The Benefits of Pilates and 10 Classic Pilates Moves

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

Pilates is something that many people I talk to still don’t quite understand. Most think of it as a form of yoga, and although Pilates and yoga have some similarities, Pilates is much different.

 

As a trainer with extensive training and a specialty in Pilates, I am very excited to introduce the top benefits of Pilates and ten classic moves to get you started!

 

First, What is Pilates?

 

Pilates has actually been around for over 100 years now. It was developed in Germany by the late Joseph Pilates. He developed it as a cure for himself of ailments such as asthma.

 

During World War I, he began teaching his methods to others, mostly bedridden military patients who needed exercise to prevent them getting sicker. It was used almost as physical therapy for them.

 

In the 1920s, Pilates moved to America where he opened his first official “studio.” It happened to be in the same building as the New York City Ballet — and this is where the “female” and “dancer” workout association comes from.

 

During World War I, he began teaching his methods to others, mostly bedridden military patients who needed exercise to prevent them getting sicker.

 

Until his death 40 years later, he trained many others who have carried on the Pilates traditions.

 

Pilates is one of the most popular workouts today, with classes at almost every gym or athletic club. But the root of Pilates is deep, and many of the exercises have not changed in over 100 years. 

 

Benefits of Pilates:

 

·         It’s a Total-Body Workout – While Pilates focuses on core strength, it also develops full-body strength. It ensures that certain muscles will not become overdeveloped or underdeveloped. Pilates promotes balance through the body while increasing flexibility and joint range of motion.

 

·         Improves Mind-Body Awareness – Attention to core strength and matching movement with your breath provides a challenge to the mind as well. This mind-body connection becomes important in everyday movement as well as in your other non-Pilates workout routines.

 

·         Perfect for Everybody – No matter what your fitness level, Pilates can be adapted to your workout routine. The foundational exercises and movements are used for the very most basic exercisers all the way to athletes.

 

With thousands of exercises and modifications, Pilates can be tailored to any individual. Focusing on core strength and proper alignments allows the exerciser to develop the strength to progress at a safe, yet challenging speed.

 

·         Increases Flexibility – With each movement, you will work through contracting certain muscles, while finding length through other muscles. Many exercises work on increasing range of motion through a joint or focus on building flexibility through muscles.

 

·         Improves Posture – With increased core strength and an understanding for the correct alignment that comes with Pilates, better posture will also soon develop. Good posture is a reflection of good alignment supported by a strong core.

 

Complete this workout as a series, moving from one exercise to the next with minimal breaks in between. As you develop strength, you may even be able to complete the entire series without resting.

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Roll Up 

 

Watch this video – How to do Roll Up

 

Start by laying on your back with arms extended overhead and legs out straight.

 

Engage your abdominals to flatten your lower back into the mat. Without using momentum, peel your spine off the mat, one vertebra at a time, pulling your navel into your spine. Keep using your abdominals to sit all the way up and reach towards your toes, making a C-curve with your spine.

 

Slowly lower back down keeping your heels glued to the mat, and place one vertebra on the mat as you lay all the way back down, reaching the arms back overhead.

 

The key is to make sure you roll SLOWLY through your spine, using your abs, and not “hoisting” yourself up with momentum. Complete 4-6 repetitions. Works your abdominals, stretches your spine, and warms the body up for more intense exercise.

 

The Saw

 

Watch this video – How to do The Saw

 

Sit right on top of your sit bones, and reach your arms out to the side, extending through your fingertips. Imagine a string pulling you up from the crown of your head and rotate from your spine to the RIGHT. Scoop your belly button in towards your spine as you start to reach your LEFT arm forward to your RIGHT foot.

 

Imagine “sawing” off your pinky toe with your pinky finger. Stack your spine back up straight using your abdominals and rotate to the other side, reaching your RIGHT arm to your LEFT foot.

 

Make sure to reach through the fingers and always lengthen through your spine. Complete 6-8 repetitions on both sides. Works the abdominals, including the obliques, and stretches the spine and hamstrings.

 

Single Leg Stretch

 

Watch this video – How to do a Single Leg Stretch

 

Lay on your back and bring your RIGHT knee in towards your chest. Hold onto the knee with both hands, but don’t “pull” the knee into the chest. Just use your arms as support. Extend the LEFT leg out so that it hovers over the mat a few inches (making sure your back doesn’t arch). Lift your head and the chest off the mat and lengthen out through the crown of the head.

 

Use the abdominals to switch the legs so that the LEFT knee comes in to the chest. Continue alternating which knee comes into the chest, using the lower abs to bring the knees in. Complete 6-8 repetitions on both sides. Works the upper and lower abdominals. Stretches the lower back.

 

Double Leg Stretch

 

Watch this video – How to do a Double Leg Stretch

 

Bring both knees in towards the chest so that the knees are directly over your hips. Lift your head and your chest off the mat and position the hands on the knees.

 

Keeping the head and chest lifted, extend the arms overhead, keeping your biceps in line with your ears, and extend the legs out into a diagonal position to your point of control.

 

As you use the lower abdominals to bring the knees back into the chest, circle the arms around to lightly “hug” the knees into the chest. Repeat 8-10 times. Works the upper and lower abdominals. Stretches the lower back.

 

Single Straight Leg Stretch

 

Watch this video – How to do a Single Leg Stretch

 

Extend both legs up to the ceiling and hold on to the back of the RIGHT thigh, calf, or ankle (depending on flexibility), and extend the LEFT leg so that it hovers at your point of control.

 

Keeping the head and the chest lifted, “scissor” the legs to switch the LEFT leg up to the ceiling as the RIGHT leg hovers off the mat. Repeat scissoring the legs side to side for 6-8 repetitions on both side. Works the upper and lower abdominals, stretches the hamstrings.

 

Double Straight Leg Stretch

 

Watch this video – How to do a Double Straight Leg Stretch

Keep both legs extended up to the ceiling as you bring both hands behind your head, keeping your elbows wide. Press your lower back into the mat completely as you lift your head and chest off the mat.

 

Keeping the legs straight, lower them a few inches to your point of control. Engage the lower abs and pull the legs back up. Be sure the lower back doesn’t leave the mat and stays imprinted into the mat during the length of the exercise. Targets the lower abdominals.

 

Criss Cross

 

Watch this video – How to do the Criss Cross

 

Keeping the hands behind the head, bring the knees into the chest. Keep the RIGHT knee into the chest as you extend the LEFT leg out to your point of control. Rotate from the spine to the RIGHT, reaching the LEFT elbow to the RIGHT knee.

 

Keep the hips steady as you rotate the RIGHT elbow to the LEFT knee. Continue rotating side to side for 6-8 repetitions on each side. Works the upper and lower abdominals, the obliques, and increases spinal mobility.

 

Plank

 

Watch this video – Plank Pilates Workout

 

Bring yourself to a full plank on your hands. Engage the abs to keep the spine straight and lengthen through the crown of your head.

 

Make sure you don’t lock out your elbows, and keep your middle fingers pointing straight forward with your fingers spread apart and pressing into your knuckles (to prevent discomfort in your wrists).

 

Rotate the inside of your elbows forward to engage your biceps. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths. Works the abdominals, shoulder girdle and stabilizers.

 

Side Plank

 

Watch this video – Side Plank Pilates Exercises

 

Lay on your RIGHT side, stacking your hips and feet. Position your bottom RIGHT elbow directly under your RIGHT shoulder. Lift your bottom hip off the ground to create a straight line in a plank. You should be lifting from your bottom oblique and feel a slight pinch in the waistline.

 

Reach your top hand towards the ceiling or place it on your top hip. Hold for 5-10 deep breaths and then switch sides.(To modify this exercise, keep your bottom knee on the ground.) Targets the obliques and strengthens shoulder stabilizers.

 

Teaser Preparation

 

Watch this video – Teaser Prep Pilates Exercise

 

Lay on your back with your arms by your sides. Just as with the roll up, roll one vertebra at a time off the mat as you also lift the legs up pulling the knees in towards the chest. Balance on your tailbone as you reach your arms towards your toes.

 

Try to bring your shins parallel to the floor, and focus on lifting your chest and lengthening through your spine. Slowly, and with control, lower back down, one vertebra at a time. Repeat 6-8 times. Works the abdominals and spine erectors.

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Adding this Pilates sequence into your workout routine 2-3 times per week will improve posture and help you develop strength in your other exercises. A strong core and a better mind-body connection may help you take your workouts to a level you didn’t even think possible.

 

Watch this video - Gentle Pilates - 15 Minute Pilates for Beginners Workout!

 

Written by Deanna Dorman

 

Author Bio:

 

Deanna is an ACE® certified personal trainer, Balanced Body® Pilates instructor, and NASM® Fitness Nutrition Specialist. She is passionate about inspiring others to lead a healthier lifestyle through fun workouts and healthy food. When she’s not creating new workouts and recipes for her blog The Live Fit Girls she enjoys running with her two dogs and traveling.

 

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

 

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

 

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

8 Functional Exercises to Tone Your Body at Home

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

8 Functional Exercises to Tone Your Body in One Fell Swoop

Being able to easily do everyday things like getting up from the floor or walking up and down the stairs is important when it comes to feeling happy and healthy.

The best type of exercise to assure that you’ll be able to do these everyday movements with ease is functional training.

Functional training works to mirror daily movements by moving your body in every plane of motion and by working multiple body parts at once. These easy functional exercises will increase your flexibility, improve your posture, and reduce your chance of injury. The best part is that you can do all of these functional exercises from the comfort of your home – no gym, heavy weights, or treadmill required.

For best results, do 2 sets of each of the functional exercises below.

Wide Push-Ups | 15 reps

This functional exercise strengthens and tones the chest, shoulders, arms, and core!

Begin in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Then, walk your hands out a little bit wider than your shoulders. Firm up your quadriceps and engage your abs. Press the ground away so that the space between your shoulders rises up slightly.

Inhale to bend your elbows to 90 degree angles, lowering your chest half way towards the ground. Your elbows should point out at 45 degree angles and your hips should stay in line with your shoulders.

Exhale and press the ground away to straighten your arms back out. Repeat for 15 reps.

To Modify: If you feel your lower back arching or if it is too challenging to push back up, lower to your knees. Make sure to squeeze your glutes and keep your hips in line with your shoulders.

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Spider Plank | 20 reps, alt sides

This exercise increases coordination and tones the shoulders, arms, abs, and lower back. Bonus: It gets the heart rate going!

To start, find a high plank position. Stack your shoulders over your wrists, engage your abs, and squeeze your glutes. Bring your feet together.

Shift the weight onto your left foot and slowly pick up your right foot. Exhale and tap your right knee to your right triceps while keeping the high plank position with your upper body.

Inhale to take the right foot back to start. Pick up your left foot and exhale to tap your left knee to your left triceps. Inhale to take your left foot back to start. Continue alternating for 20 reps.

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Single Leg Deadlift | 15 reps per side

This exercise increases balance, coordination, and flexibility while toning the hamstrings, glutes, and core.

Start standing up with your feet together. Engage your abs and squeeze your shoulder blades together.

Shift your weight onto your left foot and point your right foot on the floor behind you. Reach your right hand slightly forward and place your left hand on your hip. Keep a small bend in your left knee to keep it from locking out.

Maintain a lift in your chest as you inhale to slowly lift your right foot up and lower your torso towards the ground at the same time. Keep your back flat and reach your right hand towards your left knee. Exhale to slowly stand back up to start. Repeat for 15 reps and then switch sides.

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Walk Ups | 8 reps per side

This dynamic exercise replicates getting up and down off the floor. It will help strengthen and tone your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and core.

To begin, kneel down on a mat. Place your hands on your hips, engage your core, and squeeze your shoulders down your back.

Shift your weight onto your left leg and pick up your right leg. Keep your right knee bent and place your right foot out in front of you so that the knee is at a 90 degree angle.

Then, press into your right foot to pick up your left leg. Keep the left knee bent to place your left foot down. You should end up in a squat, then straighten your legs and stand all the way up.

To take it back down, shift your weight onto the left leg again, bend your left knee and carefully lower your right knee back down to the mat. Shift the weight onto your right knee and slowly place the left knee down so that you are back in the start position. Repeat that for 8 reps, going up and down with the right leg first. Then switch sides for 8 reps, going up and down with the left leg first.

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Plank Press-Up | 8 reps each side

This exercise works the shoulders, triceps, biceps, core, and even the thighs. It also gives you a big cardio boost.

Start in a high plank position. Bring your feet together and squeeze your glutes, quadriceps, and abs. Your hips should be in a straight line with your shoulders.

Shift your weight onto your left hand. Inhale and pick up your right hand, bend the elbow and slowly lower down onto the right forearm. Shift your weight onto your right forearm, pick up your left hand, bend the elbow and place your left forearm down.

Now you should be in a forearm plank position. Make sure your hips are still in line with your shoulders.

Next, shift the weight onto your left forearm and pick you right forearm up. Place your right hand on the mat below your right shoulder. Exhale and press into your right hand, pick up your left forearm and place your left hand on the mat. Now you should be in a high plank position. Repeat for 8 reps using your right arm first and then switch sides for 8 reps using your left arm first.

To Modify: Lower to your knees for the whole exercise, making sure to squeeze the glutes and keep the hips in a straight line with your shoulders the whole time.

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Superman | 15 reps

This exercise tones and strengthens the entire backside.

To begin, lie on the floor face down. Place your forehead on your mat and spread your arms out wide with your palms face down. Your hands should be slightly in front of your shoulders.

Inhale to lift your chest, arms, legs, and feet off the ground. Keep your gaze down on your mat so that your neck is long. Reach through your fingertips and toes, and feel your spine, glutes, and thighs strengthening.

Hold for a moment at the top and then exhale to release back down. Repeat for 15 reps.

Lunge with Rotation | 10 reps per side

This exercise increases balance and coordination while toning the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and the obliques.

Start standing with your feet together and place your hands together in a prayer position in front of your chest.

Step out into a lunge with your right foot. Bend both knees towards 90 degrees so that your left knee hovers above the ground about an inch.

Staying in your lunge, exhale to twist your torso to the right. Inhale to twist back to center, then push through your right heel and step your right foot back to meet your left. Repeat 10 times and then switch sides.

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Side Plank with Twists | 12 reps per side

This exercise increases strength in the shoulders, arms, obliques, and core.

Start in a high plank position with your shoulders stacked over your wrists. Bring your feet together.

Pick up your right hand and place it underneath your face. Spread the fingers wide and press down through the palm and knuckles. Keep your feet flexed as you spin your heels to the right. Stack your left foot on top of your right food. Then, inhale to reach your left arm up towards the ceiling. Lift up through your left hip and keep it from dumping weight into your right shoulder and wrist.

Keep the side plank position and exhale to sweep your left hand underneath your torso, bringing your upper body into a twist. Inhale to reach your hand back up. Repeat for 12 reps, then switch sides.

Watch this video – Kelli’s Favorite Bodyweight Workout – Total Body Toning & Functional Strength Training Exercises

Written by Kelly Collins

Author Bio:

Kelly is a certified Personal Trainer with NASM, a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher, and has her B.S. in Kinesiology from San Diego State University. She is co-owner of Roaming Yogi Adventures, a yoga and adventure-based retreat. She believes that having fun and well-rounded exercise is the key to maximizing strength, flexibility, and mental health.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook

10 Effective HIIT Workouts to Work You into Shape

 

Click HERE to Discover these 80 Keto-Friendly and Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes

High intensity interval training has gained in popularity as our time has become increasingly encroached upon, by modern stressors and demands.

For those who may not know what HIIT exactly consists of, I’ll explain. A standard workout used to consist of maybe a jog, followed by a bodybuilding style weight training circuit.

Whether it consisted of free weights or machines, the actual progression and design of the workout never really differed all that much. With CrossFit and metabolic conditioning switching things up a bit, these workouts have become slightly less popular, but only slightly. For the majority of exercisers out there, they still fall back on the “jog then lift weights” routine.

What is HIIT?

High intensity interval training turns that notion on its head. Basically designed to get you in and out of the gym as fast as possible, HIIT gets your heart rate close to its max and then lets you rest briefly before you do it all again.

By alternating between low/moderate intensity exercises and high intensity ones, you are able to accomplish a lot more in a briefer time period. Ideally, you’ll be able to increase your anaerobic capacity, which actually increases your aerobic capacity as well.

This is why sprinting for short periods of time is generally more beneficial than jogging for a long period of time. Jogging will increase your aerobic capacity, sure, but it does nothing for your anaerobic endurance. The distinction may seem small, but in total health, both capacities are equally important.

Some sources also report that HIIT may be better for fat loss, as well as possibly benefitting your metabolism. So what kind of workouts can one perform, exactly?

Here are 10 effective HIIT workouts for you to try.

1. Walk and Sprint

This one is as simple as the name implies. Usually most people do best with a 30 second walk, followed by a 30 second sprint. Repeat this about 8-10 times, and you should be feeling the burn. By the time you get to sprint number 3 or 4, you will very likely be feeling like death. Push through this period, and you’ll reap the benefits.

As you progress, you can increase the number of rounds, or you can sprint and walk up a steep hill. This is a time tested, simple, but effective, workout. It works just as well whether you’re 15 years old, or 50. It works for high level athletes, as well as for everyday Joe’s. Try it!

2. Jog and Sprint

As you progress your fitness, you may be able to pull off this workout. This is just like our first workout, but here you will jog, instead of walk. If this sounds exhausting just reading it, perhaps it is best to start with the first workout. There is always room to progress!

You could also shorten the number of rounds to 4-5, if you feel more comfortable starting there. Once you’ve mastered this workout, your aerobic and anaerobic capacities should both be fantastic.

3. Infinite Push-ups

This one is about as fun as it sounds. You will be performing 10 push-ups at a time. Rest for 30 seconds, and then do 10 more. To increase the difficulty, rest for 15 seconds instead of 30. If you’re feeling really frisky, you can cut the rest time down to 10 seconds, though I wouldn’t recommend it, unless you really know what you’re doing.

You can perform as many rounds as you like, though I’ve found that most clients feel challenged just doing 10 rounds. Your experience may vary. The advantages of this workout are that it’s easy, simple and is an excellent strength training workout that can be done anywhere. Especially good for traveling.

4. Infinite Squats

Everyone – and I do mean everyone – hates this one. However, if you’re brave enough to try it, you will find just how beneficial this workout can be. Air squats are not terrible on their own. But when you are doing infinite rounds, and only resting 30 seconds between rounds, it is not so ideal. Make sure you are able to squat first, and then check your form, either with a partner or in a mirror. Make sure you are going ‘below parallel’ (you can Google that term) and that your mechanics are exactly correct.

Watch this video – How to Do Proper Squat for Beginners

Squats are very commonly performed incorrectly, and you don’t want to be doing them wrong – trust me. The setup is similar to our previous exercises here – 10 repetitions, wait 30 seconds, repeat ad nauseam. Women – pay close attention to this workout. It is possibly the single best thing you can do, to get a better butt.

5. Push and Squat

Combining our fourth and fifth exercises, we get the ‘push and squat’ routine. 10 pushups, followed by 10 air squats. Rest 30 seconds, and then repeat again.

For extra difficulty, perform one push-up, followed by one squat, until you get to 10 of each. It sounds easy, but I promise you’ll be hating me in the middle of it! If you are on the road and need a total body workout, this is one of your best choices.

Exercising when jet lagged can have benefits, in order to help you get acquainted to the current time zone. I like to do this one when I’ve been cooped up in a car all day, maybe followed by some sprints. Gets all your frustration out, costs you nothing, and works most of your body.

6. Sit Up and Jump

This one will be familiar to athletes. You will perform 10 sit ups, stand up, and perform 10 vertical leaps. Try and reach as high as you can each time, as well as to go all the way down, each time you prepare your jump.

Think of yourself as one big spring, and you want to get everything out of each repetition. You will then rest for 30 seconds to 1 minute. To make this one harder, add in a round of 10 pushups, after your vertical leaps.

7. Infinite Burpees

I’m sorry in advance. No one likes burpees. If you recall squat thrusts from gym class, you already know what a burpee is. If not, you can find many instructional videos which will show you the correct form (such as the one listed below).

Watch this video – How to do Burpees

Doesn’t that look like tons of fun?! 10 burpees, followed by 30-60 seconds of rest, and then repeat. Stop when you think you may throw up.

I wish there was a way to make this easier for you, but unfortunately, burpees never get easier – no matter how long you’ve been doing them. As far as increasing the difficulty – trust me, you won’t want to make this routine any harder than it already is.

8. Prison Workout

Again – it’s all in the name. We will be doing 5 pull-ups, 10 prisoner squats and 15 push-ups. Rest for 1 minute, and do it again. You will need a pull up bar for this one, but otherwise it’s all just bodyweight exercises. Hopefully you aren’t in solitary confinement when you perform this workout!

Watch this video – Prison Squat Challenge

9. Seal Jumps

Seal jumps are not a common exercise that you may see in the gym. The below video will help describe them to you, but if you feel a little silly, you can replace the seal jumps with jumping jacks.

You’ll be performing 50 jumps, resting for 1 minute, and then continuing. To these as fast as possible, while still maintaining good form. Not as easy as it sounds.

Watch this video – Basic Seal Jumping Jacks

10. Sprint, Push and Squat

For our last routine, we combine 3 of our earlier exercises. You’ll start by performing a 15 second sprint. From there, drop down and do 10 pushups, followed by 10 squats. Rest for 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then repeat. This hits all of our target areas, and is relatively simple to do.

It is – however – not easy by any means. You can continue for as many rounds as you like, but it is not a routine that you will be able to do for long periods of time.

Conclusion

I hope you’ve enjoyed these routines, as HIIT workouts are very good for traveling, or when time-pressed. You can easily create your own, of course, as well. Exercising doesn’t have to be boring or monotonous. Just get creative and mix things up.

Chances are, you’ll find an infinite number of solutions to getting in shape. Don’t let the old gym traditions and stale routines hold you back!

Watch this video – 30-Minute HIIT Cardio Workout with Warm Up – No Equipment at Home | SELF

Written by Casey Thaler

Author Bio:

Casey Thaler, B.A., NASM-CPT, FNS is an NASM® certified personal trainer and NASM® certified fitness nutrition specialist. He writes for Paleo Magazine®, The Paleo Diet® and Greatist®. He is also an advisor for Kettle and Fire and runs his own nutrition and fitness consulting company, Eat Clean, Train Clean®.

A lot of people have gotten results from the Keto diet, and enjoyed the foods that it has to offer. However, many of the people who are following this diet have a hard time finding the recipes that they need, especially ones that are quick and easy to complete.

Fortunately, Kelsey Ale, noticed this problem, and decided to do something about it. She’s found that making recipes in a slow cooker gives you meals which are not only delicious, but also take very little time to make. Mostly you just put a few simple ingredients in the slow cooker, and let it do the rest.

To find out more, click on – Keto Slow Cooker Cookbook