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Advanced Pilates

Advanced Pilates - Double Leg Stretch with a Ball

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Dori Markakos
 

Dori is an experienced fitness professional whose love of fitness began in grade school with her love of dance and ballet. She’s danced classical ballet since she was 5. As her interest in fitness grew, she began experimenting with all varieties of group fitness and weight lifting. Dori went the practical route to college and received her Bachelor’s Degree in Business with a specialization in Marketing from the University of Virginia’s School of Commerce, but not before receiving her fitness instructor certification in her spare time. After college, Dori went to work for Environmental Design & Construction, LLC (EDC) where she is presently the Controller. In this position, Dori serves as the company’s chief business officer. But, Dori’s heart is in the field of fitness. Dori maintains her certifications and puts them to work as a personal trainer, spinning and Pilates (mat and reformer) instructor. As part of her career development, Dori also received specialty training in pre and post natal fitness, with a specialization in pre/post natal Pilates. Dori currently works with clients as Pilates instructor, while keeping up with her own workouts. She’s run multiple marathons and is an accomplished triathlete having run numerous triathlons as well having completed the Ironman Triathlon. Dori resides in Arlington, Virginia with her husband Peter and daughter Mia.

Advanced Pilates - Double Leg Stretch with a Ball

Certified Pilates instructor, Dori Markakos will take you through a complete Advanced Pilates workout. This video will not only build on some of the moves that were shown in the Intermediate video, but new challenging exercises incorporating a fitness ball will taught to really tighten, and firm up your entire body.

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Hi. I am Dory, and this is the Advanced Pilates. I am going to show you to do a double leg stretch with the ball. So, go ahead and seat yourself a little closer towards the end of the mat, grab the ball on either side, take a big, deep breathe in and round out your back as you exhale and roll back one vertebra at a time, keeping the ball right on top of your chins. Nice and easy, keep your upper body lifted, inhale and exhale, engage those abs, force the navel to the spine, and the spine into the floor. All you are going to do from here is extend the arms and the legs at the same time, hence, a double leg stretch. So, a big, deep breathe in, and exhale, release your shoulders, extend both arms and legs, pause and hold it, and bring again. Inhale, exhale and bring it in. Keep your chin in neutral, so you dont want to get drop back or forward. Extend and bring it in; five more, inhale, exhale, stretch, and in, inhale, exhale, stretch and extend, and in; last three, inhale, exhale, stretch and in; last two, good, last one, really working those abs, inhale and exhale, stretch, slowly roll up, tucking the chin to the chest, sitting up nice and tall.

Lets go ahead and roll on to the kinking.

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