In The Beginning...The Hundred and the Roll Up

The world pausing to quarantine, provides the opportunity to retreat and turn inward. It's a gift for someone like me who resists the natural acceleration of life yet is required to stay up with the speed of traffic.  All of a sudden we are all in the slow lane without any urgency to pass the person in front of us. Because my business exists within my home, I spend more hours than I would like cleaning and organizing; seeking to provide a welcoming, hospitable environment for my clients.  Most of my own practices are done in consideration for clients when I contemplate how best to address their physical concerns or amplify their Pilates experience.  I enjoy brainstorming and implementing new ideas and a variety of props into the multiple mat classes I teach each week; however I have often felt like my own practice suffered a bit in the process.  Now I have the gift of time, and believe it or not, it doesn't feel like enough to invest in my love of Pilates, yoga, and all things movement! For the next week or so, I am starting with the basics and dissecting the Pilates Beginner/Intermediate series. Please join me as I use Alycea Ungaro's popular text, Pilates, Body in Motion, to help refine our skills.

---

The Hundred:

• In addition to increasing your endurance, the Hundred requires you to sustain your legs at an angle, relying solely upon the strength of your powerhouse. 
  
• The weight of the head and neck is managed by the strength of your core.  Rest your head and shoulders if you feel strain.
  
• Remember to sink navel to back bone.
  
• Use your gluteal muscles to create a support system for your low back. (Ungaro, pp.48-49). 
• The Roll-Up:
  
• Although the Roll Up resembles a traditional "sit-up," it is not to be approached either speedily or carelessly.
  
• Think of peeling a banana, and gradually articulate one vertebra after another as you roll fluidly up.
  
•   This one movement simultaneously addresses strength, control and flexibility. (Ungaro, 50-51)

• Single Leg Circles:
  
• Single Leg Circles continues to challenge the stability of your core. 
  
• Beyond strengthening the hip and stretching the back of the leg, this exercise also stretches and tones the outside of the thigh.
  
• Circle dynamically, stressing the "upswing" each time. (Ungaro, 52-53)

Rolling Like a Ball: 

• Lift your hips to your heels and draw the navel toward your spine floating your feet an inch of the mat.
  
• Do not throw your head back, but rather Initiate the curl from your low belly.
  
• Performed at the proper tempo, your muscles will work to their threshold.  If you roll too quickly, the benefits of the exercise are lost. Pay close attention to your form, adjusting your rhythm and tempo to challenge yourself. (Ungaro 54-55)

Stay tuned as we break down the tremendously effective "abdominal series," on Monday!