Traditional, or classical, Pilates has a repertoire of exercises known as Pre-Pilates. As the name suggests, these exercises are designed to strengthen the body in order to improve the performance of the more challenging exercises. They are also known as the TV exercises, because they are easy to fit into everyday life - do these moves daily in front of the TV to boost your strength and improve alignment.
Wrapping Exercise
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep thighs and knees together as you straighten your right leg. Wrap the right buttock to turn that leg slightly outward and feel as if the right leg is supported from the glute and inner thigh.
Hold for a count of five. Keeping the leg straight, lower it to the level of the left mid-calf and hold for a count of five. Finally, lower to ankle level and hold for a further five counts. Repeat these three steps for two more cycles. Repeat with the left leg.
Aim to feel this exercise in the back of the legs, inner thighs, and abdominal muscles. Take this feeling into Pilates exercises like the Hundred, Double Leg Stretch, and Teaser.
Castanets
Stand or sit with arms outstretched, slightly forward of and slightly below shoulder level, palms up. Touch your thumbs to the centre of your palms five times, then repeat with each finger in turn. Repeat three times. Keep shoulders relaxed and focus on stretching and working the fingers.
This exercise is great for relieving tension from computer work and improving weight-bearing Pilates exercises like Push Up, Long Stretch, and Snake and Twist.
Shoulder Rolls
Stand or sit upright, arms relaxed by your sides. Keeping the rest of the body still, bring one shoulder back, up, forward, and down. Repeat five times, and then circle the shoulder the other way. Then repeat the shoulder rolls with both shoulders together. Finish with the shoulders relaxed, back, and down.
Take this feeling into any Pilates exercise to avoid shoulder and neck tension.
Towel
Sit with feet flat on a hard floor. Place one end of a hand towel under your toes. Using the arches of the feet, pull the towel closer, gathering it under your feet. Then push the towel out again. Repeat two to three times.
This is an effective way to wake up the foot muscles, improving all weight-bearing and standing exercises.
Bringing Pilates Into Daily Life
Those these exercises are quick and simple to do, they can give great benefits - helping your Pilates workout, and bringing more awareness and alignment into all daily activities.
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