Pilates Exercises for Beginners
Remember first and foremost to always do these exercises barefoot! This is the key in performing any Pilates exercise! Remember to be aware of the different parts of your body as you go through exercises, and how your body reacts so that you can become more mindful of how you are benefited by these exercises. It is always good to go through a relaxation script or meditation before beginning any exercise, so that your body is able to reap the full rewards of each one. That said, we will take you through seven Pilates Contrology Exercises for beginners.

Relaxation Scripts
Start by lying in a relaxing position, using the carpet or if you have one, a comfy mat. See picture below for position.

Using a folded towel or something of that nature (about 3 cm thick), support your head, and make sure to keep your knees and feet parallel with your hips. Next, place your hands on your abdominal region, take a deep breath, hold, and then release your breath slowly.

As you inhale, bring your shoulders to your ears As you exhale, lower your shoulders towards your hips Breathing normally, relax your shoulders completely. Then feel your body widen and lengthen.
Imagine then, sand, spilling out of your back pockets, then your front shirt pockets, and finally from the middle of the back of your neck.
Say gently to yourself, “There is no tension from my toes…to my tail bone…to the frown of my forehead”.
Repeat this relaxation exercise as many times as necessary until you achieve the relaxation feeling. Make sure to get to know and enjoy this feeling!


Pelvic Neutral
Lie down in the relaxation position Before you can find your pelvic neutral alignment, we need to feel the full range of pelvic tilt. Make sure not to push your pelvic tilt beyond mild discomfort. Imagine there is a clock face attached to the front of your pelvis and looking forward. Make your clock face "look upward" toward your head by tilting your pelvis so that 6 o'clock is higher than 12 o'clock. Hold, and take a couple of shallow breathes. Now make your pelvic "clock face" look downward by tilting your pelvis so that 6 o'clock is below 12 o'clock . Hold and take a couple of shallow breathes. Now come back to the center of your pelvic range of movement. You should still have a small natural arch in your back (not quite enough to get your fingers under). Relax, and get the feel of pelvic neutral into your mind!
The "pelvic clock face" is now looking straight ahead. This is Pelvic Neutral!


The Zip and Hollow (Lumbar Stabilization Exercise)
Lie on your back in the relaxation position with your knees bent toward your chest. Put your hands on the area of your abdomen that would be covered by the front part of a bikini. (the “bikini patch”. Have your thumbs touching at the navel, and your fingers touching at the midline, about 6 cm below the navel. Lie on your back in the relaxation position with your knees bent toward your chest. Put your hands on the area of your abdomen that would be covered by the front part of a bikini. (the “bikini patch”. Have your thumbs touching at the navel, and your fingers touching at the midline, about 6 cm below the navel.


Pilates Breathing
Sit in a high backed kitchen or office chair with your buttock well back in the seat and the lean back so that your back is fully supported. Think "spine lengthen upward". Place your left hand over the left side of your rib cage - thumb touching the ribs at the back, and index finger touching ribs at the front. Place your right hand over your solar plexus. Now try two different styles of breathing!

Chair Sitter's Breathing Breathe slowly and deeply. Relax…Which parts move as you breathe? - Your abdomen? - Perhaps the front of your chest?


Pilates Breathing (Back & Sides Breathing)
Gently zip and hollow your lower abdomen. (refer "Zip and Hollow" and "Zip, Fine Control"). Breathe slowly and deeply, through your nose and stay relaxed…Which parts move as you breathe now? Your upper abdomen? The sides of your chest? Possibly also the ribs at the back of your chest are now also moving?


Lumbar stabilization exercises : Fine Control of Zip and Hollow
Lie in the Relaxation Position in pelvic neutral. Imagine four buttons along the mid line of your abdomen:- On the pubic symphysis. Mid-way between the pubic symphysis and the belly button. On the belly button. Just below the breast bone.

Lengthen up through the spine and tuck your chin slightly.
Gently zip and hollow over button 1.
Gently zip and hollow from buttons 1 to 2.
Gently zip and hollow from button 1 to 3.
Gently zip and hollow over the entire mid line of your abdomen.
Now slowly increase the force of the zip and hollow over the entire length of your abdominal mid-line -increase gradually, and keep the rest of your body relaxed!
Now relax back to a gentle level 1 or 2 zip and hollow. Try to maintain this level throughout your day!


Buttocks Exercises
Stand upright and relaxed with your feet hip width apart and your toes pointing slightly outwards and unlock your knees. Your pelvis should be in "neutral". Gently zip and hollow your lower abdomen. Tense your gluteals, & hold for 3 seconds - you can check that the Gluteus maximus has engaged by placing a hand over the relevant area- repeat 3-5 times.


Standing Posture
Place your feet with the insides parallel, and "zip" your abdomen at buttons one and two. Bend your knees while looking down to observe their line movement and position. Clench the buttocks to cause the knees to travel forward over the line of the second and third toes. Push your finger tips into the front of your thighs to monitor quadriceps muscle tension. Lock the knees, then slowly bend them until the quadriceps muscles start to tense up. Now slightly straighten them. Lengthen your spine as you lean forward by softening at the hip joints (don't bend the spine) - feels like a rooster pushing his tail feathers backward. When you can look down and see your ankles, you know you've got it right. Breathe fully into the sides of your rib cage and upper back, and lengthen your head up to the sky. This will straighten out your kyphosis (or "hunch back"). Maintain your elongating spine and continue to gently breathe into the side of your rib cage and upper back. Bring the points of your shoulders back and roll your shoulder blades away from your ears. Sway on your feet like wheat on the prairie, and feel the patterns of weight move around the soles of your feet. Finally, place equal weight over the center of each heel, the ball of the big toe and the ball of the "pinkie" toe (means that you will have put two thirds of your weight onto the front of your foot). You now have the perfect standing posture of a super athlete poised at the start of a medal winning race. Relax! Stand tall! Standing Posture: From "Sway Back" (left) to "Perfect Athlete" (right)!

Resources: easyvigour.net