Pilates for Beginners: Core Pilates Exercises and Easy Sequences to Practice at Home

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Proper form and alignment during exercises can help to distribute weight evenly and minimize stress on your joints. Additionally, incorporating exercises that specifically target your joints can help to improve flexibility, mobility, and stability. The Magic Circle is a must-have piece of Pilates equipment for enthusiasts of all experience levels. It’s important to ensure that your joints are healthy and properly supported during your Pilates practice.

Balancing also helps to improve body awareness, which makes you feel great and reduces the chances of horrible accidents (e.g. falling down the stairs). Pilates for Pregnancy by Anya Hayes, a Pilates teacher specialising in pregnancy, motherhood, and self-compassion, is a Pilates pregnancy book that tailors exercises to each trimester whilst explaining what is happening to your body at each stage of your pregnancy. Anya offers insightful, fluff-free, and straight-talking clarity to new mums and mothers-to-be supporting you throughout your pregnancy and fitness journey combined.The book progresses from the very simple exercises (the fundamentals) through to the beginners’, intermediate and advanced exercises. After qualifying at Level 3, two routes open up and both in fact work beautifully together. The Level 3 Reformer Pilates Teacher course is focused on using the universal reformer, while the Level 4 Certificate in Mat Pilates is the highest-level Pilates qualification you can achieve in the UK. Both have the potential to be game-changers for your Pilates instructor career. It also has useful chapters on the use of small pilates equipment for the home, and on joint health with recommendations on specific exercises for each joint. Raise your legs from the standard 45-degree angle to 90 degrees (near as possible to a vertical line). Concentrate on the correct movement each time you exercise, lest you do them improperly and thus lose all vital benefits.” – Joseph Pilates

But the reformer is just one piece of Pilates equipment that can enhance your practice. Next, we’ll take a look at the Cadillac, which offers even more versatility and intensity to your Pilates workout. Pilates Anatomy, Second Edition, explores how Pilates activates key muscles, and how breathing and alignment are linked to balance, core strength, and muscle tone. It's one you want to look out for in a selection of Pilates books for beginners. With full-colour, detailed illustrations of 46 exercises, demonstrating which muscles are being used for each move. With a whole section dedicated to 'Personalise Your Practice', Pilates Anatomy gives its students a clear understanding of how to target muscle groups, and how your workouts impact your physique.For newcomers to the intricate and exciting world of Pilates, it’s important to understand that it’s not just about having a passion for the practice or the right qualifications, it’s also about the qualities you have as an instructor. To truly lead the way, you need to possess excellent observation and communication skills, have noticeable empathy and interest in those you teach and be able to demonstrate your detailed knowledge of movement and posture. When you perform Pilates exercises that require arm strength, like the Leg Pull Front exercise, you’ll instantly feel strong (like Popeye). Arm strengthening exercises also help to improve posture. And they release happy endorphins into your bloodstream, which makes you feel amazing. The book provides an overview of the history of the Pilates method, looking at the principles and philosophy of the original approach and how it has been taken forward by other schools. There is also extensive coverage throughout of how Pilates relates to anatomy and posture (and exercises) of the shoulder girdle, pelvic girdle and the spine. The Swiss ball is an excellent piece of equipment to enhance your Pilates workout. It is a versatile tool that can help spice up your routine, making it more engaging and dynamic.