The week starts with Pilates and a playful mood … bicycle on the ball for all ages!!!
Once upon a time there was an exercise called Bicycle On The Ball.
This exercise was very good, since it improved pelvis stabilization, hip mobilization and iliopsoas muscle stretching.
And now … guess what … it’s time to try it too.
Lie down watching…the sky with the stars (don’t worry if there are no stars), placing the miniball under your sacrum – between your lower back and glute- one leg bent towards the chest and the other extended. Arms on the mat beside your body.
Legs can now perform cycling motion forward and backward.
Inhale from the nose during the first half of motion and exhale from the mouth during the second half.
Cues
- In order to place the miniball under the sacrum, bring your body to a bridge position- favorite childhood’s position !!!
- Legs moved until are aligned with hips
- Shoulders sideways and back
- Chest boosted
- Belly button towards the spine, producing a power in opposition with the leg stretching out.
- Feel the opposition between the extended and the bent leg.
- Elongate your leg from hip joint.
- Keep your pelvis stable
- Arms tend to be long… elongated
- Keep your BOX squared (BOX:the frame of shoulder and hip joints)
- During backward cycling motion, the extended leg feels like sinking into the sand…searching for seashells
- In case you want to stretch your hamstrings, you can keep your feet flexed.
- You can also perform the exercise keeping your knees bent.
And they lived happily ever after and even more all people that performed the exercise…
Ioanna Tsaroucha, Pilates Instructor, AthensTrainers® Associate
