just beginning pilates, and your video is the first I've tried. really struggled with the last move when trying to stretch forward with my arms held up. I suffer from lower back pain and have very tight hamstrings, and hoping pilates will help with this. any suggestions to help relieve the pain on this move?
Hi Joanne, Thank you for your question! I’m glad you found this class and hope to help you keep enjoying the series. First off, try bending your knees a little so you can work more on your posture and not feel the tightness of the hamstrings. You might need to keep your knees slightly bent in most exercises until you feel more flexible. And you will! It will come! Next, instead of having your arms up at shoulder height, just rest your arms down with your hands touching the floor in front of you. As you stretch forward crawl your hands forward simultaneously to a point that feels like a good stretch to you, not painful, and then slowly roll back up the same way. You can also practice this exercise with the support of sitting up against a wall with your knees slightly bent. Finally, try class #3333 before starting another class to see if the stretches help prepare your body to move more freely. Hope this helps! Monica:)
Such fantastic, clear instructions and the perfect level of workout for my current fitness and experience. The descriptions of how to hold each part of the body are the best I've ever come across, I feel like I'm really doing pilates properly thanks to the superb direction. Thank you! I'm excited to continue the series