Pilates and core exercises. You’ll find some very unique moves in chapter 3 that I’ve used in my live classes with amazing results for my athletes. I love to try out new moves and sequences in my classes to get a feel for them with a live group. It’s like being in a Pilates chemistry lab. It’s safe to say these 25 moves received very high marks from my students with the extra emphasis on flexibility training and balance. Practice them all and be in awe at your increase in speed, power and elasticity. Turn the page and let’s get started! Practice, practice and practice - everything worthwhile must be earned.
Targets: core, balance (!), spine, hamstrings, arms and calves
Begin in extended boat with your legs a little wider than hip width. Grab the ankles. Grabbing the feet is way more challenging. You may leave this move out if you have neck issues or it just scares the heck out of you.
Inhale, tuck your chin, round the upper back (c-curve) and roll back to your shoulders one vertebrae at a time. Don’t go past your shoulders to your neck. Inhale and roll back to the starting position. So much happening in this exercise.
Targets: core, hips, hamstrings and calves
GRIND your abs! Extend your right leg up and left leg forward, place the fingertips on the back of your head and peel the head and shoulders off the mat. Modify by placing the hands under your hips, bending the left leg and placing the foot on the floor or bending the right knee.
Inhale and circle the right leg in either direction. Draw a circle the size of a frisbee. Keep extending the left leg forward. Exhale as the leg returns to the original position. Do 10 reps in each direction and then switch legs. I want to see sparks flying off the abdominals during each circle.
Targets: core (obliques), hip flexors, hamstrings and calves
Exhale and extend the legs skyward, heels together and toes apart with your arms out to the side. Arms to the sides or bring the head off the mat and place the fingers gently on the back of the head for more of a challenge.
Inhale, flex the feet (heels together, toes pointed out) and lower the legs while keeping the lower back on the mat. Listen to your lower back for how low you should go. Exhale, point the feet and return to the original position.
Exhale and sway the legs to the right keeping the lower back down. Inhale back to the center and lower the legs again. Exhale and return to starting position.
Continue exhaling, pendulum the legs to the left and inhale back to the center. If those breaths are too long you may pause at the top and take an extra breath before proceeding. Do 5-10 reps of each move. Each time you return to starting position is one rep.
Targets: core, shoulders, arms and forearms
Yes, Pilates does have it’s own plank. Patent pending. Begin in forearm plank with a slight grin on your face…or not.
Exhale and press forward and dip the upper body down so your nose touches your fingers. Give the arms, shoulders and abs an extra squeeze. Inhale and return to forearm plank. Do 10-20 reps. Switch the breath pattern if you wish. I do it all the time to stay focused.
Targets: core, shoulders, arms, gluteus and forearms
Begin in the beautiful forearm plank. Take an inhale prep.
Exhale, press forward while lifting the right leg and dip the upper body down so your nose touches your fingers. Give the arms, shoulders, gluteus and abs an extra squeeze. Inhale and return to forearm plank. Do 10-20 reps on both sides.
Targets: core, shoulders, arms, forearms, gluteus and legs
Let’s take it even a little further. Spider-Man’s will always make it tougher. Begin in the gorgeous forearm plank once again. Don’t you just love forearm plank? I do and am holding it while I write this description.
Exhale, draw your right leg out to the side, press forward and dip the upper body down so your nose touches your fingers. Give the arms, shoulders, gluteus and abs an extra squeeze. Inhale and return to forearm plank. Do 10-20 reps on both sides. You may also do this from classic plank.
Targets: core, shoulders, chest and arms
Begin in plank position with your hands directly under the shoulders, your chin slightly tucked and the heels pressed back. Inhale prep.
Exhale and lower down leading with your chest. Pull the elbows towards your sides and hover a couple inches off the floor. Inhale and press back up to plank position. Do 10-20 reps. Move with precision and keep a little bend in the elbows in plank. Push-ups are a MUST for any athlete!
Targets: core, shoulders, arms, chest and gluteus
From plank position (shoulders and heels drawn back) inhale prep, exhale, lift the right leg and slowly lower down leading with the chest.
Keep your body parallel to the ground, the chin slightly tucked and the elbows pulled inward. Inhale as you rise back up and set the right foot down when returning to plank position. Do 10-20 reps alternating the leg on each push up. You may also pull the legs out into a Spider-Man push up for a KILLER add on!
Targets: core and hamstrings
Behold this beautiful abdominal BURNER. Cross the right ankle over the left and place the fingertips gently on the back of the head with the elbows facing outwards.
Exhale and circle around to the right and inhale back at the starting position. Keep the elbows to the outside and use your abdominals to power you, not the fingers. Extend the legs for a deep hamstring stretch. Cross the left ankle over the right to circle to the left. Do 10 reps on each side.
Targets: core, hamstrings, back, shoulders, calves and inner thighs
Inhale and begin in extended boat with the feet slightly more open than hip width. Relax the shoulders down and keep the jaw loose. We sabotage many exercises by keeping too much tension in our jaws and face.
Exhale and slowly lower down into a wide straddle stretch and extend the arms forward and out in a wide extension. Press the backs of the knees down and flex the feet. Inhale and return to extended boat with control and panache. Do 10-20 reps. You may also reach the arms back into mudra stretch during the straddle for an extra shoulder/chest stretch.
Targets: core and everything else!
Very thorough move that works as a warm up, cool down or any time in between. Sound good? Begin standing with the shoulders back and down and the eyes forward. Feet hip width and on the back of your mat.
Exhale and dive down into forward fold. Keep the knees slightly bent and roll your weight forward into the tips of the toes for maximum stretch. Relax the neck. Inhale prep.
Exhale and walk the hands out into plank position. Hands under the shoulders and shoulders pulled back away from the ears.
Inhale prep, exhale and slowly lower down striking a hover pose for a second…what a glorious second it is too. Elbows hugging the sides and squeezing the abdominals. Keep the chin slightly tucked.
Once all the way down inhale into superman pose. Hold for an extra breath then retrace your steps back to the original position - press up to plank and walk the hands back and rise up to standing. Do 5-10 reps. Take it slow and engage those muscles!
Targets: core, legs, spine and gluteus
Big move here combining 2 yoga poses. Feet hip width and arms to the sides. Inhale, tilt your pelvis up and peel the spine off the mat one vertebrae at a time until you arrive at the bridge. The weight should shift to your shoulders. Exhale and slowly lower back down one vertebrae at a time again.
On the next exhale engage the core and lift up into boat pose or keep the knees bent in half boat pose. Hold for an extra breath. Exhale and slowly roll back down the spine into the bridge prep. Take it slow and really engage the core throughout. Do 5-10 reps. Work on smoothing the transition.
Targets: core, back, gluteus, shoulders and arms
Oh yeah, here comes a unique variation. Inhale and begin in superman pose. Lift it all towards the sky…all of it except the head and neck. Point the top of the head forward. A lengthened neck is a happy neck.
Exhale and using your core roll onto your side while bringing the legs slightly forward (just like a banana) and arms overhead. Smiling is optional. Enjoy all the potassium. Inhale and return to superman.
Exhale and smoothly roll to the other side recreating the banana once again. Find the balance…the banana balance. Sorry, that’s the last pithy comment I shall make. Inhale back to superman. Do 10-20 reps. Big endurance move here.
Targets: core, arms, shoulders and legs
This is a more advanced move to be sure - so proceed with caution. Leave these moves out if you have neck issues. Use your abs to bring the legs up while extending the arms overhead. For more support you can place the arms to your sides. Inhale and extend the legs to the sky and exhale while extending the arms away from you. Relax your neck and jaw and keep the eyes upward.
For a bigger challenge bring your arms off the mat and extend them to the sky. Work your balance, breath and stamina in one move…this one! Keep the neck relaxed and tuck the chin. Balance on your shoulders and upper back. The legs keep extending and lifting. I like to read in this position.
Ok, the control balance is considered to be one of the most challenging Pilates exercises ever. If you can comfortably hold the candlestick you might progress to this doozy. Exhale and bring the right foot to your awaiting hands. Hold for an extra breath while extending the left leg upward.
Inhale and switch the legs. Keep your core engaged so the position is stable. Exhale and bring the left foot to the hands. You got it! Keep your neck relaxed. Do 6-12 reps. Make sure you brag to your friends if you nail this one. Take a photo. TAG me too. Thanks!
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Targets: core, arms, chest, quads, calves and shoulders
We had to do at least one photo outside. Exhale and lace the fingers together in mudra and bend the knees 90 degrees. Flex the feet and lift your heals to the sky. Tuck your chin slightly and try to lift the knees and thighs off the mat.
Inhale and release down to the mat. Exhale and return to the original pose. You may also reverse the breath. Do 10-20 reps and focus on lengthening your arms further into the mudra with each repetition.
Targets: core, arms, shoulders and legs (great stamina building move)
Nothing too involved here other than this killer hold to build some crazy stamina and strength in your core. Keep the lower back flat and the arms next to the ears. Flex the abs on each exhale, point the toes and squeeze the heels together. Add the heel beats if you desire. Modify by bending the knees or placing the fingertips behind the head for support. Hold for 5-10 breaths…DEEP breaths.
Hey, allow me to let y’all in on a little secret…if you chop the arms and legs you will create what I like to call the “reverse swimming” exercise. It will feel (and look strange) at first but find the rhythm and REAP the benefits! See how easy it is to add new moves and variations onto existing ones in Pilates? It’s why bodyweight training is so effective, challenging and fun.
Targets: core, shoulders, chest, arms, hamstrings, calves and spine.
Inhale and begin in boat pose with the left leg crossed over the right and the arms extended forward.
Shoulders relaxed down and chest open.
Exhale and move into spine stretch while circling your arms back into mudra. Point the top of the head forward. Press the back of the left leg into the mat. Inhale prep.
Exhale, engage the core and roll back into the rollover. Inhale and switch the legs so the right is over the left. Inhale prep. Exhale and roll up to the starting position but with the right leg on top. Whew, this is a full body barn burner! Do 5-10 reps. Master the boomerang and you’ve reached a special Pilates echelon.
Targets: core, hamstrings, calves, spine, chest and shoulders
Fantastic stretch with a core and posture boost. Legs together, toes towards you and the fingers brushing the floor by the hips…take an inhale prep.
Exhale and extend forward, sliding the fingers across the mat and tucking the chin.
Inhale and extend the upper body up and the arms overhead. Keep those toes flexed to activate the calves.
Exhale as you open the arms out to the sides in cactus stretch. Open the chest and slide the shoulders down your back. Inhale prep and repeat the exercise. Do 5-10 reps. This is a fantastic warm up and cool down exercise. In the next edition of this book I might just add the entire Pilates rowing series for your enjoyment. So much to do, so little time.
Targets: core, shoulders, arms and gluteus
We just can’t have a Pilates book without including swimming. Inhale and lift the opposite arm and leg while keeping the hips square to the ground and the eyes to the mat. Let the top of your head extend forward. Exhale and slowly lower the arm and leg.
Inhale and lift the the other arm and leg. Do 10-20 reps or speed it up by chopping the arms and legs while breathing in for 5 counts and exhaling for 5 counts. Do 50-100 with the chopping and feel that beautiful back, gluteus and shoulder burn. Also a nice cardio treat by raising the heart rate.
Targets: stretches the abs, back, shoulders, quads and chest
I had to add this one as a finisher to stretch out and release those abdominals after an invigorating Pilates for Athletes workout! Keep the shoulders back and down and the chest open while giving the thighs and gluteus and good squeeze on each exhale. Add a little twist to the pose by twisting side to side with either the legs stacked or cross one leg over the other. Keep your shoulders and arms engaged during the movement. Do it as long as you like to cool off those well worked abdominals. For a final muscle shredder inhale to up dog and exhale down into a push up. Do 10-20 reps for a total muscle and stretch burnout.
Watch for this pose and over a hundred more yoga poses, 25 total flows and complete athlete’s training log in my bestselling book, Power Yoga for Athletes from Fair Winds Press available wherever books are sold and at SeanVigueFitness.com/pyfa. It’s the perfect companion and ‘on the go’ training manual with Pilates for Athletes. Train hard and train smart, my friends!
Now that you’ve mastered these 40+ exercises, let’s turn the page and dive into 5 comprehensive Pilates workouts to elevate your physical and mental abilities through the roof!