Basic Pilates exercises for beginners

Pilates is a very popular yoga activity, loved by many girls. Pilates can not only make girls' bodies more graceful, but also help relieve physical diseases. Doing Pilates for a long time can make your body more flexible, your joints more stable, and less prone to illness. At the same time, it can relax your mind and relieve stress. So, what basic movements are recommended for beginners?

1. Leg Circles

Lie flat on the mat with your arms at your sides. First, lift one leg up, straighten or bend the other leg and place it on the ground, tighten your abdomen, and keep your waist close to the ground. When you inhale, use the raised leg to draw circles in either the forward or reverse direction. When you exhale, return to the starting point and stop the movement. Do this in one direction 4 to 6 times, then change direction and do it another 4 to 6 times.

Tip: Do not circle your legs too much during the process and keep your hips and buttocks still.

Function: This set of movements exercises the leg muscles and can keep the legs in beautiful curves. At the same time, the coordinated breathing can reasonably regulate the functions of internal organs and make the movements more flexible and coordinated.

2. Single Leg Stretch

Lift your upper body, lift your shoulders off the ground, straighten your left leg, and bend your right leg. Hold your ankle with the outside hand of your right leg and your knee with the inside hand, and breathe once. Switch legs and repeat. Repeat this process 8 to 10 times on each side.

Tip: Do not relax your upper body during the whole process and keep your upper back off the ground.

Function: This set of movements makes the body more coordinated, while exercising the toughness of the upper body and the flexibility of the abdominal muscles, spine and bones.

3. Double Leg Stretch

Lift your upper body, bring your knees to your chest, and curl your body tight. Then hug your knees with your hands, inhale, and stretch your body. While breathing, bring your body back into a tight state. Repeat 6 to 10 times.

Tips: Keep your upper body unchanged during the movement, but lift your shoulders off the ground. When opening your body, extend your arms from the front to the top, and when retracting your body, retract them from the sides while hugging your knees.

Function: This is a set of stretching movements, similar to swimming movements, which can stretch the body and joints and get complete relaxation.

4. Side Kick

Lie on your side with your head, shoulders, and hips in a straight line. Pull your legs slightly forward, push the ground with the toes of your left leg, lift your heels, lift your right leg to the same height as your hips, inhale and extend your right leg backward, squeeze your hips, and kick forward twice while exhaling. Switch legs and repeat. Do 6 to 8 times on each side.

Tip: Keep your shoulders relaxed during the movement, but don’t let your upper body slack off.

Function: It can strengthen the upper limb muscles, including the chest muscles, upper back muscles and transverse abdominal muscles, while improving muscle flexibility.

5. Hold Up

Keep your hands and feet in fixed position, and bend your legs, with your left leg in front and your right leg behind. Use one arm to support your body while inhaling. At this time, your whole body should be straight in a straight line, and slowly fall down while exhaling. Switch legs. Do each 4 to 5 times.

Tip: Move slowly and with strong control. If you have difficulty completing the exercise, use your elbows to support yourself on the ground.

Function: This is an exercise about body balance, which can make the body stronger. At the same time, it exercises the flexibility of each joint of the legs.