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If you’re looking to get in shape or just have a little less of a lazy routine, you should try one of the seven Pilates moves for your strongest legs. If you’re not familiar with this particular exercise, it’s basically a series of exercises designed to improve your balance and flexibility while toning and strengthening your body. It works on your core muscles, which are located around your torso and back. Here’s what you need to do to start with:
Knee Up: Lie on your side with your hands on your knees, then take one arm behind your head and slowly raise the other up to the same level. Next, bring both knees up towards the chest until you reach a full stretch. Now repeat on the other leg and old for a few seconds before releasing, then repeat.
Standing Split: Stand with your back leg on the balls of your feet and turn your legs to use them to pull yourself up using only your lower leg and heel. Hold for a few seconds before you release, then repeat the same on the other leg. Finally, release and repeat the exercise on the other leg.
Crunches: Take one foot and bring it down onto the opposite foot then slowly bring that foot back up onto the same foot and repeat the process for the other leg. This exercise can be done with one foot or both. Hold for a few seconds and release, then repeat again.
Plank Variation: Take your hands and position them over your head, cross your legs over your chest, and bring your forearms under your shoulders to form a triangle. Now gently pull back on your elbows until your hands fall back down to your sides.
Squats: Stand straight with your back foot slightly pointed out in front of you and bend your knees slightly as you bring your feet toward the ground so they’re parallel to the ground. Now bring your front foot up toward the sky and push your heels toward the ground. Hold for about three seconds before you lower your bottom foot back down again.
Wall-climb Variation: Stand on your toes and lean your hips toward the wall then bring your bottom foot back down slowly until your back foot is flat against the floor. Bring your right foot back down and repeat.
In general, these exercises can be done at home without the help of a Pilates machine. If you’re having trouble finding the time to visit a gym, you can always do them at home. The best thing you can do is to do them every day, as soon as you wake up.
To get started, you need to get a pair of Pilates shoes that are made to provide proper support for your lower body. You can also invest in a stability ball for added support. Once you’ve got the shoes, you can start the Pilates exercises with the foot and ankle stretches. Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your knees bent. Next, press your heels into the floor so that your feet are resting on top of the ball.
Place your right foot on top of the ball while moving it back and forth on each step. The first step will stretch the lower back leg, while the second stretch the front leg and repeat the process for both legs. For the last step, slowly bring the left foot down.
If you want to increase your strength in your calves, your hamstrings, or your back muscles, you can always add weight to your Pilates exercise routine. You can do this by doing leg curls, standing lunges, or jumping jacks. The key is to make sure that you’re not overdoing it, otherwise, you might cause permanent injury.
