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Pilates for Beginners

Pilates - Breast Stroke

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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.

Pilates - Breast Stroke

Certified Pilates instructor, Dori Markakos will take you through a complete beginners Pilates workout. This video is designed for someone just starting out in Pilates and wants to learn the basic postures, alignments and positions, all the while getting a great work out that will tone and lengthen their entire body.

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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 how to do breaststroke. The exercise is actually a lot like it sounds. In swimming its breaststroke and its a great exercise for your low back. Lets go ahead and get started. So, go ahead and get yourself seated right in the middle of the mat, walk those toes a little bit towards closer to the end, walk those hands forward and lower yourself comfortably onto the mat. Take a big deep breathe in, as you exhale, reach those finger tips as far forward as you can. So, I want you to get a little stretch here, walk those finger tips forward, look straight down at the mat, make sure your toes are tucked under completely released, and go ahead and sit up just a little bit so your chest is above the floor. Open up your chest and your back; look straight down at the mat. All you are simply going to do is lift those hands up above the mat, the toes stay connected with the mat, you are going to lift your chest up, squeeze your shoulders blades as those hands come in towards your shoulders, you are going to lower your body just a little bit, keeping the head down. So, inhale, exhale, lift, squeeze the shoulders and slowly lower. This is great for your shoulders and your rear down, and lower, inhale, exhale, lift, pause and hold it and slowly lower, inhale, exhale, lift, barely pausing you want to be nice and fluid through each exercise. Give me four more. Inhale, exhale, lift, barely pausing, hold it and lower, last two, inhale, exhale, nice and easy, hands reach out in front and slowly lower. Good, tuck both toes underneath, place both hands right by your chest, push straight up and take your back for childs pose stretch, for a little bit of a stretch, inhale and exhale. Walk those finger tips forward for a little stretch, roll up and restack your vertebra. Let's go ahead and move on.

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