At first glance, the Pilates chest lift with leg float looks a lot like your typical abdominal crunch. However, there are a number of fundamental discrepancies between the two exercises. Whether chest lifts with leg float are a part of your Pilates routine or, alternatively, your basic workout, the move strengthens your core. In addition, it helps to increase flexibility. The chest lift with leg float can also adapt to the location as well as intensity of your workout. This because it is possible for you to perform it at the gym or in your living room, or try variations to the classic move for a more advanced workout.
How to do the chest lift with leg float
Lie on your back with your left hand behind your head and your right hand on the edge of your sitting bone. Bend both legs with your feet relaxed and placed a comfortable distance from your body.
Exhale and contract forward, engaging your stabilisers and lifting your head and chest off the floor. Simultaneously fold your right knee as your fingers monitor your gluteal function, which should remain prominent throughout.
Inhale to lower your leg to the starting position.
Repeat eight times on your right leg before reversing the movement for another eight repetitions. With the right leg held in the raised position, the leg lowers as you exhale. It contracts and then rises as you inhale and your head and chest return to the starting position.
Repeat this exercise with the left leg, eight times in each direction.
If you would like to intensify the exercise, after floating your knee off the floor extend your leg and lower it to the floor while maintaining a chest lift. This exercise requires a longer exhale and will load your abdomen much more, so strong core stabilisation, glute and pelvic floor activation is required to keep your back long and relaxed.
What are the benefits of the chest lift with leg float?
Pilates chest lifts with leg float provide a fantastic core workout. The tone as well as sculpt your abdominal muscles and. In addition, these exercises are responsible for strengthening the supportive muscles of your chest and upper area of your back.
Chest lifts with a leg float can also help to improve your posture and make sure that your neck muscles remain strong. An exceptional benefit of this exercise is that, in order to perform the move correctly, it is necessary for you to learn how to isolate muscles in your chest and back. You may not realise that these muscles provide a key support for your spine so by strengthening your spine’s support you can reduce muscle tension which can lead to back and neck pain in addition to even headaches.
A strong, stable, core also buoys the rest of your body, including your pelvic girdle as you move during your day. As you get older, exercises which strengthen these muscles groups and make sure that they are maintained as flexible can help improve coordination as well as balance.
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