IDEAL POSTURE

BENEFITS OF PILATES
• Whole-Body-Fitness
• Stretches for a limber body
• Creates strength without bulk
• Increases flexibility
• Develops core strength
• Improves posture and alignment
• Increases energy
• Promotes weight loss, long and lean
appearance
• Increases awareness – body and mind
connection
• Control for strength and stability
• Create an evenly conditioned body, improve
sports performance, and prevent injuries
• Great stress relieving exercise
• Adaptable to many fitness levels and needs
 DIFFERENCE
MAT PILATES PILATES EQUIPMENT
• exercises using only • spring based equipment
your own body as to support and advance
resistance. the body.
• especially nice when • designed to help you
you are travelling or learn the method more
just don’t have access to efficiently and to allow
any equipment your body lots of
different variations to
do different
movements.
 FIVE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF
PILATES
1. BREATHING
 Helps circulate blood
 Relax your mind and body
 Relax the muscles to avoid
unnecessary tension
 PRINCIPLE OF BREATHING
A. NOTICE NATURAL BREATH PATTERN
1. Chest Breather
2. Belly Breather
B. BREATHING FLEXED FORWARD
- 3 - Dimensional breathing pattern
C. LATERAL RIB CAGE BREATHING
- Inhale, expand the rib cage out and up
- Exhale, close the rib cage down and in
D. ACTIVATION OF TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS
- it helps you to protect and support the back
2.PELVIC PLACEMENT
A. Neutral
 Natural curve of lumbar spine
 ASIS and Pubic Symphysis lie approximately in a
horizontal plane drawn parallel to the floor
 Promotes good shock absorption
 Used during closed-kinetic chain activities
B. Imprinted
 Slight posterior pelvic tilt with slight lumbar
flexion cannot be maintained
 Involves shortening obliques without activation of
glutes
 Used during open-kinetic chain activities
3.RIB CAGE PLACEMENT
 emphasis is put on breathing into the
posterior and lateral aspect of the rib
cage
 maintaining abdominal engagement
and not popping the ribs
 used to keep the spine neutral and
stable
4.SCAPULAR MOVEMENT
AND STABILIZATION

 the scapulae should lie flat on the rib

cage and glide across without winging
 It helps you to build stability
 For mobilization, avoid neck and
shoulder pain
5.HEAD AND CERVICAL
PLACEMENT
 Head 14 to 16 pound heavy and its
connected to our thoracic spine
 Weight transfer
 Wherever your heart, body goes your head
follows
 To avoid necessary tension of the neck
GENERAL WARM UP OF PILATES
• Breathing
• Imprint and Release
• Hip Release
• Spinal Rotation
• Cat Stretch
• Hip Rolls
• Scapula Isolation
• Arm Circles
• Head Nods
• Elevation and Depression of Scapula
 ESSENTIAL MATWORK
• Ab Prep
• Breast Stroke Preps 1 2 3
• Shell Stretch
• Hundred
• Half Roll Back
• Roll Up
• One Leg Circle
• Spine Twist
• Rolling Like A Ball
• Single Leg Stretch
• Obliques
• Roll Over Prep
• Spine Stretch Forward
• Swan Dive Prep
• Shell Stretch

** exercise to be accomplished within 5 sessions **

 CUEING FOR PILATES
• proper cueing for your method of exercise is
crucial for effective instruction which will best
results for your clients.
• Experts agree that Pilates instructors need an
extensive repertoire of cues, including broad
categories of tactile (touch), auditory (verbal)
and visual (demonstration).
BREATHING – ACTION – PART OF THE BODY
- DIRECTION
You will begin learning very small movements
which are the foundation of the larger
movements. Modifications WILL be given for
any injury, and pain problems. Learning these
small movements will re-train your body to
move using the correct postural and
stabilizing muscles. So even though you may
think these are baby steps – they are critical to
be successful with more difficult moves.
PILATES IS A PROCESS!!!
“In 10 sessions you will feel the
difference, in 20 you will see the
difference and in 30 you will
HAVE A NEW WHOLE BODY.”

- JOSEPH PILATES