Pilates The Hundred as a Great Warmup!Why Pilates the Hundred? When people first join a Pilates class and begin to do the hundred they wonder what is this really doing for me? Well, to begin with the Hundred’s are done at the beginning of a Pilates sequence of exercises to warm the body up. Find out how to do more great classic Pilates moves and modifications in the new Pilates ebook available here. If you do not feel warmed after doing this exercise then you are probably not doing it correctly or to your full potential. Pilates the hundred not only warms and strengthens the abdominal muscles and the arms at the shoulder joint, but it also works the respiratory muscles with the quick pulse breathing associated with it. You can feel the respiratory muscles working just below the fold of your chest when breathing correctly. You will feel them pulsing up and down. The breaths are 5 sniffs in and 5 breaths out for 10 sets, hence the name the Pilates "Hundreds". There are many different ways to position yourself for this Pilates move. I will describe from easiest to hardest for you.
Beginner Position:Lying on a mat with your knees bent, feet on the floor and arms long and just above your abdominal floor. The head and shoulders can be lifted or down. Movement: Pulse your arms up and down at your side energetically keeping time to a 3-count breath, inhale like you are sniffing 3 flowers, and then a 3-count breath, exhale like you are blowing out 3 candles. Keep your head and torso still and unmoving as you pulse your arms at your sides like pressing a pile of sand on either side of your hips. Feel your abdominals flattening and widening.
Intermediate Position:Lying on a mat with your feet off the floor and knees bent at a 90-degree angle.Keep your arms long and just above your abdominal floor, your head and shoulders should be curled off the floor using your abdominal muscles to support the head. Feel a fold just under the chest and flatten the tummy. Make sure to keep the spine in a flat or neutral position, keeping the mid ribcage or shoulder blades connected to your mat. Movement: Pulse your arms up and down at your side energetically keeping time to the 5-count breath in and the 5-count breath out. Keep your head and torso still and unmoving as you pulse your arms like pressing a pile of sand on either side of your hips. Keep flattening the abdominals.
Advanced Pilates the Hundred Position:Lying on a mat with both legs extended out somewhere between a 90-degree and a 45-degree angle to the floor. Head and shoulders are curled off with arms long and lifted.Caution: The farther you lower your legs the harder your abs have to work to keep the spine in neutral, meaning the ribs do not pull off the mat or you will have a pain in the back! If you feel a pull in your back and cannot keep your ribs connected to your mat then raise your legs higher to the sky until you feel your tummy flatten and your back stable. Movement: Pulse your arms up and down at your side energetically keeping time to the 5-count breath in and the 5-count breath out. Keep your head and torso still and unmoving as you pulse your arms like pressing a pile of sand on either side of your hips.
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