Pre-Pilates Movements Flashcards
What’s important in dead bug
Moving the legs without moving the torso
Movement benefits from dead bugs
Improved hip disassociation for movements like sit to stand.
Improved torso control.
Precautions of dead bugs and their modifications
Late stage pregnancy - prop torso up on cushions or wedge
Contraindications of dead bugs
None
Regressions for dead bugs
Use spring assistance on trapeze table.
Limit range of motion.
Progressions for dead bugs
Lengthen legs.
Reverse breathing pattern.
Add arm movements.
Perform on foam roller.
Lift one leg then other leg to tabletop, lower first leg then second leg to starting position.
Related exercises to dead bugs
Femur arcs, single leg stretch, double leg stretch, leg circles, 100
What’s important with femur arcs
Moving the legs without moving the torso
Movement benefits of femur arcs
Improved hip disassociation for movements like sit to stand.
Improved torso control
Precautions of femur arcs and their modifications
Late stage pregnancy - prop torso up in cushions or wedge, only perform dead bug
Contraindications of femur arcs
None
Related exercises to femur arcs
Dead bug, single leg stretch, double leg stretch, leg circles, 100
What’s important in bent knee opening
Move the leg without moving the torso
Movement benefits of bent knee opening
Improved hip disassociation.
Improved torso control.
Precautions of bent knee opening and their modifications
Late stage pregnancy - prop torso up on cushion or wedge
Contraindications of bent knee opening
None
Regressions for bent knee opening
Allow pelvis and spine to move with the leg.
Limit range of motion.
Progressions for bent knee opening
Lift legs to perform in table top.
Perform on foam roller.
Related exercises to bent knee opening
Leg circles (movement of the legs only, not the pelvis), femur arcs
What’s important in arm arcs
Use cushion under head to improve torso alignment
Movement benefits of arm arcs
Improved shoulder mobility.
Improved postural awareness.
Precautions of arm arcs and their modifications
Late stage pregnancy - prop in cushion or wedge.
Shoulder injury or impingement - limit ROM below 90°, move without pain, ensure proper shoulder alignment and rhythm
Contraindications of arm arcs
None
Regressions for arm arcs
Small range of motion.
Perform side lying with spring support.
Progression for arm arcs
Perform on foam roller
Related exercises to arm arcs
Double leg stretch, swimming
What’s important in pelvic clock
Movement without gripping the glutes, abdominals, thighs.
Maintain the thighs centred.
Movement benefits of the pelvic clock
Improved spinal and pelvic mobility.
Decreased muscle guarding.
Improved body awareness.
Precautions of pelvic clock and their modifications
Late stage pregnancy - prop in cushions or wedge.
Extension or flexing sensitivity - limit range of motion
Contraindications of pelvic clock
None
Regressions for pelvic clock
Limit movement to one axis
Progressions for pelvic clock
Perform movements on each diagonal e.g. 1-7, 2-8, 10-4, 11-5
Related exercises to pelvic clock
Bridging, side to side, corkscrew
Movement benefits of bridging
Improved spinal and rib mobility.
Improved hamstring strength.
Improved hip flexor length.
Precautions of bridging and their modifications
Osteoporosis - encourage axial length.
Flexion sensitivity - limit lumbar flexion.
Extension sensitivity - lengthen through sacrum to maintain lumbar spine length.
Late stage pregnancy - keep number of repetitions low, minimizing time in supine, watch for excessive lumbar extension.
Inversion precautions - (hypertension, glaucoma, reflux)
Contraindications of bridging
None
Regressions for bridging
Put feet on a box or higher surface
Progressions of bridging
Add marching in the bridge position; perform on a foam roller, with feet on foam roller, legs on a ball
Related exercises to bridging
Roll down, roll over, leg pull
What important in the chest lift
Carrying weight of the lower head in hands.
Maintaining contact of the lower ribs with the mat.
Ability to inhale and exhale without losing control of the abdominal wall.
Maintain desired lumbar/pelvic position.
Movement benefits from chest lift
Increased abdominal strength.
Improved thoracic and rib mobility into flexion.
Precautions with the chest lift and their modifications
Cervical pain - maintain hands behind the head, improve thoracic mobility
Contraindications of the chest lift
Osteoporosis, late stage pregnancy
Regressions for the chest lift
R - start on wedge
R - exhale when moving the arms
R - Allow the lumbar spine to lengthen into flexion
Progressions for the chest lift
P - Increase number of arm arcs
P - maintain lumbar spine and pelvis in neutral
Related exercises for the chest lift
All roll up exercises, Double leg stretch, 100
What’s important in the assisted roll up
Press the legs into the hands to assist in rolling up.
Avoid lifting the feet from the floor too soon, let the legs follow the body.
The pelvis should move between vertical and horizontal.
Movement benefits from the assisted roll up
Improved spinal mobility and abdominal strength.
Improved hip flexor length.
Precautions of the assisted roll up and their modifications
Rigid thorax - use assisted variation or springs on trapeze.
Pregnancy - use assisted variation only mobilising the spine into partial roll back with arm assistance.
Chronic disc pathology - use assistance as needed
Contraindications with assisted roll up
Acute disc pathology, acute cervical pathology, osteoporosis
Regressions and progressions for the assisted roll up
R - use springs
P - let go of legs
Related exercises
Roll up, spine stretch, saw, 100, roll over, standing roll down
What’s important in quadruped
Align shoulders over heels of hands, hips over knees.
Hands are active.
Spine is elongated into neutral alignment.
Movement benefits of quadruped
Improved spinal alignment in neutral.
Improved shoulder and upper extremity strength.
Improved hip and shoulder mobility.
Improved balance and awareness.
Precautions of quadruped and their modifications
Arms/hand uncomfortable in weight bearing - places forearms on box.
Knee discomfort - pad as needed.
Decreased shoulder ROM - move in comfortable range.
Very poor balance - move one limb at a time: leave fingers or toes on mat
Contraindications with quadruped
Unable to weight bear through upper or lower extremities
Regressions for quadruped
Move one limb at a time.
Keep fingers/toes on mat.
Progressions for quadruped
Move same arm and leg.
Hold arm and leg up to challenge endurance and balance.
Move arm and leg to challenge endurance and balance.
Related exercises to quadruped
Dead bug, supine arm arcs, single leg stretch, double leg stretch, leg pull front
What’s important with prone press up
Maintain the lowest ribs on the mat.
The purpose is to articulate the upper thoracic spine, not lift the rib cage away from the mat.
Movement benefits to the prone press up
Improved thoracic and rib mobility into extension.
Improved anterior chest and shoulder width.
Improved posture.
Ability to accurately activate the abdominal wall during spinal extension.
Precautions of prone press up and their modifications
Shoulder injury - change the hand and arm position to comfort.
Chronic stenosis - bias the lumbar area into length/flexion, use a bolster under the belly.
Osteoporosis - use padding for the lower ribs.
Contraindications with prone press up
Pregnancy, acute stenosis, acute facet syndrome
Regressions and progressions for prone press up
R - limit ROM
P - lift hands from floor, stretch arms along the torso and legs, out to the side or overhead while in extension
Related exercises to the prone press up
Swan, single/double leg kick
What’s important in dart
Maintain the lowest ribs on the mat.
Reach long through the arms.
Maintain the pelvis, legs and tops of feet on the mat.
Front of the shoulders rolled open and back.
Movement benefits in dart
Improved thoracic extensor strength.
Improved shoulder mobility and arm strength.
Improved posture.
Precautions of dart and their modifications
Shoulder injury - change the hand and arm position to comfort.
Chronic stenosis - bias the lumbar area into length/flexion, use a bolster under the belly.
Osteoporosis - use padding for lower ribs
Contraindications with dart
Pregnancy, acute stenosis, acute facet syndrome
Regressions and progressions for dart
R - limit arm lift
R - do fewer repetitions of arm lift
P - elevate the legs (without increasing lumbar extension)
P - pump arms faster for prone 100s
Related exercises to dart
Swan, single/double leg kick
What’s important with pre-swimming
This version of swimming is more challenging that regular swimming for those with limited shoulder flexion
Movement benefits of pre-swimming
Improved thoracic and hip extensor strength.
Improved core control in prone position.
Improved shoulder mobility and strength.
Improved posture.
Precautions of pre-swimming and their modifications
Shoulder injury, lack of shoulder flexion, chronic stenosis - low on box or mats so the arm is lower than the torso, move thoracic spine into extension, perform arm arcs supine or in bridge.
Chronic stenosis - bias the lumbar area into length/flexion, use a bolster under the belly.
Poor breathing mechanics - do fewer repetitions.
Contraindications of pre-swimming
Pregnancy, acute stenosis, acute shoulder pathology, poor breathing mechanics
Regressions for pre-swimming
Limit arm lift/bend arm, widen arms to V.
Do fewer repetitions of arm lift.
Prop body up so arms are lower than torso.
Progressions for pre-swimming
Elevate the legs (without increasing lumbar extension).
Increase tempo of arm/leg lift.
Related exercises to pre-swimming
Swan, dart, single/double leg kick
What’s important in prone heel beats
Maintain neutral torso alignment when lifting the legs.
Movement benefits of prone heel beats
Improved hip extensor/adductor strength.
Improved core control in prone position.
Improved posture.
Precautions with prone heel beats and their modifications
Chronic stenosis - bias the lumbar area into length/flexion, use a bolster under the belly.
Poor breathing mechanics - perform fewer repetitions.
Contraindications of prone heel beats
Pregnancy, acute stenosis, poor breathing mechanics
Regressions and progressions of prone heel beats
R - do fewer repetitions.
R - prop body up so legs are lower than torso.
P - elevate the legs (without increasing lumbar extension)
P - significantly increase or decrease tempo
Related exercises to prone heel beats
Dart, single/double leg kick
What’s important in book openings
Move the torso not just the arm, Open the front of the chest to the ceiling.
Movement benefits of book openings
Improved spinal mobility into rotation.
Improved shoulder and outer hip mobility.
Improved posture.
Precautions with book openings and their modifications
Limited shoulder ROM - cushion under moving arm when in rotation, prop head up, bend the elbow and place hand over sternum.
Stenosis - as tolerated, bias the lumbar spine into lengthened flexion.
Disc pathology - limit ROM.
Osteoporosis - Avoid end of range spinal rotation.
Contraindications of book openings
None
Regressions and progressions of book openings
R - Roll onto pillows to limit ROM
P - Extend top leg while in stretch
P - Circle arm around the body
Related exercises to book openings
Spine twist, Side to side, Saw, corkscrew
What’s important in side to side
Segmental movement of the spine and ribs into rotation.
Maintain both scapulae on the mat as able.
Keep the knees together, avoid one leg sliding forward or back
Movement benefits of side to side
Improved trunk strength,
Improved spinal and rib mobility,
Improved shoulder and hip mobility,
Improved posture.
Precautions of side to side and their modifications
Osteoporosis - Avoid end-of-range spine rotation and forced stretch into rotation.
Late stage pregnancy - Prop torso up on cushions or wedge, or perform with feet supported.
Contraindications of side to side
None
Regressions and progressions of side to side
R - Keep feet on the floor
R - Reduce range of motion
P - Extend one or both legs
Related exercises of side to side
Spine twist, book openings, corkscrew
What’s important in side lying
Move the leg without moving the body.
You are challenging the torso in all three planes of movement.
Movement benefits of side lying
Improved hip mobility and core control.
Improved posture.
Precautions of side lying and their modifications
Lateral hip pain - add cushion under or around the greater trochanter.
Decreased torso control secondary to pregnancy or back pain - increase hip flexion.
Pregnancy - support belly with a cushion
Contraindications of side lying
None
Regressions and progressions of side lying
R - Move legs forward to increase base of support.
P - Remove top hand from floor.
P - Increase number of repetitions to challenge endurance.
P - Increase tempo
P - Lengthen one or both legs
Related exercises to side lying
Side kick, leg circles, side lift, star
