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Star is a variation of the original Pilates reformer exercise of the same name. Practicing the Star on the mat is a great way to increase core stability and arm strength so that your balance and control are solid by the time you get to the reformer! This total body exercise specifically targets the muscles of the arms, the shoulder girdle stabilizers and the deep core musculature.

A Pilates beginner often attends Pilates classes or tries Pilates online and wonders throughout the first few Pilates workouts what this Pilates exercise called “Spine Stretch Forward” is all about. If not done (or taught) properly, it may seem like a simple forward bend, designed to stretch hamstrings as opposed to deliver a special Pilates benefit. Because this exercise is difficult for a Pilates beginner to grasp, in the Pilates classes at our New York Pilates studio, we often teach this exercise with the back against the wall initially. By doing this, the Pilates performer can feel his/her spine move segmentally away from the wall, which is the goal of the exercise, something that is difficult to see or understand when learning Pilates online or attending Pilates classes as a Pilates beginner.

As a Pilates beginner, or as a student of Pilates aiming to become a Pilates instructor, it is vital to understand that each and every Pilates body might look quite different when performing this exercise. For example, if you have a very flat or tight lower back, it may take years of Pilates classes before the flexibility of the spine manifests, and you certainly don’t want to force it! In our Pilates online video website, www.ultimatepilatesworkouts.com, we have full-length as well as mini Pilates workouts such as “My First Pilates Workout”, and the “Morning Low Back Care Workout”, both of which are geared to the Pilates beginner and are a great substitute for Pilates classes if you can’t get to your nearest Pilates studio.

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Half Roll Down with Arms is an excellent way for a Pilates instructor to increase the intensity of Pilates plus challenge clients safely and effectively. That’s one of the things we at the Pilates Academy International do differently from some certification Pilates programs: we teach each aspiring Pilates instructor how to teach Pilates plus how to progress clients so that they get stronger safely. By adding the arm lift to the Half Roll Down, a Pilates instructor will increase the weight of the torso, challenging the abdominal connection. Other certification Pilates training programs teach the classical mat Pilates repertoire, but do not teach Pilates plus modifications, making it difficult for a Pilates instructor to teach a multi-level mat Pilates class. This ability to modify makes each of our Pilates instructors highly sought after for employment in Pilates gyms and Pilates studios worldwide.

What type of Pilates instructor do you want to be? Do you want to be an in-demand Pilates instructor that excels at client retention and delivers Pilates plus outstanding results? At the Pilates Academy International, we want our students to be happy that they selected our Pilates education program over other certification Pilates programs. When choosing a certification Pilates program to become a Pilates instructor, we know you have choices, so why not choose a program that teaches Pilates plus valuable client retention skills?

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Half Swan is one of many mat Pilates exercises for strengthening the muscles of the upper back and developing beautiful posture. Similar to Pilates exercises on the Pilates reformer (and Pilates yoga exercises), Half Swan is great for the Pilates beginner and prepares the body safely for more advanced Pilates exercises. Half Swan extends the upper back while opening the front of the shoulders to help strengthen those muscles which hold your spine in the proper position. Doing Pilates exercises like the Half Swan reverse the effects of the many actions we perform in our daily routines (working at a desk, picking up kids, etc.) that pull us forward! Even a Pilates beginner can execute mat Pilates exercises such as this effectively, for it involves only upper back extension: in fact, if you feel this in your lower back at all, try separating your legs slightly.

Many people think Pilates exercises only build strong abdominal muscles, but the Half Swan proves that is not the case! The Half Swan prepares the Pilates beginner for more mat Pilates exercises that involve full extension of the spine. In fact, many Pilates yoga enthusiasts need to work on upper back extension, as more advanced Pilates exercises that require full spinal extension inevitably focus on the lower back. Do this Pilates exercise diligently and you’ll be ready for more advanced Pilates exercises in no time! Hey, Pilates yoga practitioners! Try the many variations of the Pilates exercises Swan Dive and Swimming too!

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