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Workouts, Tips and How-to

How to Strengthen Your Back with Pilates - Method 3

7/23/2015

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Achieve a well-defined, beautiful back by following this Pilates workout four times a week. In just a month, you will begin to notice a difference in how you look and feel. Get rid of those back aches and pains forever!

Method 3 of 4: Upper Back Extension

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1  Prepare. The breathing is the same as in the previous exercise but here it will be performed in four breaths.
  • Change your position to lie face down on your mat. Have your feet and legs together and the tip of your nose lightly resting on the mat. Place your hands either side of your shoulders, so that your elbows rest comfortably on the mat.
  • If you feel a lot of pressure on your lower back in this position, place a small towel just under your hip bones for support.
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2  Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, draw your shoulders down on your back, keeping the neck in line and extend up off the floor.
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3  Inhale and stay. Think of lengthening forwards from your head, then exhale, to gently return back to the mat.
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4  Repeat. Do the same thing four times, concentrating on maintaining your abdominals firm throughout. You will feel your upper back and shoulders working.
Content provided by WikiHow, a wiki that is building the world's largest and highest quality how-to manual.  Please edit this article content and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Strengthen Your Back with Pilates.  Content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons License.
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How to Strengthen Your Back with Pilates - Method 2

7/16/2015

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Achieve a well-defined, beautiful back by following this Pilates workout four times a week. In just a month, you will begin to notice a difference in how you look and feel. Get rid of those back aches and pains forever!

Method 2 of 4: Opposite Arm and Leg Reaches

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1 Prepare. The breathing is the same as in the previous exercise, but here we will perform the movement in 2 breaths.
  • Stay in exactly the same position as in the cat stretch.
  • If your wrists are beginning to tire, relax for a few minutes and gently circle them round.
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2  Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, lift the right hand and left knee off the floor, fully extending both out in opposite directions.
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3  Inhale to return to all fours again. Then exhale, and do the same on the other side.
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4  Repeat. Repeat this six times in total - three times each side.
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5   Pay particular attention to the supporting arm and leg. Do not allow them to collapse taking the body out of line.
Content provided by WikiHow, a wiki that is building the world's largest and highest quality how-to manual.  Please edit this article content and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Strengthen Your Back with Pilates.  Content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons License.
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Using Resistance Bands Safely

7/12/2015

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Resistance bands are elastic, stretchy bands that let you add light strength training to your exercise routine anywhere, anytime. Much like weight lifting, resistance bands allow you a full range of motion while providing tension, helping you flex and grow your muscles. Unlike weight lifting, however, resistance bands provide a safe, light workout that is infinitely customizable.


1  Understand how to use light resistance. One of the reasons resistance bands are popular is that they add resistance to a workout without drastically increasing the risk of injury like free weights and weight machines. Resistance bands work just like weights, except instead of gravity pulling down on your muscles you are fighting the tension in the band. Resistance bands allow you to create tension from any direction as opposed to just down, letting you work out every muscle in multiple ways.
  • Resistance workouts are great when you can't get to the gym, have joint pain, or want to vary your normal workout routine.
  • Tube bands look like rubber jump ropes and have handles on the end for added convenience.
  • Basic bands are long, rectangular rubber bands that don't have handles and must be tied or gripped or are formed in a loop for convenience.

2  Determine the amount or resistance by the band's color. Most resistance bands have easy color coding to help users develop a workout. Usually, the fitness regimen includes starting with a medium resistance band and working up. Though not a perfect system, darker colored bands generally have higher resistance.  These forces are rough and vary based off of the extension of the bands (i.e., the further they are stretched, the more resistance they offer).
  • Light Resistance: Offer 3-6 pounds of resistance.
  • Medium Resistance: Offer 8-10 pounds of resistance. This is a good starting resistance.
  • Heavy Resistance: Offer 10-15 pounds of resistance.
  • Extra-heavy Resistance: Offer 16 or more pounds of resistance

3  Adjust your band's position to make the workout easier or harder. The more of the band you have exposed the easier the exercise will be. This is because the band has more room to stretch. The bands provide the most resistance when they can barely stretch anymore, much like a rubber band is harder to pull on the tighter it is stretched. There are several ways to make bands more effective if they feel too easy:
  • Wrap the bands around your hands several times to shorten them and increase resistance.  For loop bands, this probably doesn't make much sense.
  • Step on some of the band or wrap it around your foot before grabbing the ends.
  • Move further away from the band's anchor (what the band is tied or attached to).

4  Use slow, controlled movements for perfect form. You never want to rush or push through an exercise to get it done. Your body should move slowly and fluidly, without rapid or jerking motions. After each rep, return to resting position calmly -- a controlled return is just as important as the initial movement for building muscle.
  • Focus on good technique over more resistance. Strong form will help you gain muscle much faster than trying to push through harder weight.

5  Work on high-rep, low intensity sets. You want to aim for a lot of reps with resistance bands, since the weight is often not as difficult as going to the gym. Shoot for 12-20 reps of each exercises, and do 3 sets of each workout. You want to be straining to complete the last 2-3 reps each time, but not so much that you can't finish.
  • No pain, no gain is a myth. If you feel sharp pain or joint problems, stop exercising and see a sports medicine professional immediately.
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Content provided by WikiHow, a wiki that is building the world's largest and highest quality how-to manual.  Please edit this article content and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Use Resistance Bands.  Content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons License.
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