Intermediate Pilates - Swimming

Dori: Hi I'm Dori and this is intermediate pilates. Right now, I'm going to show you how to do the pilates plank exercise. Sit yourself at the back end of the pilates mat and walk your hands forward. You then stretch out along the length of the mat, bringing those hands all the way forward and walking your fingertips as far forward as you can. Put your toes nice and long tucks just underneath you. Look straight ahead and look right down at the mat to keep your spine in neutral and then release your shoulders. Take a big deep breath in, and as you exhale rotate those hips under, engaging those abs all the while forcing those hip bone right into the pilates mat. So, we are going to start with the opposite leg lift and I'll go right into the slimming so you are going to lift the left arm and the right leg just to get your position here. So you get accustomed to the opposition, making sure that right hip bone doesn't touch the pilates mat and you are going to switch right arm lift, left leg lift, inhale and exhale switch. Make sure you are looking straight down the mat to keep your spine in neutral and the hip bone is connected with every lift, inhale, exhale, lift. Make sure the hip bone is connected again, right there. Now you are going to lift both arms and both legs, keep looking straight down at the mat and you are just going to flutter here for ten. Nine, eight right into your low back, six, five, four, three, two, one inhale and exhale. Lift a little bit higher, really strengthen that lung, low back extend those arms and slowly lower. Tuck those toes under bring both arms right up besides your chest, push up to a child's pose stretch to stretch it out, take a big deep breathe in, inhale and exhale, go ahead and walk back and let's progress on to the next pilates exercise.