Lean, Toned and Lovely
Tighten those jiggles, improve flexibility and energize yourself with this pilates and yoga workout.
Balance—it’s a hot concept these days. How to balance all the different aspects of our lives sells books and magazines. Life coaches even make a career out of helping us attain it.
In fitness, balance can have different meanings, from working your whole body equally to varying your type of workouts. Harder and faster is not always better. 
While we often focus on slimming our thighs and firming our butts, the goal here was to come up with a balanced upper body workout that would tighten the jiggles, yet also improve flexibility and leave you feeling refreshed and energized. A lot to ask from one workout, you say? Yep, it is. But the combination of pilates and yoga movements we have for you is up to the challenge.
Before we begin, let’s meet the experts who created this program. Designing the pilates component is Brooke Siler, certified pilates instructor, founder of re:AB, a pilates studio in New York, and author of The Pilates Body (Broadway Books, 2000) and The Pilates Body Kit (Padma Media, 2003). Our expert yogi is Jaime Stover Schmitt, Ed.D., C.M.A., founder of Spanda Yoga in New Jersey, certified yoga instructor and movement analyst, and author of Every Woman’s Yoga (Prima Publishing, 2002). The workoutThis do-anywhere routine uses your body weight as a natural form of resistance. And you wanna know the best part? The whole thing will only take around 15 minutes, allowing plenty of time for that life balance we talked about.
What it does: Strengthens the core, warms the whole body, increases circulation.
How to do it:
Lie back with knees bent toward your chest. Exhale deeply and fold forward from your upper torso, stretching arms out straight with palms down. Pump your arms straight up and down as if you were slapping water. Inhale for five counts and exhale for five counts. Repeat 10 cycles until you’ve counted to 100.
For more of a challenge, extend your legs out straight and drop them to an angle that is more difficult but still allows your back to remain on the floor. Single-Leg StretchesWhat it does: Strengthens the core, warms the upper body, stretches back and legs.
How to do it:
Lie back with knees pulled into your chest. Grab hold of one shin with both hands and extend your other leg to the ceiling as close to 90 degrees as possible. With elbows out, lift your head and neck and reach your chin toward your belly. Exhale and feel your belly sink, then inhale and switch legs. Repeat 10 times with each leg.
For more challenge, drop your extended leg down to an angle that is more difficult but still allows your back to remain on the floor.Spine Stretches Forward What it does: Works deep abdominals, stretches spine and upper body, enhances posture.
How to do it:
Sit tall with legs extended on the mat, open slightly wider than your hips. Bend knees slightly to release your hamstrings if they’re tight. Hold your arms out straight in front. Exhale and drop your chin to chest, rolling down and rounding forward. Think of forming the letter C with your body. Repeat five times. Pilates Push-upWhat it does: Works entire upper body.
How to do it:
Stand at the back of your mat and exhale while walking arms down your legs to the floor. Inhale and walk hands forward on the mat until palms are directly under your shoulders. Make sure your body forms a straight line. Drop your knees to the mat for less challenge. Keep elbows in tightly to your sides as you lower to the mat and push up. Breathe deeply throughout the movement. Repeat five times. Pilates principles from Brooke Siler
Maintain concentration with each movement, focusing your mind on the working muscles.
The more control you exert over each movement, the more effective and efficient each exercise will be.
The majority of our power comes from the powerhouse, which is composed of the muscles housed in the abdomen and encircling your spine. All movements should originate there.
The fluidity with which you move from one exercise to the next makes pilates very athletic and cardiovascular if you do it at a brisk pace.
Every movement in pilates has a purpose. Precision of movement is key.
Inhale fully and exhale fully. Joseph Pilates believed we purify ourselves with deep, complete breathing.
Create a little scenario for each exercise and you may work harder to achieve it. For example, instead of just thinking, "sit up tall," think "sit up tall as if your head was pressing through the ceiling."
Use your intuition with each exercise. If something hurts or doesn’t feel right, stop Yoga SectionSchmitt recommends holding each pose for three long steady breaths. For most people this translates to 30 to 45 seconds. Release the poses sooner or hold them longer if you like.Transition from Down Dog to Up DogWhat it does: Works the chest, arms and shoulders.
How to do it:
Begin in down dog, drop your knees to the mat and slide your body forward while straightening your legs. Press up on your palms while lengthening your spine and arching your back slightly. For more challenge, lift your legs off the floor at the end and balance only on your palms and toes. 4-Limbed Staff Pose What it does: Works entire upper body, balances muscles in front of and behind the spine.
How to do it:
Lie face down on your mat, palms down at the sides of your chest. Tuck toes under and exhale as you raise yourself a few inches off the floor. If this is too difficult, lift your pelvis a bit higher.Upward-Facing Plank PoseWhat it does: Strengthens back, arms and shoulders, stretches entire front of body.
How to do it:
Sit with legs extended in front, palms down with fingers facing toward your pelvis. Inhale as you press into your palms, straighten your arms, lift your body in a straight line and look up. Exhale at the top then breathe deeply.Side Plank Pose What it oes: Strengthens arms, shoulders and back, improves balance.
How to do it:
Begin in down dog and turn your entire body in one piece to the left. Bring your right arm up and out to the side at shoulder height. Your weight will be supported on your left hand and the outer edge of your left foot. For more challenge, raise your right leg up, turning out at the hip joint. Repeat on the other side.Relaxation Pose What it does: Restores balance and helps you transition to the rest of the day.
How to do it:
Lie on your back, legs spread about shoulder-width apart. Arms should be slightly away from your sides, palms up. Close your eyes, relax everything and enjoy for as long as you can. Yoga principles from Jaime Stover Schmitt
Make sure joints are warm when you begin.
Perform exercises on a non-skid surface, like a yoga sticky mat.
Keep abdominals tight with every movement to protect your spine and support your upper body.
Whenever your body expands, inhale. When your body contracts, exhale. For example, breathe in as you reach arms up or out. Breathe out in all pushing movements.
Squeeze the abdominals whenever you exhale.
If your breath becomes short and shallow, you’re overexerting. Slow down until you can breathe fully and deeply.
Don’t compete with anyone else or force yourself into a posture, instead simply adapt the pose to fit your capabilities.
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