Pilates Exercise Alternative arm / leg extension

This Pilates exercise targets your back, neck, buttocks and shoulders and is performed on a Mat

Each month Simplybepilates will be publishing a new pilates exercises for you to develop a home Pilates workout. Follow us month by month, a little goes a long way!

Starting position

• All fours, hands under the shoulders and knees under hips, hip distance apart. If you have bad knees try using a cushion.
• The spine is in neutral and shoulder blades down the back.
• Neck lengthened and the abdominals and pelvic floor engaged.

Inhale

Lengthen through the spine.

Exhale

Slide the right arm and left leg away from each other until the arms and leg are the height of the shoulder and buttocks. Keep the spine in neutral and the hip bones facing the ground. Be careful to slide the arm and leg away slowly and without shifting the body weight over the supporting hip. Balancing on the hip will take away the need for the abdominals to support the body and therefore reducing the benefit of this pilates exercise

Inhale

Return to original position by sliding the limbs back to the floor. Placing the hands and knees back on the slow gentle to prevent the body from readjusting the wieggth to the alternative hip.

Exhale

Change using the alternative arm and leg

This Pilates exercise is not only great for strengthening the core, back and shoulders it also gives you, the practitioner the opportunity to improve your balance and range of shoulder mobility.

Pregnancy friendly?

This exercise can be safely performed by pregnant women in all trimesters.

Complete up to five sets. You can repeat this exercise daily

For more information about our pilates exercises classes and our pilates studio based in Eixample barcelona click here.