Having Infertility Stress? Use Pilates As Your Soothing Tool To Unburden Infertility Stress (2)
Plus Classical Pilates Techniques and 5 Exercises
Wait!
Before you hop on a mat, you need to understand the basic techniques of the Pilates method so you can achieve optimum results.
These techniques include:
Breathing and core engagement
Pilates “V”
Flexed feet
Pointed feet
Breathing and core engagement: You inhale with your nose while engaging your core muscles simultaneously. Your core muscles consist of:
Your internal side abdominal muscles (also known as the internal right and left internal obliques)
Your external side abdominal muscles (also known as the right and left external obliques)
Your abdominal muscles (also known as rectus abdominis)
The deep muscles of your back (also known as spinal erectors)
Note: When you inhale, think of your front abdominal muscles as an imaginary zip that almost aligns with the back muscles of your core.
Furthermore, when your core is in this position, breathe out through your nose with your rib cages expanding to the side like a balloon.
Note: This technique takes a while before you can become a Pro. So keep practising.
Pilates "V": When your heels form a "V" shape with all your ten toes spread apart.
Note: When in the Pilates stand, you should ensure your inner thighs are joined or "zipped" together to activate the muscles of your legs and feet.
Flexed feet: Your feet are joined with your heels firmly placed on a mat or any Pilates apparatus. All your ten toes are reaching/"pouring" towards your chest.
Note: Make sure your leg and foot muscles are activated to get the maximum benefits of this technique.
Pointed feet: Your heels are firmly placed on a mat or Pilates apparatus, joined, and all your ten toes are pointed in front of you.
5 Classical Pilates Exercises to Reduce Infertility Stress
Hundred
Roll up
Spine Stretch
Saw
Cat
Putting it all together: Pilates techniques and exercises
Hundred:
Lay gently on a mat with the back of your:
Head
Shoulders
Shoulder blades
Back and lower back
Back of legs
Heels
Firmly placed on a mat.
Note: Make sure you connect all these body parts to the mat.
To prepare: Point your feet, extend your arms, lift your hips to hip height, chin tucked towards your chest, and inhale (check breathing and core engagement). While inhaling, lift your head (with chin still tucked towards your chest) and feet ( pointed feet).
Execution: While maintaining the above position, keep reaching your arms and hands towards your feet, and count 1-10 with your arms pumping up and down at a controlled pace.
Exhale (check breathing and core engagement) and count 1-10 with the same execution.
Repeat 10 times, meaning one set = 10 inhalations and 10 exhalations. Afterwards, gently return your head, arms, and legs to your starting position to relax.
Note: Your body must form a canoe shape, which is the best position for this movement.
There are also variations to this movement. One variation is bending your knees with legs hip-width apart and relaxing your head on the mat simultaneously.
Roll up
To prepare: Flex your feet
Raise your arms towards the ceiling.
Make sure your shoulder blades connect to the mat.
Execution: Inhale ( check breathing and core engagement) with your chin tucked towards your chest. You can raise your head from the mat while inhaling, keeping your arms up. Ensure your ribs are puffed out behind you (almost nicely rounded).
Extend your arms by rolling your spine forward and exhaling to finish. With your feet still flexed, move your spine back down one vertebra at a time to the starting position with your arms extended behind you.
Note: Ensure your head is between your arms, and don't hyperextend your arms during execution and completion. Do five reps.
Spine Stretch
To prepare: Come to sit as you would for the roll-up exercise, but make sure your legs are hip-width apart for this one. Keep your feet flexed, arms reaching up towards the ceiling, and your head between your arms.
Execution: Exhale to start, rolling your spine forward and arms reaching forward between your open legs.
To finish: Inhale to stack your spine as you return to a sitting position.
Note: Ensure you engage your core as you lean your arms and spine forward. Please don't collapse your spine at this point. Remember, anything short of these will not return your body to life. Do five reps.
Saw
To prepare: Be in the same position as you would for the spine stretch, but make sure your arms are stretched to your sides like wings.
Execution: Inhale while you engage your core and left arm, reaching to your right foot. Your right arm is slightly lifted behind you while you roll your spine towards your right foot.
To finish: Exhale as you stack your spine one vertebrae at a time and return to a sitting position. Repeat the same on the left foot.
Note: Make sure your hips stay on the mat and do five reps on each side.
Cat
To prepare: Be on your fours—i.e., on your knees with palms facing down on the mat and head facing forward. Make your spine neutral, engage your core, and inhale.
Execution: Keep engaging your core and inhaling to puff out your spine towards the ceiling, with your head facing down on your fours.
To finish: Exhale to bring your spine back to a neutral position with your head facing forward.
Note: Engage your core constantly and do not collapse your core muscles.
Final thoughts
Good job for getting to this point. I'm proud of you.
But wait!
You know, starting any exercise requires the approval of your doctor. Getting to this point of the post, you know Pilates' basics.
With what you know, why don't you tell your doctor about Pilates?
Please don't hesitate to ask if you can add Pilates to your wellness regimen.
If you get your doctor's approval, connect to get more Pilates, because I have barely scratched the surface.
Pilates should be done as a method with various transitions in between movements.
For our purposes, I skipped these elements so you can start reaping the benefits of Pilates.
Moreover, you only need some form of movement to help return your body to life.
So, please keep in touch.