25 Aug 3 Minutes Mat Pilates Exercise – Thigh Exercises & Glutes Exercises

BRING ON YOUR SEXY LEGS & PERKY BUTT WITH PILATES FITNESS 3 MINUTES MAT PILATES EXERCISES THAT COVER BOTH THIGH EXERCISES AND GLUTES EXERCISES

Mat Pilates Exercise – Thigh Exercise & Glutes exercise 1: SIDE LYING LEG CIRCLES

Things to focus/note:

• Ensure core is not moving to keep the core engaged so as to stabilize the pelvis when moving legs forwards and back
• Lift the chest and open your collar bone wide to prevent hiking of shoulders to ear lobes or sinking of rib cage towards the mat

 
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.
 

Modification: Keep bottom knee bent by folding knee and align kneecap to front of hip to provide more stability during the thigh exercise.

1.Inhale to lift the top leg to hip height.

2.Exhale to circle the leg forwards and down.

TIP: Keep the circles small like using your big toe to draw a ping-pong ball, maintaining ankle around hip height. Remember, control is more important than range.

3.Inhale to return to starting position.
 

Repeat 10 repetitions for forward circles, and 10 repetitions for reverse circles on both legs.

Why should I do this thigh and glute exercise?

• Side lying leg circle is an excellent thigh exercise that tone both inner thighs and outer thighs.
• Circling your leg backwards also targets your glutes and hence it is an effective glute exercise as well.
• Keeping your core stable and torso non-moving during leg circling activates your core and helps to strengthen your obliques.
• Your arms, shoulders and latissimo dorsi are also working to keep the torso stable and lifted through the exercise.
• Since it has no impact on your hips, knees and ankle, it is also an excellent glute and thigh exercise if you are rehabilitating from any leg injury.

Mat Pilates Exercise – Thigh Exercise & Glutes exercise 2: All Fours Single Leg Lift

Things to focus/note:

• Curl tail bone towards floor and slide rib cage towards belly button to keep core engaged throughout as so to maintain stability of the spine against movement of the leg – watch out for arching of lower back as the leg is being lifted
• Avoid riding of shoulders towards ears.

Instructions

 

 
All fours position – wrist aligned with shoulders and knees aligned with hips. Even pressure across two wrists and two knees.
 

Modification: For those with wrist pain, rest on elbows or fists instead of wrists.

 
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.
 

TIP: Maintain same pressure across two wrists and single knee on the floor at all times to activate core. Resist arching of back or curling tailbone towards ceiling

.
 

 
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.

Repeat steps 2 & 3 for 15 repetitions on each leg.

Why should I do this thigh and glute exercise?

• All fours single leg lift is an excellent glute exercise that tone both glutes and hamstrings. If cellulite on your hamstrings and bum is of major concern, then you want to do this glute exercise daily!
• Keeping your spine stable without rounding or arching during leg lifts activates your core and helps to strengthen your abs.
• Your arms, shoulders and latissimo dorsi are also working to keep the torso stable and lifted through the exercise.
• Since it has no impact on your hips, knees and ankle, it is also an excellent glute and thigh exercise if you are rehabilitating from any leg injury.

Mat Pilates Exercise – Thigh Exercise & Glutes exercise 3: Single Leg Bridge

Things to focus/note:

• Ensure that the feet are hip-distance and in line with the knees in starting position and toes are pointing forward and not sideways before lifting one leg up
• Keep the shoulders sliding away from the ears at all times to avoid neck/shoulder tension
• Keep the hip bones in line with each other throughout the exercise

 

 
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.
 

Modification: For those with tight hamstrings, keep the lifted leg bent.

 
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.
 

Repeat for 15 repetitions for each leg.

Why should I do this thigh and glute exercise?

• Single leg bridge is an excellent glute exercise that tone both glutes and hamstrings. If cellulite on your hamstrings and bum is of major concern, then you want to do this glute exercise daily!
• Keeping your tail bone curled to the ceiling when you hip is lifted also releases tension on your lower back.
• If you have scoliosis or muscle imbalances on lift and right, doing this mat Pilates exercise daily will help you to even out those muscle imbalances.
• Since it has no impact on any joints, it is also an excellent glute and thigh exercise if you are rehabilitating from any leg injury.

 
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 Reformer Pilates class with a Chair Pilates class with 3 minutes of daily Mat Pilates Exercise at home!
 

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