Control balance is an advanced Pilates mat exercise from the classical Pilates repertoire. It comes near the end of the classical sequence and is a wonderful integration of skills learned in roll over, jack knife, and scissors. These exercise instructions assume that you know those exercises.
If you have neck or upper back issues, you should skip control balance. The next exercise in the classical sequence is Pilates push up.
Here's How:
- Exhale: Do a roll over. Make sure that you roll only to your shoulders - not onto the top of your shoulders or your neck. This is going to require a softening through the chest and upper thoracic spine even as the move is an up and over lift.
- Circle your arms around, along the mat, until your hands meet your feet.
This part of the exercise is important for its success. If your shoulders creep up your body can pitch too far up onto the top of the shoulders and the neck. Let the shoulder blades slide down the back as the arms come up and you will find you have a better platform for your work.
Inhale: Keep your legs straight, feet lightly pointed. Hold one foot or ankle as you extend the other leg straight up to ceiling. You are aiming for a vertical line from your shoulder through your foot.
Stay lifted. You can't sink in this exercise. It takes a lot of strength from your powerhouse. Your back, belly, and hip extensors are working on an the intricate project of flexion in the spine as the hip extends.
Exhale: Switch legs. Keep the pelvis stable.
Switch legs 5 more times.
- Inhale: Sweep your arms back around to along your sides, bring your legs together, and roll down.
Tips:
- Many people do this exercise with the foot that is on the mat flexed as seen in the photo above. This is not how Joseph Pilates demonstrates it in Return to Life. It is, however, more stable and a better stretch for the back of the leg.
What You Need
- A Pilates mat or firm, padded surface
