Download Here or See Below:

​​

1. Roll to one side when rising up. Do not strain abs or neck.

2. Avoid inverted poses and double leg raising exercises.

3. Always perform an exercise on an exhale, never hold your breath!!!

4. Repeat a few times, often throughout the day. Never fatigue the muscles. Alternate between muscle groups rather than repetitions-circuit

5. Quality is more important than Quantity.

6. Perform exercise 5x slowly with complete range of motion. Create a sequence repeat 1-3x.

​

Resources: The tummy team.com, Pelvic Health and pregnancy workshop 1st Tuesday of the month at St. Mary’s Conference Center, 4th Ave Pilates

​

Abdomen

1. Tighten on outward breathing

• Position: Lie on back, or side with knees bent. Place hands on abdomen below ribs.​

• Action: Take a deep breath in through your nose, keep ribs still and expand the wall. Blow out of mouth pulling abs in until completely empty.

    2. Pelvic Tilt

• Position: Lie on your back with knees bent.

• Action: Roll pelvis back by flattening low back to ground. Contract ab muscles on outward breath and tighten butt.   Hold for 3 seconds and relax.

• Progression: Advance to holding correct pelvic tilt and sliding heels down with flat back and repeat.

​

​

​

​

​

  3. Curl-Up---Postpartum only

• Position: Lie on back, knees bent, with correct pelvic tilt. Separated Abs-cross support with hands.

• Action: Bring chin to chest, breathe out and rise up and return back to ground.

• Progression: Arms can be outstretched, folded, or behind the head. Perform Diagonals. If weakness is there with back pain, perform Sit-backs.

​

​

​

​

  4. Leg Tap        

• Position:  Lie on back with both legs bent at 90 degrees and parallel to the floor.

• Action: Bring one foot to floor and tap toe, raise back to starting position and switch feet. Tap toe of other foot and bring back to neutral. Repeat 10-15 times with each leg.

 

​

​

​

Back/Abs

1. Cat-back:

• Position: On all fours, back neutral (should be able to balance a water bottle or book on small of back)

• Action: Pull in your ab muscles, butt, and press UP with your back. Hold for 3 secs and return to neutral.  NEVER sag back!

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Back/Abs/Hips/Butt

1. Bridging

• Position: Lie on back, knees bent, feet on floor.

• Action: Contract abs and buttocks, raise hips off floor until trunk and legs are a straight line.

• Progression: Raise the bridge with one leg straight even with the other thigh. Then move the straightened leg to side and back to center.

​

​

​

​

​

​

   2. Plank

• Position: Push up position, wrists over shoulders, feet together or slightly apart. Breathe out.

• Action: Lift body off floor, make sure you breathe out and empty abdominal cavity, tighten core and keep butt down. work up to holding for 1 minute.

• Progression: Turn to side. keep feet stacked.  repeat breathing and hold. work up to holding for one minute.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

   3. Squat

• Position: Standing, feet slightly turned out and slightly wider than shoulder width. arms bent or straight out in front of you.

• Action: Sit back and lower butt towards the floor like you are sitting in a chair. Keep heels flat on the floor throughout the motion.

• Progression: start with holding onto a door handle or with heels on the edge of a carpet. Work up to heels flat and not holding on to anything. Work up to butt close to the floor and hold the squat for 1 minute.