Keeping Moving at Home

BY LISA LONGHURST

Whilst we are all finding ourselves in our home it becomes even more important to keep moving and at the moment very important to keep oxygenating our blood cells for increased immunity.

There are actually benefits to exercising at home. You don’t have to spend time in the car and you can do things at your own pace. These exercises will carry you forward beyond the next month or so!

It is a good idea to do these exercises in the order that I have suggested. If you have questions please contact me. During this period of time, I will be doing online classes and one to one sessions. If you are interested please get in touch.

Happy Moving and stay healthy, with love from us at the Pilates Room Lagos.

1. Standing Roll Down (x5)

Place your feet hip bone distance apart with toes facing directly in front of your heels. Roll down one vertebra at a time creating length through your spine and feeling the stretch into your hamstrings and calves. Keep your hands directly below your shoulders. Rollback up initiating the movement from your abdominals.

Standing Roll Down (x5)

2. Shoulder Bridge (x8)

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip bone distance apart. Tilt your pelvis and lift your spine up from the mat one vertebrae at a time. Keep weight on your feet and pull your navel to your spine. Push your arms into the floor working your triceps. Then release your spine down one vertebra at a time feeling your spine lengthening.

Shoulder Bridge (x8)

3. Spine Twist Supine (x5 each side)

Lie on your back with legs together in a tabletop position. (Knees above the hips and the heels in line with the knees). Take your knees to the side keeping the ribs down and stable. Squeeze your legs together as you engage your abdominals to bring your legs back to the centre. Then go to the other side.

Spine Twist Supine (x5 each side)

4. Chest Lift and Chest Lift with Rotation (x10 each)

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip bone distance apart with the pelvis in a neutral position. (Hip bone and the pubic bone at the same height). Lengthen through the neck as you lift the head and the chest without moving the position of the pelvis. Rotation is the same but rotate either side without moving the pelvis.

Chest Lift (x10 each)

Chest Lift with Rotation (x10 each)

5. Stretches (Hamstrings and Quads)

Lying on your back using a Theraband or similar (dressing gown belts are very good!). Put the band underneath the foot and lift the leg whilst pushing down with your sitting bones. Do both sides and hold for 90 seconds. You can also mobilise your ankle in this position.

Lying on your front take hold of your foot or ankle and press your hips into the floor. If the knees are injured or sensitive then keep the knee at a right angle placing a Theraband behind the ankle. Do both sides and hold for 90 seconds

Stretches (Hamstrings)

Stretches (Quads)

6. Rest Position

From a kneeling position push your bottom towards your heels and reach the arms out in front of you. For shoulder injuries bring your arms to the side of the body and for sensitive knees, you can use a cushion between your bottom and heels. Enjoy and hold!

Rest Position

7. Cat Stretch (Flexion and Extension)

From an all-fours position (hands underneath the shoulders and knees underneath the hips) pull the navel to spine and let the head relax between the shoulders.

For back extension focus on the upper back and keep the lower back in a neutral position. Push the breast bone forwards. Hold each for a few seconds and move in and out of each position controlling the movement with the abdominals.

+INFO: info@pilatesroomlagos.com