For this video we’re going to take a look at the Pilates exercise , The 100. The 100 can be done on the mat or on the reformer, this version will be on the mat. The 100 is often done early in a Pilates workout, it is considered a warmup and a breathing exercise. For this video we’ll be taking a look at some ideas that can be used for the upper and lower body positions when performing the 100.
Let’s start with the upper body:
Lying on the mat, with hands by side. Start the process of getting into the 100 position, by hovering the hands off the mat and reaching the fingertips away. Slightly nod the chin and feel the reaching through the arms, curl the upper body off the mat, focus on the upper abdominals drawing the ribs towards the hips.
When doing the 100 focus on using the reach through the fingertips to curl the upper body away from the mat.
Next, the lower body:
There a few different lower body positions for the hundred, for this video we’ll moving from an elevated, bent knee position, to a straight leg position.
When reaching the feet away from the body into the straight leg position, focus on squeezing the legs towards the midline, we want to feel the inner legs muscles are squeezing. Also, when reaching the legs away, spiral (externally rotate ) the legs from the hip socket, so you can feel the glute muscles are active.
When reaching the legs away for the 100, “squeeze the inner legs and wrap from the hips”.
By reaching and using the arms and shoulders to curl the upper body from the mat, and engaging the inner leg and hip muscles, plus the abdominal muscle challenge required for this exercise, it can fell like there’s an active line down the front of the body.
Thanks for watching, Warwick.. (Movement Health, Forster Tuncurry Massage)
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