When I first started practicing Pilates Reformer 14 years ago, I didn’t have a chance to do Jumpboard classes as they were not available in Singapore. I experienced my first Jumpboard class during my Instructor Training course.
Honestly, Jumpboard class is a godsend to peeps like me – those who dislike cardiovascular / aerobic exercises. I get to enjoy my strength training and squeeze in some cardiovascular exercise at the Jumpboard class. When I started Pilates Fitness, I ensure that we offer Cardio Jumpboard class even though it was quite expensive (as a business owner) to buy the board (couple of hundreds per board) just to conduct one class type!
To keep your heart healthy and delay the effects of aging, we need both cardiovascular and strength training. Most participants of Pilates Reformer/Chair classes love strength training and usually neglect their cardiovascular training. Attending at least one Cardio Jumpboard class a week will give you that cardio dose to keep heart diseases and stroke at bay and a healthy, glowing face.
WHATSAPP US NOW TO BOOK YOUR CLASS!Your blood circulation system is responsible for sending blood, oxygen, and nutrients throughout your body. When your blood circulation is poor, you may experience symptoms such as tingling, numbness, throbbing or stinging pain in your limbs, pain or muscle cramps. If you ignore these symptoms, reduced blood flow and plaque in your arteries may result in a stroke or heart attack.
During Cardio Jumpboard class, you breathe faster and more deeply, and your heart beats faster. Your organs become more efficient at circulating oxygenated blood and nutrients to the rest of the body. You will also recover faster from your other workouts with improved blood circulation. Hence attending one Cardio Jumpboard class is a good reset to enjoying the other Pilates class types.
WHATSAPP US NOW TO BOOK YOUR CLASS!Your metabolism increase when you engage in moderate to high intensity workout. Cardio Jumpboard class not only increase your heart rate but also all the chemical processes that convert carbohydrates, proteins, and fats from your food into the energy that your cells need to function – your metabolism.
Note that if you can talk, but you cannot sing while you exercise, you are maintaining moderate intensity. If you cannot talk while exercising, then you are doing high intensity workout.
WHATSAPP US NOW TO BOOK YOUR CLASS!WHO and Singapore Health Hub recommends the following amount of physical activity based on your age:
Children and adolescents aged 5-17years
Adults aged 18–64 years
Adults aged 65 years and above
As Cardio Jumpboard combines both moderate to vigorous intensity movements and muscle strengthening exercises from head to toe in the same class, one will be able to hit two birds with one stone by attending a single Cardio Jumpboard class.
WHATSAPP US NOW TO BOOK YOUR CLASS!Cardio Jumpboard class is performed at a much faster rate than regular Pilates class. Essentially, it feels like you are skipping while lying down. As the movements are faster, you need better coordination to manage all the various movements.
We also use the Jumpboard for deep stretches for the lower half of the body as a form of warm up. Cardio Jumpboard class is an excellent choice if you have tightness in your lower back, hips and legs.
Book in your Cardio Jumpboard class today! If you are on a weight loss journey and feel that your results are plateauing, I'd suggest that you attend 3 Cardio Jumpboard classes a week for at least 2 consecutive weeks to get your system up and running at full speed again!
WHATSAPP US NOW TO BOOK YOUR CLASS!
Everyone can benefit from burning more body fat from each Pilates class. We are living in a world where all of us have too little time and too much to do; getting the max out of your Pilates class is greatly appreciated by all clients. We are looking at efficiency and effectiveness. How do you spend the same amount of time and get the greatest result? Getting out of the fitness plateau may also be the motivation you need to keep at your fitness regime.
At Pilates Fitness, all our classes utilize Pilates props such as tonning balls which act as hand weights, Pilates Ring (or the Circle of Death), foam roller and more. Unless you are still nursing from injuries, try to step up on the weight of the props you use. The green tonning balls and the purple rings are heavier as compared to the rest. Same movement, heavier weights equals more fat burn. Try it the next time you come to class and observe the difference it makes to your regular Pilates class.
If you are extending your arms or legs, fully extend, hold for 3 seconds then return to starting position with control. Many times, I observe clients either using momentum or move too fast. In fact, when you are extending your limbs or hips, it’s the last 0.5mm of the final extension that truly tone your muscle and strengthen your core. Note that on the reformer, we are working against resistance, only when we are fully extended do we experience maximum resistance given our body proportion. We will burn more body fat when we stay for a few seconds holding maximum resistance.
Each movement should be performed with this sequence – out and hold (for at least 3 seconds), back and hold (when the carriage stop moving for at least 3 seconds). It is important to let the carriage return fully and let the muscles rest for a second or two before you go for your next repetition. This ensure each repetition is done with correct engagement of the intended muscles rather than just powering through the movement. Performing a Pilates exercise correctly burns a lot more body fat and calories as compared to seemingly doing a Pilates exercise without engaging all the right muscles throughout the journey of the movement.
The other way to maximize fat burn is to use as much core muscles as you can to ensure stability as you perform your movement. Ensuring the spine stays stabilized when you lift your arms up against resistance not only work your arms but also the muscles supporting your spine.
Visualize how a plank works. You are not moving when performing planks but you are working really hard just to maintain your form. In fitness, we call it isometric exercise. If you can maintain your form by activating other muscles while doing the Pilates exercise, you are working doubly hard. You are working hard to perform the movement and you are working hard to ensure other body parts are not moving.
This is also feedback I often get from Pilates newbies. They will comment that they feel nothing at the end of the class and question me if they should be perspiring at the end of a Pilates class. My standard reply is – look around you. The person who is perspiring or panting is probably the most experienced participant we have from this class. The reason why newbies are not “perspiring” is because they are simply doing the movement without maintaining the right form and without using the right muscles. So, next time, burn more body fat by focusing on stability before mobility.
The trick to burn more body fat for any type of exercise is to focus on lower body work – legs and glutes. This is also why squats and jumps are the most commonly suggested exercises in HIIT and bootcamps classes. The reason to focus on legs and glutes is because they are our biggest muscle groups in our body. Look into the mirror, look at the size of your right arm versus your right leg. If you spend next 30 minutes training your right leg, you will be burning more body fat as opposed to working only your right arm since there is less to burn from your right arm anyway.
Glutes is one of the biggest muscle groups and generally ignored. Clients who want to work their bums are clients who wanted a perky nice, toned bum. Clients who want to lose weight will not think about working their bums. This is incorrect. Think about efficiencies, you will burn body fat if you focus on legs and glutes workout.
So next time when you are doing your Pilates footwork exercises, put your all into those few sets. No cheating. Take no breaks. Ensure Tip 2 and Tip 3 are followed. If you want to intensify the body fat burning, grab heavier tonning balls as you perform your footwork.
Lastly, tip 5 is something that I’ve been nagging for a while. Change is the only constant. Do not accustomed to any class type or instructor.
Start with an easy class and build to an intermediate class by Wednesday. Tune down with an easy class and build up again. It’s like running outdoors on a terrain is much more effective than running uphill all the time or running on flat ground all the time. Always let your body warm up and then challenge it before letting it wind down again.
Best is if you could attend different instructor class and use different reformer at every class. Do not let your memory to set in during the 1 hour of Pilates class so that you are 100% focused and engaged.
Starting Position: Lying on your side, supporting elbow and shoulder in line, keep your legs parallel as you lift the top leg to hip height. Slide shoulders away from the ears and keep the ribcage lifted. Keep the core engaged in a neutral pelvis position, reaching both legs away from the body.
1.Inhale to lift the top leg to hip height.
2.Exhale to circle the leg forwards and down.
3.Inhale to return to starting position.
All fours position - wrist aligned with shoulders and knees aligned with hips. Even pressure across two wrists and two knees.
Inhale to glide shoulders away from the ears and curl tailbone towards floor while keeping upper spine straight
Exhale to lift one leg up to hip height gently, in line with pelvis without shifting weight to supported knee. Keep lifted knee straight and foot flexed throughout the exercise.
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Inhale to lower straight leg down to the mat, kiss the toe on the floor, keeping your foot flexed at all times.
Exhale to pulse leg up with foot flexed and reach heel towards ceiling while tightening abs to prevent arching of spine.
Lying supine with feet hip-distance apart and knees and heels aligned; tailbone curling up to ceiling and rib cage gliding down towards belly button, straighten one leg to the ceiling in a neutral pelvis position.
Inhale to glide shoulders away from the ears and lift one leg towards the ceiling. Engage your core by curling tailbone towards ceiling.
Exhale to lift your hips up to complete a diagonal line with shoulder and knee.
Ensure glutes and abdominals are engaged and ribcage is not popping towards the ceiling.
Hope you enjoyed Pilates Fitness 3 Minutes Mat Pilates Exercises for toning your legs and butt.
Perfect for catching up on your Pilates workout when you are overseas. You can do these thigh exercises and glutes exercises anywhere on a firm surface. Put a soft towel on the floor or do it on the yoga/Pilates mat. Do not do these Mat Pilates exercises on your bed!
Stay tuned for more Mat Pilates exercises coming your way!
If you want to see faster results, alternate a Weight Loss Pilates Class with a Cardio Jumpboard Pilates class with 3 minutes of daily Mat Pilates Exercise at home!
Time is no longer an excuse!
We will be sharing one simple HIIT Leg Exercise that you can do at home each week. Each high intensity and low impact exercise will tone, trim and shape your butt and legs in just 1 minute.
You can do this anytime, anywhere and is perfect for days in between studio classes.
STEPS:
1) Watch the video and practise the movement for a few times
2) Set your timer to 1 minute
3) Start the exercise as your timer countdown to 1 minute
* If you can, count the number of times you did in one minute and try to better it every time!
#PilatesHIITLeg #ChooseFit #sgPilatesFitness
