Here at PilatesCan we believe in creating effective fitness habits for regular exercise. No matter who you are and how well your body reacts to exercise, it is the habit that will create the results for you. Because life can sometimes get in the way, making it difficult to schedule exercise, the Pilates method can actually make it easier to maintain good exercise habits in comparison with other forms of exercise.
The practicality of Pilates allows it to be done anywhere, and with no equipment necessary. It is so easy to do Pilates at home, or in the office, and we certainly encourage it! We often provide our Pilates clients here in Canberra with homework exercises that they can perform in between their studio based sessions.
Benefits of Pilates at home
Complete flexibility in regards to your time. Even just spending 10 minutes a day going through a basic Pilates routine can work wonders.
Mat classes at home cost only your time.
You can move through the exercises at your own pace, going over ones that you don’t quite get.
You can weave the principles of Pilates into your everyday life, rather than just once or twice a week.
However, as with anything, there are some drawbacks to doing Pilates at home, such as not receiving direct instruction and feedbaack from a qualified instructor, which means that if you have the wrong form when doing an exercise there will be no-one there to correct you. You also need to have healthy dose of self-discipline in order to make time to do Pilates at home, as it can be as easy to “forget” as it is easy to do.
The recommendation is that you kick start and supplement your “at home Pilates” with one or two sessions with a qualified instructor. If you feel you require scheduled sessions to supplement at home Pilates, we have a range of sessions available that incorporate both mat and reformer work.
Some Pilates mat exercises to try at home
Breathing for beginners x 8
Start by lying on your back, with your knees bent and your arms down by your sides (in neutral spine position). Focus on relaxing your body into the mat and releasing any tension, especially in the neck and back areas.
Inhale, and then exhale to gently engage your pelvic floor and also sink your navel down, while still maintaining a relaxed neck and back.
Bridging x 6
Start by lying on your back, with your knees bent and your arms down by your sides (in neutral spine position).
Inhale. As you exhale, sink your navel & curl your spine of the floor, keeping a curled position at the top of the movement. Inhale and reach through your knees to open up your hips. Exhale as you articulate your spine back to the floor (think of melting your spine back down to the neutral spine position.
Chest Lift x 6
Lying on your back with your legs lifted and relaxed, so your feet relax down towards your butt and your knees are in past the hips.
Inhale. Exhale as you sink your navel and slide your ribs downward towards your pubic bone, letting your ribs lift your head & shoulders in the air. Only bring your body up as far as your ribs will let you, without your pelvis moving (keep your tailbone weighted). Hold your lifted position as you inhale, then exhale to lower your upper body back to the floor.
Dead Bug (Leg Lift) x 5 each
Start by lying on your back, with your knees bent and your arms down by your sides (in neutral spine position).
Inhale to prepare. Exhale as you sink your navel, relax your back as much as possible and float one leg up. Keep your foot relaxed. Inhale to your position and then exhale to lower your leg back down. Repeat on the other side.
If you would like some help with these exercises above and thousands more options, you can also register for one of our beginners Pilates Mat courses, which will be a great start to being able to do Pilates at home effectively, or find out more here.
