Pre-Pilates: Where are we going?
Welcome to a brand new series.
As a new teacher, I struggled to wrap my brain around the ever-elusive-grey area known as “pre-Pilates exercises.”
What are they and who needs them?
Today, I find tremendous value in the simple movements and maximum support offered by pre-Pilates exercises. The support of the Mat creates a good learning environment in which to build your Pilates program.
Pre-Pilates exercises are the building blocks for your fundamental exercises as well as for complex maneuvers. And a foundational exercise could also be a pre-Pilates exercise.
What skills do you see in the body and where’s the best place to exploit them?
What skills are needed and where to go to find them?
The Exercises
Today’s exercise doesn’t have an official name. That I know of…
I’m gonna call it Leg Slides.
This straightforward exercise teaches the skill of supporting the extended limbs of the lower body with the trunk.
Maybe you’ve learned it too?
If you have an official name for this one I’d love to know it – plop it right there in the comments thank you!
I’ll follow this exercise through the method as it grows into more and more complex exercises.
- Lie on your back with both legs bent, feet on the Mat.
- Slide one foot forward on the Mat until your leg is straight, lying it all the way long.
- Lift your straight leg until the thighs are at the same height.
- Lower your leg with control a few inches. Pause.
- Lower your leg a little bit more. Pause.
- Lower your leg a third time until it is at the height of your other ankle. Pause.
- Finally, lower your straight leg fully onto the Mat with control.
- Repeat 3x.
- Repeat on your other leg.
(There’s also a video you can follow at the end of this post.)
Simple direction will help students build the skill (over time) to carry them into more challenging exercises.
Where are we going?
First up:
The Leg Springs Series on the Cadillac
One Leg Spring on the Cadillac
- “Frog”
- Leg Slide Moment with Springs!
- Bicycle Combo
Leg Springs Series
- Frog
- Circles
- Walks
- Beats
- Bicycle
- Big Frog
In nearly all of your Leg Spring Series, you’ll use the same movements as in your Leg Slides.
The springs will enhance your proficiency by offering support and assistance.
One Leg Circle on the Mat
Students may begin working the One Leg Circle on the Mat in the identical position as for Leg Slides.
Over time they’ll perfect the more complicated movements of circles.
Yep, circles are complicated.
The choreography of a circle requires control and stamina to maintain your connections all around that circle.
The Hundred
Yes, there is even pre-pilates help for the Hundred!
Leg Slides help to determine the most beneficial place for the lower body in space.
What’s too high up? Does my connection wane as the legs travel too low?
You can also see the Leg Slides in the version of the Hundred with the legs long on the Mat.
Look familiar?
Kick it even more pre-Pilates-style with your legs bent and feet “standing” on the Mat.
Buckle up now…
The Teaser
Here’s the moment you’ve been waiting for… Pre-Pilates help for the Teaser. Yay!
You’ve built proficiency in the Leg Slides and now’s when you need it. Any cracks in your foundation will surely show up now.
Not to worry, there’s always your Leg Slides practice to revisit.
Another Teaser also gets some help:
The Leg Pull Exercises on the Mat
Oh my, these guys…
Who doesn’t want some help here?
Now we’ve really upped the ante. Your position is the same but now you no longer have the luxury of lying down. Now your Leg Slides are literally upside down. And then right side up again!
These two exercises can be an emotional roller coaster, right???
This change in the relationship to gravity can confuse your brain, but you’ll use your experience from the Leg Slides to train your body as you stand on one leg.
Feels like going from zero to sixty, right?
Patience, my lovelies…
Repeat after me Jay:
Watch the video here.
Any other exercises you think will benefit from mastery of the Leg Slides?
Share them with us in a comment below.
Thanks for watching!
8 Responses
As usual breaking it down and explaining it so clearly. Thank you for your continued dedication to our well being!!
Janet,
Thank you so much for reading and for all your hard work in every class 🙂 see you soon! xox
Love the Pre-Pilates work and use it a lot. How would you describe the breath that you use for the Leg Slide?
Hi Joan,
Thank you so much for reading and sharing your thoughts here with us. Pre-Pilates exercises are awesome I agree. I find that unless someone is very tense and holding their breath, they can just breathe normally like they are walking down the street. Unless an exercise is specifically a breathing exercise (for example: down stretch, double leg pull, spine Stretch forward) I don’t really talk about it. I hope this helps to answer your question 🙂 Thanks for watching! xox
Wow!! This is gold.
-from a budding pilates instructor
Hi Vandana,
Wow thank you so much! I remember when I was a new teacher and Pre-Pilates was always such a grey area for me to understand – I am so happy you found this series of videos to be helpful. Thank you for reading and watching and keep up the good work! xox
Thank You. It means a lot.
🙂