Pilates Cadillac Workout

The Pilates Cadillac workout combines the benefits of a mat workout with the added spring tension of a machine that Pilates labeled the "Cadillac", I guess because it's long sleek and comfortable.

It is a popular workout due to the stretching and pulling on the muscles and bones with the spring loaded bars and straps that stretch the body from head to toe. It also helps to assist or make the existing mat exercises more challenging.

You'll feel free and weightless. If you like the feeling of swimming workouts you'll love the workout you get on this piece of equipment without getting wet!

BREATHING WITH ROLL DOWN BAR: Lying on your back with your knees bent and hands on roll down bar wide.

Inhale to prepare and as you exhale gently press the bar away from you as you come up into a bridge with your hips.

Inhale as you raise your arms and then exhale to roll the spine down one vertebra at a time.

This breathing exercise will help to warmup your spine and arms with the energizing breathwork.

The bar should be hooked in the top notches on the machine.

LEG SPRINGS: Lying with your feet in the foot straps there are a combination of exercises on the Pilates Cadillac you can do working the core and legs at the same time.

The springs can be hooked higher up for more leg tension, or lower for more ab work to support the legs in the straps.

Start by reaching both legs down together and then pull them up without rolling your tailbone off the mat, then alternate by walking your legs up for 8 steps and down for 8 steps (like taking baby steps).

Add a variety of exercises such as leg circles reaching out and down then up together and reversing for 6-8 repetitions, then frog legs with your heels together and toes turned out for 8 reps, and then bicycle motion both directions until fatigued.

ROLL DOWN: Sit facing the open end with the roll down bar.

Press gently on the bar as you exhale sending your waist back into the mat and then peeling your spine down one vertebrae at a time until your head comes down, and then inhale as you nod your head, and exhale as you roll back up keeping your arms long and feet flexed as you roll back up.

Repeat for 6 reps with the bar hooked on the top for more help or middle loop for less assistance.

CAT STRETCH: Kneel facing the open end with the forward push bar top spring loaded.

Holding the bar press it down towards your thighs and roll your spine down then push it away as you extend your spine lifting your chest and looking out ahead.

Pull it back towards yourself as you hinge back from the knees and then press it up as you extend your spine lifting your chest up and forward.

Repeat the sequence for 5-6 reps breathing in as you extend and exhaling as you flex your spine.

The version I am showing here, on youtube, is with a Cadillac converted table from a Stott Pro Rehab Reformer.

This is a very versatile and space saving piece of equipment as it does most all of the exercises done on a regular cadillac but with the versatility of a reformer and tower workout.

See my Pilates Cadillac Workout on YouTube!

Leave Pilates Cadillac Workout and check out the newly revised Pilates Ebook to learn all the classic mat exercises with modifications if needed.

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