Pilates exercises for beginners that can be practiced in bed.
Pilates exercises have a long history of being practiced in bed. In fact, many people see the genesis of Joseph Pilates' exercises and equipment in the work he did helping to rehabilitate fellow detainees on the Isle of Man in WWI and injured soldiers after the war, much of which we know occurred in and around bed. Throughout his life Joseph Pilates remained concerned with the lifestyle and rehabilitative aspects of his work and he even patented his own design for a bed -- a V shape you can see below.
Of course Joseph Pilates' method, Contrology as he called it, can take people all the way to the heights of fitness so most Pilates exercises cannot be practiced in bed, but many of the principles of the exercises can. Here, our spcial guest instructor, Siri Galliano (more below), has adapted 6 familiar Pilates mat exercises for those who need or want to exercise in bed*. Links to relevant exercises were added:
Notes on Bed Exercises:
Diagram from Joseph Pilates' U.S. "bed or couch" patent. filed June, 20, 1930.
These exercises are no wider or bigger or longer than your own body. Minimized, mat exercises can be done for the ill or injured, or to calm yourself down. Done dynamically, they wake up your circulation and nervous system after a long night's sleep.
Ref: http://pilates.about.com/od/pilateswarmupandprep/tp/Pilates-Exercises-In-Bed.htm
Learn more about breathing in Pilates
Deep breathing is an essential part of Pilates exercise. And not just a big inhale, but also when you make a conscious effort to exhale fully, getting rid of every bit of stale air and allowing fresh, invigorating air to rush in. Joseph Pilates was adamant about deep breathing. Consider this quote from his book Return to Life Through Contrology: "Lazy breathing converts the lungs, literally and figuratively speaking, into a cemetery for the deposition of diseased, dying and dead germs as well as supplying an ideal haven for the multiplication of other harmful germs." Is that not scary?
Benefits of Deep Breathing
Beyond the frightful implications of not breathing fully, consider some of the many benefits of deep breathing. Oxygen is part of almost every chemical reaction in your body, so you need lots of it. If you want to burn calories, you need oxygen. In fact, if you want to have energy at all, you've got to have oxygen. Conversely, carbon dioxide is a waste product and deep breathing helps you get rid of it. Not only that, but deep breathing stimulates the internal organs, including the heart. When the heart gets going, thereby increasing circulation, you get fresh blood coursing through the body, carrying oxygen and nutrients to every cell, as well as removing waste products. Deep breathing is your easiest and most available internal cleansing mechanism.
No discussion of the benefits of conscious deep breathing would be complete without addressing the body/mind integrative aspect. This is particularly true in Pilates where the "complete coordination of body, mind and spirit" (Joseph Pilates, Return to Life) is the ideal that literally inspired the development of the practice. Breathing fully, with attention and intention, centers us. It clarifies and calms the mind, reduces stress, and paves the way for a greater, holistic experience. Working with the breath also brings a natural rhythm to movement that greatly enhances the efficacy and experience of a workout.
Exercises and Deep Breathing
In Pilates, the breath leads the movement and gives it power. All of Joseph Pilates classical mat exercise instructions are coordinated with the breath and most equipment exercises are taught with breath patterns as well. Generally, we exhale on the part of the exercise that requires the most exertion, taking advantage of the natural contraction of the abdominal muscles on the exhale. In Pilates exercises, the breath to help us lengthen and decompress the spine. The contraction of an exhale can be thought of as a gentle, lengthening squeeze of the trunk around the spine. Then, on the inhale, with the support of the extensor muscles, there is an overall expansion in length and width. One might imagine a cylinder getting longer and rounder.
Ref: http://pilates.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/Breathing-And-Exercise.htm
Check out more about Pilates and its types
You may also like: Pilate Exercises
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Of course Joseph Pilates' method, Contrology as he called it, can take people all the way to the heights of fitness so most Pilates exercises cannot be practiced in bed, but many of the principles of the exercises can. Here, our spcial guest instructor, Siri Galliano (more below), has adapted 6 familiar Pilates mat exercises for those who need or want to exercise in bed*. Links to relevant exercises were added:
Notes on Bed Exercises:
Diagram from Joseph Pilates' U.S. "bed or couch" patent. filed June, 20, 1930.
These exercises are no wider or bigger or longer than your own body. Minimized, mat exercises can be done for the ill or injured, or to calm yourself down. Done dynamically, they wake up your circulation and nervous system after a long night's sleep.
Ref: http://pilates.about.com/od/pilateswarmupandprep/tp/Pilates-Exercises-In-Bed.htm
Learn more about breathing in Pilates
Deep breathing is an essential part of Pilates exercise. And not just a big inhale, but also when you make a conscious effort to exhale fully, getting rid of every bit of stale air and allowing fresh, invigorating air to rush in. Joseph Pilates was adamant about deep breathing. Consider this quote from his book Return to Life Through Contrology: "Lazy breathing converts the lungs, literally and figuratively speaking, into a cemetery for the deposition of diseased, dying and dead germs as well as supplying an ideal haven for the multiplication of other harmful germs." Is that not scary?
Benefits of Deep Breathing
Beyond the frightful implications of not breathing fully, consider some of the many benefits of deep breathing. Oxygen is part of almost every chemical reaction in your body, so you need lots of it. If you want to burn calories, you need oxygen. In fact, if you want to have energy at all, you've got to have oxygen. Conversely, carbon dioxide is a waste product and deep breathing helps you get rid of it. Not only that, but deep breathing stimulates the internal organs, including the heart. When the heart gets going, thereby increasing circulation, you get fresh blood coursing through the body, carrying oxygen and nutrients to every cell, as well as removing waste products. Deep breathing is your easiest and most available internal cleansing mechanism.
No discussion of the benefits of conscious deep breathing would be complete without addressing the body/mind integrative aspect. This is particularly true in Pilates where the "complete coordination of body, mind and spirit" (Joseph Pilates, Return to Life) is the ideal that literally inspired the development of the practice. Breathing fully, with attention and intention, centers us. It clarifies and calms the mind, reduces stress, and paves the way for a greater, holistic experience. Working with the breath also brings a natural rhythm to movement that greatly enhances the efficacy and experience of a workout.
Exercises and Deep Breathing
In Pilates, the breath leads the movement and gives it power. All of Joseph Pilates classical mat exercise instructions are coordinated with the breath and most equipment exercises are taught with breath patterns as well. Generally, we exhale on the part of the exercise that requires the most exertion, taking advantage of the natural contraction of the abdominal muscles on the exhale. In Pilates exercises, the breath to help us lengthen and decompress the spine. The contraction of an exhale can be thought of as a gentle, lengthening squeeze of the trunk around the spine. Then, on the inhale, with the support of the extensor muscles, there is an overall expansion in length and width. One might imagine a cylinder getting longer and rounder.
Ref: http://pilates.about.com/od/gettingstarted/a/Breathing-And-Exercise.htm
Check out more about Pilates and its types
You may also like: Pilate Exercises
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