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Look forward to seeing you in our Pilates classes today!!
Yours in fitness and wellness,
PowerMoves Pilates Lifestyle
Yes, it’s true that you can too! 3 weeks to trim and slim! We show you how:
Muscle cells are many times more metabolically demanding than fat cells. This means that the larger the percentage of muscle you have in your body, the faster your metabolic rate becomes. Even while you are at rest, your body will burn about 8 times more calories than normal.
Pilates weight-bearing exercises builds muscle mass and density helping you to burn more fat and calories; thus achieving your weight-loss and shape-up goals in half the time.
The workout: Do these moves as a group or incorporate them selectively into your current fitness routine, 3 to 4 times a week. Combine your workout programme with 15 to 30 minutes of your favourite cardio exercise at least 3 times a week. Eat healthy and reduce your regular portions by some and you will expect to see a tighter, slimmer you in 3 weeks!
Long Arm Crunch
(abdominals)
Lie face-up with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Interlace your fingers, extend arms above your head and pull your abs in. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, lift your arms, head and shoulder blades off the ground at the same time in a slow and controlled manner. Inhale to lower in 2 slow counts. Repeat 8 times.
Side Kick Kneeling
(quadriceps, glutes and abdominals)
Start by kneeling on both knees with your hands behind your head. Reach your left hand down to the mat and raise your right leg parallel to the mat. Your left hand is under your shoulder, your left hip over your left knee, your right elbow reaching to the ceiling. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, kick your right leg toward the front of the room and then toward the back of the room. Bring your leg back to centre and repeat 15 times before switching sides.
Bridge (with ball)
(hamstrings, buttocks and abdominals)
Lie face-up on the floor, knees bent, feet resting near the top of the ball, arms relaxed at your sides. Inhale to press your feet into the ball. Exhale as you engage your abdominals curling your tailbone and the rest of your spine off the floor until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line. Hold the ball for 5 breaths, lower and repeat 8 times.
Side Raise (with ball)
(obliques and hip muscles)
Kneel and press the right side of your body against the ball so your lower ribs and hips are leaning into it. Extend the right leg to the side, big toe touching the floor. Place tops of fingers on forehead, palms forward, elbows bent and wide. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, lift your torso up off the ball as high as you can, keeping abs firmly pulled in with left hip in contact with the ball. Slowly return to starting position and repeat 6 times before switching sides.
Lunge (with box)
(quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes)
Stand on a small box with your feet parallel, hip-width apart, arms by your sides. Inhale to prepare. On the exhale, slide your left leg back into a lunge. Lean your spine forward on a diagonal making a straight line from your head to your left foot. Simultaneously extend your arms forward at shoulder height, balancing your weight on your right leg while keeping your abs in. Do this 8 times before switching sides.
Step Up (with box)
(quadriceps, hamstrings and glutes)
Stand in front of the same box with your right foot on top of it, your hands on your hips. Inhale to prepare. As you exhale, straighten your right knee and lift your body straight up extending your left leg behind you slightly. Inhale to lower to start. Repeat 8 times before switching sides.
From all your friends at PowerMoves Pilates in the Park 🙂
Many mums and mums-to-be have been calling in to ask for Pilates tips which they can use at home. Here are 3 exercises which you would like to try at home, to address every woman’s most common pet complaint; the lack of tone and strength in the abdominal area!
For the new mum
Pilates Criss Cross – Lie on your back with your hands behind your lifted head and draw your knees into your body. Extend your right leg out long and inhale as you twist your upper body aiming your right elbow to your left knee. Actively lift from below your shoulder and twist from your waist to reach the knee and hold the position as you exhale completely. Switch sides as you inhale bringing now your left elbow to your right knee while extending the left leg out in front of you. Keep from rocking your body side to side and extend your elbows wide. Work up to 10 sets of switches.
For the regular mum who hasn’t done any exercise
Pilates Swimming – Lie face down outstretched on the mat with arms n legs extended. Slowly lift right arm and left leg off the floor, really extending your arms and legs away from each other as far as you can. Actively lift your abdominals off the mat, tighten your thigh muscles to stretch your legs and reach out long to lengthen your lower back. Without shifting your body weight, alternate and switch arms n legs achieving a swimming motion, all this time pulling your navel into your spine. Breathing normally, inhale for five counts (five switches) and exhale for five counts. Work up to 10 sets of 10 counts.
For the mum who has been working on her tummy
Pilates Plank – Lie face down with legs extended, forearms resting on the floor shoulder-width apart, hands in fists. Pull your navel up into your spine, tuck your toes under and lift your hips off the floor so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Actively maintain a firm centre, with navel to spine, and your buttocks and legs squeezed tightly together behind you. Your neck maintains perfect alignment with the rest of the body. Breathe normally as you hold for 30 seconds at a time. Lower to rest in between sets.
Tips to achieving your Best self:
– Commit to small amounts of exercise at least thrice a week. Even 15-min sessions are better than nought.
– Throw in a cardio workout that you consider fun. Turn up the music indoors and dance while doing your chores. Try brisk-walking in your favourite park or swimming a few laps before the mid-afternoon crash. Step up to moving more no matter what your choice.
– Proper form in doing your Pilates exercises is very crucial. Focus on doing your moves slowly and with a lot of control. Better to do a few good moves than many haphazard ones.
– You are what you eat. Cut back on sweets, fast food and anything deep-fried! Splurge on vegetables and fruits. Whole grains and lean protein are fine too. Proportion is key. Everything in moderation.
– Maintain good posture throughout the day. Keep your neck long, your shoulders squarely down and back, your waist long, your abdominal walls contracted, your buttock muscles engaged.
– Learn to breathe deeply, completely filling and emptying your lungs with each breath.
Let’s get together to work on achieving the body of our dreams!
Claudel Kuek 🙂
PowerMoves Pilates n Dance Singapore
How do I lose weight on my butt? That is one of the most common questions I get from female readers. Some say they never lose weight in that area despite all the exercise they do. Others have never done any exercise for that region and want to know what to do.
Well, Pilates Director Claudel Kuek is walking proof that exercise does build great gluteal muscles – the official term for “butt” – and she shares some of her best exercises here.
Claudek Kuek, 45, who runs PowerMoves Pilates And Dance Studio in lush
“You will still need to keep the abdominal muscles sucked in as you work on your derriere. Remember to keep your hips perpendicular to the floor when doing the floor exercises.”
PILATES SIDE LEG KICKS
Lie on your right side, arms behind your head and head propped up by your right elbow. Stabilise your right leg on the floor and hold the left leg at hip-height.
Minimise the rocking of your trunk by engaging your abdominal muscles. As you exhale, swing the left leg as far forward as possible with a flexed foot. As you inhale, swing the left leg as far back as possible while pointing your foot and elongating your leg.
Keep your pelvis straight as you repeat the back-and-forth swing 15 times. Repeat on the other side.
PILATES SIDE LEG DROPS
Lie on your right side, body in a straight line and head propped up with the right hand. Place your left hand in front of you. Keeping your pelvis perpendicular to the mat, lift your left leg to hip-height and flex your foot as you point your toes down towards the front.
Imagine your big toe touching a hot stove on the floor so you do not want to stay in that position for long. As soon as the toe taps the floor, lift it off with the heel of the foot pointing towards the ceiling. Stay stable and square in the hips as you tap and lift your toes 25 times while you breathe normally. Repeat on the other side.
PILATES SINGLE-LEG SKATING
Inhale as you stand on the foot platform of the Reformer (a pilates machine found in most pilates studios) with your right leg and place your left foot on the front edge of the carriage.
Squat deeply on the right leg, keeping your entire weight on it while placing your hands on your hips. As you exhale, straighten the left leg completely by pushing the carriage away. Keep your right leg stable, your trunk upright and your pelvis level.
Inhale as you return to the start position. Do 15 repetitions on each foot.
Fitness Article by Pradeep Paul
PowerMoves Pilates Studio in the Park