Pilates

Warm-up activity: Warm-up activity: This exercise will help you warm up your spine and back muscles Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees soft, and reach your arms straight up to the sky. Remember to pull in your abs and inhale. As you exhale, let your arms fall forward and allow your knees to gently bend and your back to arch into a curve. Relax your head and shoulders, allowing them too to fall forward. Note how your spine reacts, feeling each part of your spine as it slowly relaxes and curls forward. Keep your abs tight, and your movement should be a gentle stretch. Eventually your arms will be down to your sides, and gently pull them behind you as far as you're comfortable. From this curled position, inhale and slowly roll yourself back up to the standing position. Each time you repeat this movement, try to stretch toward the sky a little farther, pulling your spine and entire body upward

Mini report on activity to include history, how to play, dimensions, rules History: Around 1914, Joseph Pilates was a performer and a boxer living in England and, at the outbreak of WWI, was placed under forced internment in Lancaster, England. There he taught fellow camp members the concepts and exercises developed over 20 years. It was at this time that he began devising the system of original exercises known today as "matwork", or exercises done on the floor How to play: on next slide Dimensions: Couldn't find any Rules: There isn’t really any rules

How to do Pilates Step 1: Keep your spine in what is known as a neutral position, in between flattened and arched, as you do Pilates. When your spine moves out of a neutral position, you are at a greater risk of developing back problems, getting thrown off balance and straining your muscles. Step 2: Make an effort to keep your head aligned with your spine when you do Pilates. It may help you to envision your head as part of your neck and spine. This may prevent you from keeping your head curled under your body, unless the exercise you're doing calls for your spine to be curved. Step 3: Focus the majority of your exercises on what is known as the "powerhouse." The powerhouse is your group of core abdominal muscles. By targeting the powerhouse, you may be able to increase your energy levels and your overall strength.

continued Step 4 Target your core abdominal muscles by practicing simple pilates floor exercises, such as rolling up. You can do this exercise by slowly peeling your spine off the floor while maintaining balanced breathing and pulling your abdominal muscles tightly inward. Step 5 Tone muscles all over your body by getting a piece of pilates equipment called a reformer. The reformer uses heavy resistance to help you tone, strengthen and lengthen your muscles without making you appear bulky. Step 6 Improve your posture by using a pilates ball or barrel. These deceptively simple pieces of equipment help you target muscles deep within your back to correct poor posture. In addition, they may even help you increase your balance and make you more agile. Step 7 Give yourself a challenge when you've moved past the basics by lowering your legs during your exercises. Whether you're doing mat exercises or using a machine, the lower your legs are, the harder your powerhouse will have to work to keep them balanced.

Goals and objectives of activity To improve postural alignment Create a balanced, toned and lean body Enhance your Athletic performance Create more stability and less injury Increase agility and flexibility Improve circulation Help maintain a healthy bone density Increase energy level and confidence

Description of activity An innovative system of mind-body exercise that dramatically transforms the way your body looks, feels and performs. It builds strength without excess bulk, creating a sleek, toned body with slender thighs and a flat abdomen. Pilates teaches body awareness, good posture, easy graceful movement, improves flexibility, agility and economy of motion. It can even help alleviate back pain.

How does this activity fit into all age's groups? Because there is many different levels of techniques.

Suggested Grade Level There isn't a certain grade level because it is more for all ages.

Equipment need for activity : Reformers Wall Unit Or Half Cadillacs Cadillacs Pilates Chairs Barrel or Spine Correctors Pilates Accessories Pilates DVDs Pilates Rings Exercise Balls Resistance Bands Or Tubes Exercise Mats Medicine Balls

Teaching Suggestions to increase fitness qualities Along with doing Pilates also add in some types of cardio into your routine,

Game variations to increase enjoyment and health benefits: Fletcher Pilates Stott Pilates Power Pilates and Winsor Pilates.

Game strategies to improve competition: Motivation to stick with it. Meditation

Community Links I was unable to find any! Sorry :-)

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