By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Raymond_Villon]Raymond Villon
The typical warm-up exercise in any Pilates style is the exercise known as "The Hundreds". The hundreds gets its name from the breath count implemented while performing the exercise. During the movement, the person would inhale for a count of five followed by exhalation for a count of five. This would be done ten times, making the total breath count one hundred. It can increase circulation of the body in a short amount of time so that it can prepare for a vigorous workout. It is important to do this exercise correctly so no neck or back pain can occur.
The hundreds can be done just about anywhere. It can be done as a part of mat work, or on the reformer apparatus. I've even seen it done on top of the Cadillac apparatus and the Wunda chair too. The only thing needed is a flat surface to lie down on. The muscles used are the shoulders, chest, latissimus dorsi, and the core. The core is an overused term that means just about anything near the belly button so it is important to define what body parts those are. The core is made up of the transverse abdominus (TA), multifidus, diaphragm, and pelvic floor. The TA is special because it acts as a band that wraps all the way around your midline.
The set up includes doing the exercise on a thick mat. Unlike in yoga, Pilates practitioners tend to use mats that are at least 5/8 inch thick. This is because of the numerous spinal articulation movements involved in Pilates. The hundreds are done in supine position (face up) and with the legs in a table top position. To get into the table top, the legs are bent from the hip so that it is ninety degrees from the body. Then the knees are bent so that the lower legs are bent also ninety degrees from the body. The hands are face down on the floor but elevate as the upper body is curled up so that the chin is tucked to the chest. The upper body should be curled up so high that the scapula is lifted from the floor. The legs will straighten to a forty-five degree angle from the floor. It remains this way for the duration of the exercise. The straight arms then start pumping up and down. The breath should be in concert with the movement. As stated before, inhaling for a count of five breaths followed by exhaling for a count of five. This is repeated ten times until a count of one hundred is achieved.
Raymond Villon is a Los Angeles Pilates instructor who runs a business that brings a reformer apparatus to in home sessions.
He can be found at http://www.EastHollywoodPilatesCompany.com and http://www.ReformerRoadshow.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Warming-Up-in-Pilates---The-Hundreds&id=6423165] Warming Up in Pilates - The Hundreds
Friday, April 6, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Pilates Reformer Running
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Raymond_Villon]Raymond Villon
Athletes can be prone to tight calf muscles, especially in runners, bicyclists, and any other fitness enthusiast that use cardiovascular machines. The calf muscle group consists of the gastrocnemius muscle and the soleus muscle. The symptoms are a gradual tightening in the calf muscles that can get worse when repeating a movement over and over again. One of the ways Pilates instructors do to lengthen the muscles of the calves is to do an exercise called running, also known as tendon stretch.
Running on the reformer is not exactly what new clients think it is when they first hear about it. The main purpose of it is to stretch the aforementioned muscles of the calves as well as the Achilles tendon. It should be done slowly because if there's bouncing during the movement, the client can pull his/her muscle.
To set up the reformer for this exercise, the springs must be adjusted to a lighter setting that was used for footwork. If a client used all the springs during their footwork movements, then the "weight" will be decreased by a full two springs. This leaves three springs on which is more than sufficient. I'm not shy about going to only two springs either if the client is really tight.
The client will be laying down in supine position, with their head on the headrest and feet against the foot bar. They should be on the balls of their feet, with their legs hip width distance apart. The client will extend the carriage all the way out so that both legs are extended long, and I like for them to drop their heels under the foot bar. I do this to acquaint them with stretching out their calves. Then to start the exercise, they will flex the calves of one leg while keeping the heel of the other leg down. Then they will point both feet, effectively doing a double calf raise. Once both feet are pointed, I they will then drop the heel of the opposite foot to stretch out that calf. This is done in an alternating fashion for roughly about a minute time. For a newer client, I will have them stop shorter than that.
There are certain things to watch out for when doing this exercise. The first thing I look for is that my client doesn't hyperextend their legs when it comes time to straighten out their leg for the calf stretch. I also make sure that they don't supinate their foot. I will see this when the ball of the big toe starts to lift. The other thing to look for is a pronated foot, which is bad for the knees. The hips are of particular interest as well since hip hiking is common with someone with muscle imbalances. Body awareness is of utmost importance when asking someone to work on hip differentiation.
Raymond Villon is a Los Angeles Pilates instructor who runs a business that brings a reformer apparatus to his client's home sessions.
He can be found at http://www.EastHollywoodPilatesCompany.com and http://www.ReformerRoadshow.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Pilates-Reformer-Running&id=6422600] Pilates Reformer Running
Athletes can be prone to tight calf muscles, especially in runners, bicyclists, and any other fitness enthusiast that use cardiovascular machines. The calf muscle group consists of the gastrocnemius muscle and the soleus muscle. The symptoms are a gradual tightening in the calf muscles that can get worse when repeating a movement over and over again. One of the ways Pilates instructors do to lengthen the muscles of the calves is to do an exercise called running, also known as tendon stretch.
Running on the reformer is not exactly what new clients think it is when they first hear about it. The main purpose of it is to stretch the aforementioned muscles of the calves as well as the Achilles tendon. It should be done slowly because if there's bouncing during the movement, the client can pull his/her muscle.
To set up the reformer for this exercise, the springs must be adjusted to a lighter setting that was used for footwork. If a client used all the springs during their footwork movements, then the "weight" will be decreased by a full two springs. This leaves three springs on which is more than sufficient. I'm not shy about going to only two springs either if the client is really tight.
The client will be laying down in supine position, with their head on the headrest and feet against the foot bar. They should be on the balls of their feet, with their legs hip width distance apart. The client will extend the carriage all the way out so that both legs are extended long, and I like for them to drop their heels under the foot bar. I do this to acquaint them with stretching out their calves. Then to start the exercise, they will flex the calves of one leg while keeping the heel of the other leg down. Then they will point both feet, effectively doing a double calf raise. Once both feet are pointed, I they will then drop the heel of the opposite foot to stretch out that calf. This is done in an alternating fashion for roughly about a minute time. For a newer client, I will have them stop shorter than that.
There are certain things to watch out for when doing this exercise. The first thing I look for is that my client doesn't hyperextend their legs when it comes time to straighten out their leg for the calf stretch. I also make sure that they don't supinate their foot. I will see this when the ball of the big toe starts to lift. The other thing to look for is a pronated foot, which is bad for the knees. The hips are of particular interest as well since hip hiking is common with someone with muscle imbalances. Body awareness is of utmost importance when asking someone to work on hip differentiation.
Raymond Villon is a Los Angeles Pilates instructor who runs a business that brings a reformer apparatus to his client's home sessions.
He can be found at http://www.EastHollywoodPilatesCompany.com and http://www.ReformerRoadshow.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Pilates-Reformer-Running&id=6422600] Pilates Reformer Running
Monday, April 2, 2012
How to Monitor and Cue the Pilates Hundreds
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Raymond_Villon]Raymond Villon
In Pilates, the hundreds are a great way to start a session. Whether on the mat or on the reformer, most practitioners use it to get the blood going and start a mild sweat. There are some things to monitor when doing Pilates however, and this exercise is no exception. Specific cuing can help a student visualize what their body is supposed to be doing. Cuing is truly an art form since the right cue will engage the proper muscle groups. Just like other exercises, some modifications may be implemented to keep injuries or pains from disrupting a workout. On the opposite end, variations are a good way to keep movements fresh and stimulating. The body will quickly adapt to any exercise and variations will ensure the muscles keep growing.
To anyone who's watching the hundreds seems like a very simple exercise. The body doesn't move while the arms pump up and down in a brisk pace. The inner workings of the movement are a lot more complex however. A trained instructor will spot neck tension in someone who tends to be stiff. This habit is one of the more prevalent ones at the studio. People who have tight scalenes and those who jut their head forward usually have a very hard time keeping their neck out of abdominal exercises. Another common body part to monitor is the transverse abdominus (TA). If this muscle is kept tight throughout the entire movement, then the ribs will not flare. This is essential for optimal core work.
Cues are especially helpful in a group class setting since there are too many people to approach for every exercise. They can also be implemented in private sessions as well. One of my favorite cues is to tell people "smile across your belly". This simple silly cue is a reminder to pull the abs in tight and feel the wrapping effect. Another one I like to use, especially with someone with tight pectoral muscles is to tell them to keep their chest open. Tight chest muscles happen to office workers who sit at desks or at the wheel of their car for a very long time. The deep back muscle layers become stretched and weak while the chest becomes to tight. The result is someone who suffers from a forward shoulder roll. Very severe rolling of the shoulders can have a kyphotic look to them. My favorite cue is to tell my client to imagine pressing a ball down against the floor as they pump their arm. This seems to work wonders on abdominal engagement.
Raymond Villon is a Los Angeles Pilates instructor who runs a business that brings a reformer apparatus to in home sessions.
He can be found at http://www.EastHollywoodPilatesCompany.com and http://www.ReformerRoadshow.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Monitor-and-Cue-the-Pilates-Hundreds&id=6423176] How to Monitor and Cue the Pilates Hundreds
In Pilates, the hundreds are a great way to start a session. Whether on the mat or on the reformer, most practitioners use it to get the blood going and start a mild sweat. There are some things to monitor when doing Pilates however, and this exercise is no exception. Specific cuing can help a student visualize what their body is supposed to be doing. Cuing is truly an art form since the right cue will engage the proper muscle groups. Just like other exercises, some modifications may be implemented to keep injuries or pains from disrupting a workout. On the opposite end, variations are a good way to keep movements fresh and stimulating. The body will quickly adapt to any exercise and variations will ensure the muscles keep growing.
To anyone who's watching the hundreds seems like a very simple exercise. The body doesn't move while the arms pump up and down in a brisk pace. The inner workings of the movement are a lot more complex however. A trained instructor will spot neck tension in someone who tends to be stiff. This habit is one of the more prevalent ones at the studio. People who have tight scalenes and those who jut their head forward usually have a very hard time keeping their neck out of abdominal exercises. Another common body part to monitor is the transverse abdominus (TA). If this muscle is kept tight throughout the entire movement, then the ribs will not flare. This is essential for optimal core work.
Cues are especially helpful in a group class setting since there are too many people to approach for every exercise. They can also be implemented in private sessions as well. One of my favorite cues is to tell people "smile across your belly". This simple silly cue is a reminder to pull the abs in tight and feel the wrapping effect. Another one I like to use, especially with someone with tight pectoral muscles is to tell them to keep their chest open. Tight chest muscles happen to office workers who sit at desks or at the wheel of their car for a very long time. The deep back muscle layers become stretched and weak while the chest becomes to tight. The result is someone who suffers from a forward shoulder roll. Very severe rolling of the shoulders can have a kyphotic look to them. My favorite cue is to tell my client to imagine pressing a ball down against the floor as they pump their arm. This seems to work wonders on abdominal engagement.
Raymond Villon is a Los Angeles Pilates instructor who runs a business that brings a reformer apparatus to in home sessions.
He can be found at http://www.EastHollywoodPilatesCompany.com and http://www.ReformerRoadshow.com
Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Monitor-and-Cue-the-Pilates-Hundreds&id=6423176] How to Monitor and Cue the Pilates Hundreds
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