5 full body Pilates moves that seriously burn

For the final week of our six-week sweat series with One Hot Yoga & Pilates instructor, Tahlia Ware, our workout will be based on the Pilates principle: flow. It’s designed to target your whole body, specifically the abs, so get ready to feel the burn. Concentrate on your movement and breathing throughout the exercises.

Week 6: Flow

Every Pilates exercise should be performed with fluidity, grace and ease. The body’s movement is always flowing, allowing even distribution of force throughout. Each principal: centering, concentration, precision, control and breath combines to allow the energy of each exercise connect and flow for smooth, steady and continuous execution.  – Tahlia Ware

Want to start from the beginning? Transform your body in six weeks with our Pilates challenge. 

5 Pilates Moves For A Full Body Burn

Roll Up

1. Start lying on the mat, legs extended, squeezing together and arms reaching back behind you.
2. Inhale – reach the arms up to the ceiling
3. Exhale – continue to reach the arms forward and begin to flex the spine off the mat, one vertebra at a time, rolling all the way up to seated and stretch the spine reaching the arms forward
4. Inhale – Draw in through the abdominals and begin to roll the spine back
5. Exhale – Continue to roll back, one vertebra at a time until the spine is lying flat and reach the arms back behind you.

Repeat 8 – 10 repetitions
Pro Tip: To increase the challenge of this exercise, try keeping the arms by the ears throughout the exercise. This will create a longer lever for the abdominal to work against. Be sure to keep the shoulders down while the arms are reaching up.
Safety Tip: Try ‘Half Roll Up’ in preparation for the full ‘Roll Up’ exercise. Start lying on the mat, legs extended, squeezing together and arms reaching back behind you. Exhale – reach the arms forward and flex only the upper body off the mat. Inhale – control back the upper body back onto the mat.

Teaser

1. Start lying on the mat, legs extended forward, squeezing together and arms reaching back behind you.
2. Inhale – Reach the arms up to the ceiling and begin to flex the spine off the mat, one vertebra at a time, simultaneously lifting both legs off the mat. Balance just back of the sit bones, low back is slightly rounded and the chest is open reaching the hands towards the feet
3. Exhale – Draw the lower abdominals in to initiate the roll backward action, sequentially rolling the spine down onto the mat, simultaneously lowering the legs and reaching the arms by the ears

Repeat 5 repetitions
Pro Tip: To decrease the challenge try lifting just one leg at a time, alternating with every repetition. ‘Teaser’ can also be performed with bent knees if keeping the legs straight is not achievable.
Safety Tip: Be sure to feel confident executing the ‘Roll Up’ first before trying the ‘Teaser’ exercise.

Plank to Press Back

1. Start in a plank position: hands under the shoulders and legs extended back behind you. Spine is in neutral alignment
2. Inhale – Prepare
3. Exhale – Bend the knees and reach the chest back towards the thighs, hips above the heels and shins hovering off the mat
4. Inhale – Hold
5. Exhale – Shift the weight back forward to the Plank.

Repeat 10 full repetitions.
Pro Tip: To increase the challenge try holding the ‘Plank’ and ‘Press Back’ position for several breaths. This will challenge your core endurance and shoulder stability.
Safety Tip: Stay strong through the hands and shoulders. Continue to press the hands down into the mat throughout the exercise and have the feeling that the shoulder blades wrap around the ribcage.

Arabesque to Plank

1. Start in a Pike Position: hands are pressing flat into the mat shoulder distance apart, spine is long and hips lifting up to the ceiling. Both legs are squeezing together heels pressing to the mat.
2. Inhale – Lift one leg to ‘arabesque’, keeping both legs straight and pushing into the supporting foot.
3. Exhale – Shift your weight forward into a plank position, pulling the knee up and into the chest.
4. Inhale – Return to the arabesque position

Complete 5 repetitions on one leg, then repeat on the other leg.
Safety Tip: To decrease the challenge; move from a ‘Pike’ to a ‘Plank’ keep both legs on the mat throughout the exercise. Once you feel confident transferring the weight forward and back then try lifting one leg off the mat.
Pro Tip: As you come forward into the Plank, pull the shoulder blades apart and round the upper back to allow room for the knee to lift  the chest. Try to lift the knee up as high as you can and rock the weight forward coming to the tips of your supporting toes.

Pike to Extension

1. Start in a Pike Position: hands are pressing flat into the mat shoulder distance apart, spine is long and hips lifting up to the ceiling. Both legs are squeezing together heels pressing to the mat.
2. Inhale – From The Pike press straight arms down, slide and lift chest up through the shoulders. Gently draw shoulder blades together and press the toes into the mat, engage quads in lifting hips and thighs away from the mat.
3. Exhale – Press through the hands and lift hips up to the ceiling gently pressing the chest to the thighs and heels towards the mat to return to the Pike position.

Pro Tip: Use your breath to guide you! Inhale into Extension and Exhale into Flexion. This breath pattern follows the natural movement of your ribcage and will facilitate the movement of your spine.
Safety Tip: You should feel no discomfort in your low back throughout the exercise. Be sure to keep the abdominals working as you come into extension, being mindful not to ‘dump’ the weight into the lower back.