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Advanced Pilates

Advanced Pilates - Hamstring Curl on 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 - Hamstring Curl on 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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  • Transcripts

    Hi. I am Dory. This is Advanced Pilates. I am going to show you to do a hamstring curl on the ball. This is a great way to get a leg workout, all the while supporting your low back. So, if you have any sort of low back pain, or weak abdominals, and you are working on strengthening those, this is a great way to strengthen those muscles all the while working your hamstrings.

    So, let's go ahead and seat yourself towards the backend of the mat. Pulling up onto your toes, I want you to bring the ball in towards your knees, and drape yourself, lying out nice and long on top of the ball. Bring both hands right in front of you and walk those hands forward slowly, slowly so that those hands are dropped just below your shoulders and those legs are lifted. So, what I dont want to see is a back sinking like this, or pulled up like this. I want a nice straight back, abs pulled in and hands dropped just below those shoulders. Take a big, deep breath in, and as you exhale, release those shoulders, you are going to keep those heels together and those toes together. All you are going to do is curl the legs in, keeping those knees touching and extend. Look straight down at the mat, inhale, exhale, curl, and extend. Keep those abs pulled in, curl, and extend, you got five more. Curl in and extend, curl in and extend, last three, nice and slow and controlled; last two, last one, inhale, exhale, extend those legs, slowly walk it back, let the ball kind of work its way through your spine as you unroll all the way back, and lets go ahead and move on.

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