Pilates - Swimming

Hi! I am Dory, your personal Pilates instructor. I am showing you some of the most basic and popular Pilates exercises. Right now, I am going to show you swimming. The exercise is just like it sounds. So, go ahead and get your self onto the mat, right in the center, and walk yourself back, just a little bit, and walk those hands forward, resting your belly on top of the mat, hands reaching all the way forward, finger tips extended away from the middle of your body, and toes resting comfortably on the mat. Take a big deep breathe in, and as you exhale, lift the chest up above the mat and then rest comfortably back on to the mat. Hips rotated under and I want you to engage those, the pelvis. So, I want you to keep pushing those pelvic bones right into the mat. Finger tips are reaching forward, and look straight down. The most important part right here is that you are keeping your spine in neutral and your lower body is nice and relaxed. So, you are going to lift opposite arm and opposite legs first, nice and slow, take a big, deep breathe in, and as you exhale, lift the left arm and the right leg. I want you to hold this position, think about keeping the right hip bone connected with the mat, the toe is extended, the finger tips are nice and long and then you are going to lower and switch. Right arm lifts, left leg is extended; left hip bone is connected with the mat, and switch. Left arm lifts, right leg extends, nice and long and lean. This is a great exercise for your low back and everybody complains of low back pain, so, this is a great one to help with that. We extend fingertips, toes are nice and long, inhale and exhale, switch one more time per leg, then we are going to take it up to tempo, so hold it, inhale and exhale, last time. So, now as the right arm and left leg is extended, I want you to lift both arms and both legs, and you are going to start flutter hands, swim for eight. Seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, big, deep breathe in, exhale and slowly lower. Good, place both hands right by your chest, pull right up, take your back for childs pose stretch. Hold the stretch for couple of breathes, big deep breathe in, and exhale, go ahead and sit up nice and tall. Let's move on.