I love working with resistance apparatus in Pilates mat classes. It helps me feel strong and powerful. It’s also great for improving posture.
This core-focused Pilates mat class is designed to work the posterior oblique core system. It’s like a large X that lives at the back of the body. If you were to stretch your arms overhead, it would span from your hands, across your back, to the toes of your opposite leg. Today I’ve used the Theraband to help wake it up.
Therabands are lightweight and portable, so you can do this class anywhere, even on vacation.
After this class, you should feel more awake and upright. Enjoy!
Standing warm up
- Hip hinge
- Standing cat/cow
- Squat
- Squat + press one heel, other heel
- Kayak w/ hands on chest
- Roll down
Quadruped
- Hip glides
- Hip glides + pull back up w/ arms
- Rib circles
Supine
- Pelvic rotation
- Thoracic rotation
- RIGHT foot in band, bend/stretch to 45deg
- RIGHT foot in band, bend/stretch to 45deg + sagittal arc
- RIGHT foot in band, bend/stretch to 45deg + circle
- LEFT foot in band, bend/stretch to 45 deg
- LEFT foot in band, bend/stretch to 45 deg + sagittal arc
- LEFT foot in band, bend/stretch to 45 deg + circle
- Table legs, feet dangle/lift to table
- Table legs, feet dangle/lift to table + alternating toe taps
- Table legs, feet dangle/lift to table + single leg reach
- Band folded in ½, sagittal arm arcs
- Band unfolded, horizonal arm arcs
- Bridge
- Bridge + pelvic rotation
- Bridge + thoracic rotation
Quadruped
- Band on RIGHT foot, hip extension
- Hip glides
- Band on LEFT foot, hip extension
- Rib circles
Prone
- Head hover + robot arms
- Mini swan
- Mini swan + straighten one arm, look over shoulder
Supine
- Band in hands, horizontal arm arcs
- Band in hands, horizontal arm arcs + table legs
- Band in hands, horizontal arm arcs + pull one arm to T, opp leg reach 45deg
- Bridge
- Bridge + press opp foot/shoulder
- Bridge + marching feet
Seated
- ½ roll back w/ band around feet
- ½ roll back w/ band around feet + hold, draw elbow back, twist to side
Kneeling
- Bend elbows and press up with hands
- Thoracic rotation + extension
- Hips glide back, alternate arm brush
Quadruped
- Opp arm/leg reach
- Knee hover
- Hip glides
Standing cool down
- Hip hinge
- Kayak w/ hands on chest
- Roll down
- Squat w/ arm brushes
I am just loving all the tips from Body Harmonics,
Linda Thomas Pilates Teacher and Barre Instructor South Wales GB
Erin, what are arm brushes?
Arm starts in shoulder flexion (hand up towards ceiling), and then sweeps back to shoulder extension (hand reaches back behind hip).
Think about vigorously brushing dirt off the floor beside you, one arm at a time!
Quadrupled sequence
Band on right foot hip extension
Hip glides
Band on right foot hip extension
Rib circles
when and where is this sequence done with emphasis on left foot!?
Thx
Joanne
Hi, Joanne. Thank you for noticing a small typo. After doing hip extension with the band on the RIGHT foot, and hip glides, then hip extensions with the band would be done on the LEFT foot. Hope this leaves you feeling more balanced!
Whats the length of the band and which brand do you use? Thanks
Hi, Jodie. I use a band that is about 4.5-5 feet long with hand loops tied in the ends. Theraband is a great brand and it comes in different tensions. Blue (medium tension) is versatile and my first choice!