POPSUGAR

This Upper-Body Pilates Workout Is Designed to Advance Your Practice

Sep 5 2020 - 6:25am

The core is the star of most Pilates [1] sessions — it's true — but refocusing your attention to your arm strength could help you break through a Pilates plateau.

According to certified Pilates instructor and founding kuudose [2] expert Keisa Parrish, the strength of your arms won't make or break you while taking a virtual Pilates class, but is useful.

"I would say, however, strong arms are important in advanced Pilates exercises — especially [those] done on Pilates machines (tower, chair, reformer [3], etc.). You are using your arms to lift, hold, push, or pull your body weight as you stabilize and strengthen the trunk or lower body," she adds.

Strengthening your upper body with Parrish's moves could be the push you need to advance in your Pilates practice. As you go, though, remember to take rests and modify exercises as needed!

And while personal growth is a great benefit of her circuit, my favorite part about this workout is that these moves double as a warmup [4] — although I can't say the same about cooling down.

After your sweat, Parrish says to roll your shoulders back and forth four times in each direction, do a tricep stretch [5], and a chest opener [6] stretch with a forward fold bend.

Serving Tray

Work your biceps, shoulder, triceps, and upper back without disrupting your center, Parrish says.

Pilates Tricep Push-Ups

"The purpose [of this move] is to use our upper body strength, abs, and back muscles to lower and lift ourselves in one piece keeping the arms close to the rib cage," Parrish says.

Side Plank Thread the Needle

Here, Parrish wants you to stabilize the shoulder joint while taking the top reaching arm and scooping it underneath your body between the floor and your rib cage — without sinking into your supporting shoulder.

Reverse Plank Tricep Dips

According to Parrish, this move is all about strengthening the tricep by bending and straightening the elbow while keeping the body in one piece.

Click here for more health and wellness stories, tips, and news [8].


Source URL
https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/upper-body-pilates-mat-workout-to-advance-your-practice-47747966