March MATness – Single Leg Kick and Double Leg Kick

Single Leg Kick Lie on your stomach with your upper body propped up on your elbows Actively pull your abdominals in, anchor your pubic bone into the mat and squeeze your thighs together Squeeze your glutes and try to lift your legs a few inches away from the mat Keeping the legs lifted and thighs…

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March MATness – Swan

Strengthening the posterior side of the body is an important component to your  “full” body health. When working in extension it is important to keep the spine supported by pulling the abs in and up. Also, focus on creating length between the vertebrae. For the swan, create a 4 way stretch within your own body.…

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March MATness – Saw

The movement in  “Saw” comes from the rotation of the spine not the hips and pelvis. Think of it as a “wringing” out of the abs. Also, try to create and maintain as much length from fingertip to fingertip. The deeper the work you can create in your own body the more you will get…

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March MATness – Corkscrew

Corkscrew Lie on your back with your legs full extended and engaged. Arms actively pressing into the mat by your side. Squeezing the legs together tightly, pull your ribcage and abs into the mat, lift both the legs away from the mat up to a 90 degree angle Inhale, begin to circle the legs to…

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March MATness – Single Leg Stretch and Double Leg Stretch

Today we are going to add the single leg stretch and double leg stretch to the mat repertoire that you have hopefully been practicing at home! These are the first two in what we call the “series of 5” Single Leg Stretch 1. Lie on your back with your legs full extended and engaged. Arms…

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March MATness – The Roll Over

Here we are on day 3 of March MATness and that brings us to the rollover. The roll over is a “rolling” exercise and requires a lot of control. A very important component of this movement is to remember the “full body” connection. Before you practice the roll over, make sure that you feel strong…

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REAL men DO Pilates!

Joseph Pilates, a man,  started this amazing system of training for soldiers during World War I. Pilates has been and continues to be an avenue of training for many professional athletes, dancers and recreational athletes.  To name a few…….World Series Champion pitcher Curt Schilling, golf star Tiger Woods, The New Jersey Nets basketball team, actor John…

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