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Arms & Back – Side Plank (ep. 014) 1
Mat Pilates is one of the best ways to sculpt rock hard abdominals and long, lean muscles. But many complain that there aren’t enough arm and shoulder exercises in a mat Pilates class. Look no further! The Pilates exercise Side Plank strengthens the core and strengthens the muscles surrounding the shoulder – a great combination for both Pilates and yoga enthusiasts!
If you do Pilates and yoga, then you have probably also done a lot of planks! The side plank is actually a derivation of the Pilates exercise Side Bend, very popular in mat Pilates classes. At our New York City Pilates studio, Pilates on Fifth, we have discovered in our ten years of business that in a traditional mat Pilates class, no Pilates exercise prepares the Pilates performer to support the weight of the body on one arm before they get to the Side Bend. Now, if they’ve been doing Pilates and Yoga for a while, then they have developed the strength from poses such as “Vashistasana” (Side Plank).
Pilates and yoga both require strong arms and shoulders, though in mat Pilates, this requirement is not as obvious. Pilates on the equipment is usually where Pilates practitioners turn for arm strengthening Pilates exercises, but in our Pilates training program, we teach students that by incorporating a Pilates exercise such as Side Plank into a Pilates workout, you’ll have strong arms and shoulders in no time!
