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The purpose of Pilates warm-up exercises is to prepare your body for a rigorous movement regimen. The exercises serve to open up your joints, lubricate the cartilage between each joint, and limber up muscles so they’re prepared for exertion.
Pilates warm-up is a key part of its regimen and even without performing it thoroughly before a lesson, there are some exercises you can choose from to make yourself ready to get those abs in tip-top shape.
6 Warm-Up Exercises You Can Do Before a Pilates Mat Workout
1) Pilates Imprinting
The Pilates imprint is a basic prone warm-up exercise that helps you become more aware of your physical self while gradually awakening each muscle in your body. Imprinting is a terrific stress-reduction practice for any time, but it's especially important before Pilates to ensure your mind and body are in sync.
To do the pilates imprinting:
- Lie down on a Pilates mat or the floor on your back. Allow your spine to return to its neutral posture by bending your knees and placing your feet flat on the floor.
- Relax your shoulders, mouth, throat, rib cage, belly, spine, hips, and leg muscles one by one. Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly and fully through your mouth throughout the procedure.
- Feel your spine lengthening, relaxing, and stretching against the floor in your thoughts. The impressions of your vertebrae left behind are the source of the exercise's name.
- For 3-5 breaths, continue imprinting on your mat.
2) Arm Reach and Pull
Any successful Pilates workout requires strong shoulders. As a result, you'll need to properly limber up your arms and shoulders before using Pilates equipment or engaging in the types of rigorous exercises found in structured classes.
To do this warm-up:
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart on the floor and raise your arms straight in front of you, keeping your wrists high but letting your fingers dangle freely.
- Reach forward and open your shoulder blades as you inhale.
- Allow your shoulders to return to their usual posture on the exhale while keeping your arms extended.
- Pull your arms back and allow your shoulder blades to come together as you inhale again.
- Allow your shoulders to relax and your arms to drop as you exhale.
3) Pelvic Thrust
This basic thrusting exercise, also known as the pelvic curl, raises your pelvis off the floor, gently engaging your abdominal and leg muscles. Because this exercise is more stressful than some of the others, you might want to save it for the end of your stretching regimen.
To do the pelvic thrust:
- Begin with your Pilates breathing sequences.
- As you exhale, engage your abdominal to press your pelvis toward the floor.
- Inhale as you lift your tailbone upward and squeeze your feet down. Begin with raising your hips, then your lower back and upper back.
- A straight line should go from your hips to your shoulders.
- Return your pelvis to the floor as you exhale, reversing the order in which you raised it.
4) Wall Roll Down
The wall roll down stretches and stimulates the spine while also warming up your abdominal. It's a great transition exercise from the floor to standing or from standing to the floor. Here, we use the wall to aid in proper alignment. This exercise can be done at home or at work as a quick tuneup.
Here's how you do it:
- Stand with your back against a wall and walk your feet about six to ten inches away.
- Bend your knees as you would when sitting on a chair.
- Then, pull your bellybutton in toward your spine and raise both arms straight up over your head.
- Nod your head down, then slowly roll your spine down the wall. Try to continue rolling up vertebra by vertebra until you are in a straight standing position again.
5) Swan Prep
This variation of the Superman stretch involves lifting your head but not your feet off the ground. If you wish, you may switch it out for a complete Superman, which involves stretching your hands straight out and lifting your feet off the ground when you elevate your head.
To do this exercise:
- Lie down on your back on the floor. Bend your elbows and position your hand next to your body on the floor.
- Lift your tummy away from the mat by using your abs. Lengthen your spine as you inhale.
- Release your spine sequentially as you exhale to return your belly to your mat.
6) Spine Stretch
Imagine your body forming a tight letter "C." In a nutshell, that's the Pilates spine stretch.
To do the spine stretch warm-up:
- Sit with your back straight and your butt placed on the ground. Stretch your legs forward to about shoulder width and part them.
- Lift your arms up and forward with your palms facing down as you inhale.
- Push your upper body forward while keeping your legs extended as you exhale. Your spine should curve in a C form.
- Raise your torso back to the starting position with appropriate spinal articulation.
Bottom Line
While all warm-up exercises can be helpful, the six above are perhaps most important for a Pilates workout. Warm-up before each and every session, not only to avoid injury but also to enhance the effects of your workout.
Poll : Do you warm-up before pilate sessions?
Yes, every time
Sometimes
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