Do you struggle with side plank? If so, you aren’t alone, it is like Marmite for many Pilates’ students, but the benefits of doing side plank are huge. 

These include the following:

• It strengthens three muscle groups at once. To keep you stabilized in a side plank position, the muscles in your shoulders, hips, and sides of your core all have to fire and work together.
• It helps protect your spine. Side planks work the deep spinal stabilising muscle quadratus lumborum. Keeping this muscle strong can help reduce the risk of a back injury.
• It strengthens your core without stressing your back. Side planks don’t put pressure on your lower back. 
• It improves your balance. As a balancing exercise, a side plank can help improve your sense of balance and coordination.

As mentioned above, the side plank can be really challenging and many people, particularly those who are new to Pilates, struggle with it at the beginning and have to work towards building up to a full straight leg version. 

The three most common mistakes people make are as follows:

Your Torso isn’t Perpendicular to the Ground

When you set up for a side plank, you need to be super aware of your body position. Stack your shoulders one on top of the other, and keep your chest perpendicular to the ground. Maintain this position throughout the set. It is all too easy to lean forward, particularly if you place your upper hand on the ground to help balance yourself.

Your Hips Sag Down

In a traditional plank, the lower back often sags. In the side plank a similar problem is often encountered, but this time the hips are the culprit. Sagging hips indicate that your core isn’t doing its job of keeping your spine straight. Tighten your abdominal muscles and drive your hips up into the air. You should be able to draw an imaginary line straight through the centre of your body from head to toe.

Not Engaging Your Glutes and Quads Sufficiently

It’s possible to hold a Side Plank without fully engaging the lower half of the body. However, it’s not as effective as a whole body workout and your hips may well shift back out of alignment. Just as you tightened your abdominals to raise your hips, you also need to contract your glutes and quads.

How to do a Side Plank

Side Plank is a full body exercise, and you’ll work your entire body just by holding it for 10 seconds – no matter what version you are doing.

Basic Version – Bent Knees

Static

To get started, lie down on your mat and prop yourself up on your forearm, making sure your shoulder is directly over your elbow and your forearm is pointed away from you. Your knees and ankles should be stacked one on top of the other, with your knees bent and your torso and hips perpendicular to the mat. Place your top hand on your hip and then push down on your arm and knee and drive your hips up to form a straight line with your body from head to knees. Make sure to tighten your abs, glutes and quads.

Hold for a count of 10, increasing to 30. Repeat up to 3 times. Repeat on your opposite side

Dips

As above, but instead of holding a static side plank add “dips”, dropping your hips down to hover just above the mat and then pushing them up again for 10 repetitions. Repeat up to 3 times.

Version Two – Top Leg Straight

To take it to the next level, straighten your top leg, but keep your bottom leg bent for support. Do both static and dip versions.

Version Three – Both Legs Straight

Once you feel strong in the previous position, the next step is to straighten both legs and try a full side plank. Your feet can be positioned either one in front of the other or stacked one on top of the other but you need to be resting on the side of your foot. Continue to keep your shoulder stacked right over your elbow, lifting from the underside of your body, and keeping your quads, glutes and abs engaged. Again you can go for static or dips or a combination of the two.

Safety tip

The side plank is safe for most people, but it’s best to avoid this exercise if you encounter any shoulder, or arm pain. If you do feel pain during the exercise, stop immediately.

Finally to increase the difficulty and challenge yourself further you can rotate your torso to thread your top arm under your bottom arm pit (Thread the Needle), raise and lower your top leg, or include a side crunch or forward crunch. 

You can see how to do all these versions of side plank in this half hour side plank workout.

The Psoas (pronounced so-ass) is an incredibly important muscle that many people don’t think about, but stretching and strengthening the Psoas can make all the difference to our well-being.

If you have low back pain, hip pain, or various other tightness and stress in your body, stretching and/or strengthening the Psoas can potentially completely fix these issues. The Psoas affects our posture and helps stabilize the spine. If it is either too tight, or too weak, it can cause lower back and/or pelvic pain.

Although the Psoas is a really important muscle, it is also relatively unknown. You cannot see the Psoas and as it does not appear on surface muscles of the body charts, many people have only a vague idea of where it is located. 

The Psoas is actually the biggest and strongest muscle in the group of muscles referred to as hip flexors and originates from the lateral surfaces of the 12^th thoracic vertebra and then forms a strip of muscle almost as big as a wrist along each side of the lumbar spine. Looking at the front of the body, you’d have to remove the intestines and other organs, to be able to see the muscle as they lie at the very back of the abdomen. From the lumbar vertebrae the Psoas proceeds forward and down, crossing the outer edge of each pubis, before moving back again to attach to a bony prominence of the inner thigh bone called the Lesser Trochanter. Along the way, the Psoas joins with the Iliacus, which originates on the inner bowl of the pelvis (or the ilium) and together they form the Iliopsoas. 

A tight Psoas can cause serious postural problems as it it pulls the lower back vertebrae forward and down toward the thigh, often resulting in lordosis (overarching in the lumbar spine), which is a common cause of low back pain and stiffness; it can also contribute to arthritis in the lumbar facet joints. A tight Psoas on just one side can cause pelvic rotation and even knee pain on that side. 

On the other hand, a weak and overstretched Psoas can contribute to a common postural problem in which the pelvis is pushed forward of the chest and knees (posterior tilt). This misalignment is characterised by tight hamstrings pulling down on the sitting bones, a vertical Sacrum (instead of its usual gentle forward tilt), and a flattened lumbar spine. Without its normal curve, the low back is weakened and vulnerable to injury, especially at the intervertebral discs.

Finally, it is possible for your Psoas muscles to be both tight and overstretched. In this case, your pelvis is pulled forward in front of your center of gravity, causing your back to curve (swayback) and your head to poke forward. 

So basically it doesn’t matter whether your Psoas muscles are weak or tight, either way, your posture suffers and your lower spinal column is put under more pressure than it’s meant to take.

For horse riders the Psoas muscles are the ‘missing-link’ riders must learn to use in order to easily feel their horses’ movement and to follow the directions of their riding instructors. Balanced flexion of the Psoas muscles enables riders to tone the inside of their upper thighs and to follow the movement of their horses with their pelvis. By mastering the use of these muscles, riders will be able to maintain self-carriage, both on and off the horse.

FINDING THE PSOAS

Now that you have a picture of the Psoas in your mind, let’s see if you can feel it contracting. When the Psoas contracts, it will pull the thigh and the spine closer together (hip flexion). If you are lying on your back, contracting the right Psoas will help lift your right leg off the floor. If you place the fingers of your right hand halfway between your hip knobble and your pubic bone and press inwards you should feel your Psoas cupping, or smiling as you lift the leg. Now try it with your left leg – can you feel a difference between the left and right?

TESTING TO SEE IF THE PSOAS IS TIGHT

Lie on your back in relaxation position and then float both knees up into a double knee fold. Grab hold of your right knee with both hands and pull it into your chest, then lower your left leg and straighten it out along the mat. If your Psoas is tight then your left leg/knee will not be able to touch the ground. Do the same with the other leg – and don’t be surmised if you get a different result. One Psoas can be tighter than the other.

TESTING TO SEE IF THE PSOAS IS WEAK

Stand with your back against a wall with your heels about 3 or 4 inches in from the wall. Raise your right knee (without using your hands, or creating a C curve in your spine) and hold it up for a count of 30. If your thigh comes above 90 degrees your Psoas is strong, if you can’t get the thigh to 90 degrees, or can’t hold it there, then your Psoas is weak. Repeat on the other side.

There are a number of Pilates exercises and stretches you can do to strengthen and stretch the Psoas muscles. For nice healthy Psoas muscles you need to do both. 

TO STRETCH

• Standing Pelvic Tilt
• Warrior One
• Kneeling Lunge
• Kneeling Lunge with Side Stretch
• Runners Lunge
• Half Frog
• Bridge
• Whole Body Stretch

TO STRENGTHEN

• Single Knee Fold & March
• Boat
• Single Leg Raise
• Double Leg Raise & Lower
• Criss Cross
• Roll Over
• Roll Like a Ball

Do you struggle with side plank? If so, you aren’t alone, it is like Marmite for many Pilates’ students, but the benefits of doing side plank are huge. 

These include the following:

1. It strengthens three muscle groups at once. To keep you stabilized in a side plank position, the muscles in your shoulders, hips, and sides of your core all have to fire and work together.
2. It helps protect your spine. Side planks work the deep spinal stabilising muscle quadratus lumborum. Keeping this muscle strong can help reduce the risk of a back injury.
3. It strengthens your core without stressing your back. Side planks don’t put pressure on your lower back. 
4. It improves your balance. As a balancing exercise, a side plank can help improve your sense of balance and coordination.

As mentioned above, the side plank can be really challenging and many people, particularly those who are new to Pilates, struggle with it at the beginning and have to work towards building up to a full straight leg version. 

The three most common mistakes people make are as follows:

Your Torso isn’t Perpendicular to the Ground

When you set up for a side plank, you need to be super aware of your body position. Stack your shoulders one on top of the other, and keep your chest perpendicular to the ground. Maintain this position throughout the set. It is all too easy to lean forward, particularly if you place your upper hand on the ground to help balance yourself.

Your Hips Sag Down

In a traditional plank, the lower back often sags. In the side plank a similar problem is often encountered, but this time the hips are the culprit. Sagging hips indicate that your core isn’t doing its job of keeping your spine straight. Tighten your abdominal muscles and drive your hips up into the air. You should be able to draw an imaginary line straight through the centre of your body from head to toe.

Not Engaging Your Glutes and Quads Sufficiently

It’s possible to hold a Side Plank without fully engaging the lower half of the body. However, it’s not as effective as a whole body workout and your hips may well shift back out of alignment. Just as you tightened your abdominals to raise your hips, you also need to contract your glutes and quads.

How to do a Side Plank

Side Plank is a full body exercise, and you’ll work your entire body just by holding it for 10 seconds – no matter what version you are doing.

Basic Version – Bent Knees

Static

To get started, lie down on your mat and prop yourself up on your forearm, making sure your shoulder is directly over your elbow and your forearm is pointed away from you. Your knees and ankles should be stacked one on top of the other, with your knees bent and your torso and hips perpendicular to the mat. Place your top hand on your hip and then push down on your arm and knee and drive your hips up to form a straight line with your body from head to knees. Make sure to tighten your abs, glutes and quads.

Hold for a count of 10, increasing to 30. Repeat up to 3 times. Repeat on your opposite side

Dips

As above, but instead of holding a static side plank add “dips”, dropping your hips down to hover just above the mat and then pushing them up again for 10 repetitions. Repeat up to 3 times.

Version Two – Top Leg Straight

To take it to the next level, straighten your top leg, but keep your bottom leg bent for support. Do both static and dip versions.

Version Three – Both Legs Straight

Once you feel strong in the previous position, the next step is to straighten both legs and try a full side plank. Your feet can be positioned either one in front of the other or stacked one on top of the other but you need to be resting on the side of your foot. Continue to keep your shoulder stacked right over your elbow, lifting from the underside of your body, and keeping your quads, glutes and abs engaged. Again you can go for static or dips or a combination of the two.

Safety tip

The side plank is safe for most people, but it’s best to avoid this exercise if you encounter any shoulder, or arm pain. If you do feel pain during the exercise, stop immediately.

Finally to increase the difficulty and challenge yourself further you can rotate your torso to thread your top arm under your bottom arm pit (Thread the Needle), raise and lower your top leg, or include a side crunch or forward crunch. 

You can see how to do all these versions of side plank in this half hour side plank workout.

Many people and in particular, many horse riders and cyclists, moan about having tight hips. That makes sense, as spending a lot of time sitting means the hip flexors stay in a shortened position for longer than they should. Constricting the muscles in this way can make the hip flexors extremely tight, especially if the effects of sitting aren’t countered with hip stretches on a regular basis. Some people are just more prone to tightness in this area than others, whilst for others the tightness is caused by their lifestyle or chosen sport. But whether it’s an occasional twinge in the groin or something much worse, having tight hips can be a literal pain in the butt. 

The major causes for tight hips are as follows:

• A sedentary lifestyle – excessive sitting causes the muscles to relax and deactivate. They become progressively weaker and shorter, causing a painful condition called adaptive shortening.
• Poor posture, anterior or posterior pelvic tilt, standing out of alignment or always sleeping on one side.
• Cyclists are particularly prone to tight hips as cycling causes similar muscle imbalances to being seated at a desk all day. Cycling also requires the legs to move in a repetitive motion, which can cause repetitive strain injuries.
• Horse Riders also sit for long periods of time and thus horse riding can cause similar problems. Those who ride wide horses may well find the situation  worsened. 
• Weakness in the core, the hip flexors and gluteal muscles as well as any unbalanced muscle development also leads to tightness in the hips.

Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between having tight hip flexors, weak gluteal muscles, and lumbo-pelvic pain. Chronic tightness in the hips can also drag other muscles and joints out of alignment, including the lower back and the knees. 

So how do you know if your hips are tight? Pain and discomfort from tight hips can be felt in the upper groin area. However you may also experience lower back pain, hamstring strains or have problems with your knees. So if you are having issues with your knees or lower back it could be down to your hips!

A simple way to assess flexibility of the hip flexor muscles is called the Thomas test:

• Lie on your back on the floor, a bench, or another stable, flat surface.
• Bring both knees to your chest.
• Hold your right knee against your chest.
• Straighten your left leg.
• Lower your left leg as far as possible.
• Repeat with the other leg.

Hip flexors are considered tight if either leg cannot completely lower to the surface you are lying on.

The good news is that there are plenty of good hip stretches that you can do to relieve discomfort, decrease tightness, and increase mobility in your hips. Keep in mind that the key to success is making this a daily practice. Choose one or two of the following hip openers to do each day this week, or try out one of the hip opener videos that include not only the following exercises but a myriad of others too, and follow them from start to finish for a really good 15 to  20-minute hip-opening routine. 

Windshield Wipers 

Sit on your backside with your knees bent, thighs together with just your heels on the floor. Place your hands behind the hips to support yourself. Gently drop the knees from side-to-side, it is your hips that do the work. Allow yourself to walk forward on your butt. Repeat for ~30 seconds.

Seated Criss-Cross 

Start seated with your legs crossed and the right shin in front. Drape your body over your legs and stretch your arms forward along the floor. Walk both hands to the left side, breathing into your right-side hip; stay for 3 breaths (approx count of 30). Walk hands to the right side, breathing into your left-side hip; stay for 3 breaths. Roll the spine up, switch to the left shin in front and repeat.

Shin Hugs 

This position stretches the piriformis muscle. Keeping this muscle flexible reduces your risk of developing piriformis syndrome (a sciatica-type pain). Start lying on your back with your legs extended. Hug your right knee to your chest, slightly across to your left chest and shoulder. Hold for 6 breaths (approx count of 60). Release the stretch and repeat for 3 rounds before switching sides.

Figure Four

Start lying on your back, in Relaxation Position with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, a hip width apart. Cross the right ankle over the left thigh, and push down on the right knee with the fingers of your right hand. Hold for 3 breaths (approx count of 30). Repeat on the other side.

To increase the stretch: take hold of the back of the left thigh with both your hands and pull the whole thigh in towards your body, keeping the back of the pelvis heavy and relaxed into the floor.

Twisted Lunge

Start in your lunge position, with the right foot back. Place the left hand flat to the floor and lift the right arm to the ceiling, rotating the spine so that the chest faces the inner thigh. Hold for 5 full breaths before releasing and switching legs.

Seated Figure 4

Start seated on your backside with the knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip distance apart. Cross the right ankle over the left thigh, flexing the right foot to protect the knee. Lean your spine forward, bringing your chest closer to your legs. Hold for 3 breaths before switching sides.

Thigh Stretch

Start kneeling with the thighs and knees a hip width apart and the spine upright. Place the hands on the low back and gently extend the spine, pressing the pelvis forward and stretching the front of the thighs. Hold for 3 breaths before resting. Repeat twice more.

To increase the difficulty: place the hands on the back of the heels. This is a difficult stretch, so only hold for 2 breaths before resting. Repeat twice more.

Frog

This stretch is also intense, so only participate if it feels right for your body. Start on all fours, bringing your knees as far apart as is comfortable. Keep the inner edge of your feet on the ground, with toes pointed outward. Slowly lower to your forearms, and move your body weight forward and back a couple of times. Finish by gently sitting the hips back into the stretch and holding for up to 6 breaths.

For two online classes dealing with this subject please click here (beginners) or here (intermediates)

Have you ever had difficulty reaching up to the top shelf or had pain in your shoulder or upper arm when raising your arm to the side or overhead? Shoulder pain or tightness is common, affecting some 18 to 26 per cent of adults. 

The shoulder is one of the largest and most complex joints in the body, as well as the joint most vulnerable to injury. The shoulder joint is formed where the humerus (upper arm bone) fits into the scapula (shoulder blade), like a ball and socket. The rotator cuff, a collection of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder, gives the joint support whilst the bursa, a small sac of fluid, cushions and protects the tendons of the rotator cuff. Finally a cuff of cartilage, called the labrum, forms a cup for the ball-like head of the humerus to fit into.

The shoulder joint is highly susceptible to injury because it has to move through such a wide range of motion.  To ensure that the arm can move freely in all directions adequate muscle control and strength is needed. If the motion is restricted by tightness in the muscles or the muscles are weak then injury is likely. 

As we age we unfortunately become even more vulnerable to injury in the shoulder, because our muscles start to weaken significantly as we pass the mid 30s. But rather than just accepting these injuries as a sign of our age, we can mitigate the effect of aging on our bodies by building and maintaining strength and suppleness in the muscles. 

The main factors that increase our chance of shoulder injury include a reduction in the range of motion for internal rotation, loss of external rotation strength, and scapular muscle strength imbalance. 

To decrease the risk of shoulder injury, it is important to improve the range of motion and build strength in both the rotator cuff and scapular muscles. In addition, weakness in the shoulder muscles leads to the overuse of muscles in our arms which in turn can lead to such conditions as tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, and tendinitis.

Luckily, Pilates or modified Pilates exercises done on a regular basis can help prevent shoulder injury and relieve shoulder pain.

Do these simple exercises three to six times per week to relieve shoulder pain. Start with a 10-minute routine and gradually increase the duration as you get stronger and more flexible.

While doing these exercises, focus on relaxing and releasing any tension in your shoulders and anywhere else you feel tightness.

Stretch only to the degree that is comfortable on any given day. Don’t push yourself beyond your limits, and discontinue the exercises if you experience pain that goes beyond mild discomfort.

Wall Angels

This is a mild, but effective stretching exercise that improves shoulder range of motion.

Stand straight with your back to a wall. Lean backwards until your entire back is pressed against the wall. 

Raise your hands straight above your head; your hands should be touching the wall. Now slide down the hands slowly till your arms are bent at a 90-degree angle. 

Continue to slide them down the wall until the top of your fingertips are at eye level. 

Now raise the hands back up again until straight. 

Do 3 sets of 10 reps of this movement.

Deltoid stretch

This exercise helps increase flexibility and range of motion in your shoulder joint and the surrounding muscles. When doing this exercise, lower your arm if you feel any pain in your shoulder.

Bring your right arm across your chest.

Place it in the crease of your left elbow or use your left hand to support your arm.

Hold this position for up to 1 minute.

Repeat on the opposite side.

Do each side 3–5 times.

Fist Press

Bring your arms to shoulder height and make your left hand into a fist.

Press your fist into the palm of your right hand, hold for 20 seconds. 

Repeat 5 times.

Repeat on the other side.

Neck release (Half Horseshoe)

This exercise is a gentle way to loosen tension in your neck and shoulders.

Lower your chin toward your chest. You’ll feel a stretch along the back of your neck.

Gently tilt your head to the left to stretch your right shoulder.

Hold this position for up to 1 minute.

Repeat on the opposite side.

Do each side 3–5 times.

To deepen this stretch:

Place 1 hand on your shoulder and 1 hand above your ear to gently guide the movement.

Lower your chin toward your chest. You’ll feel a stretch along the back of your neck.

Gently tilt your head to the left to stretch your right shoulder.

Hold this position for up to 1 minute.

Repeat on the opposite side.

Do each side 3–5 times.

Half Eagle –  spinal rolls

This exercise stretches your shoulder muscles. If the arm position is uncomfortable, do this exercise by holding opposite shoulders.

While seated, extend your arms out to the sides.

Cross your elbows in front of your body with your right arm on top.

Bend your elbows, placing the backs of your forearms and hands together.

Reach your right hand around to bring your palms together.

Hold this position for 15 seconds.

On an exhale, roll your spine as your draw your elbows in toward your chest.

On an inhale, open your chest and lift your arms.

Continue this movement for 1 minute.

Repeat on the opposite side.

Half Downward Dog Pose

This restorative pose helps relieve tension in your back, shoulders, and neck. Place a cushion under your forehead, chest, or legs for support.

From an all 4s Position, stretch your arms forward and sink your chest to the floor, relaxing your spine and shoulders.

Stay in this pose for up to 5 minutes.

Downward Dog Pose

This inversion pose strengthens and stretches the muscles in your shoulders and back.

Start on your hands and knees. Press into your hands to lift your hips up toward the ceiling.

Maintain a slight bend in your knees as you press your weight evenly into your hands and feet.

Keeping your spine straight, bring your head and chest toward your feet so that your shoulders are flexed overhead.

Hold this pose for up to 1 minute.

Thread the Needle

This pose relieves tightness in your chest, shoulders, and upper back. Place a cushion or block under your head or shoulder for support if needed.

Start on your hands and knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. 

Lift your right hand and pass it under your chest and over to the left side of your body with your palm facing up. You will need to bend your right elbow as you make this move.

Now lift your right arm towards the ceiling, opening your chest as you do so. Hold this position for up to 30 seconds. 

Relax in Half Downward Dog before repeating this stretch on the left side.

For an online class dealing with this subject please click here

Lower back pain affects most people at some time in their lives. It is thought that as many as 4 out of 5 of us will experience it to a greater or lesser extent at some point. In fact, such a large number of people need lower back pain relief that it accounts for a staggering 9% of all adult GP visits in the UK. For some of us, lower back pain is no more than a simple ache that quickly improves, for others however, it can be a much longer-term problem. 

Over the last fifteen years or so, a number of research papers have been published that show Pilates can be used effectively to help back pain. The combination of deep abdominal strengthening, postural awareness, and release and stretching exercises makes it extremely effective in both the prevention and treatment of lower back pain.

Obviously lower back pain can stem from a long list of causes: from sprains and strains to herniated discs and fracture. Less serious and most common causes include:

• bad postural habits, such as hunching over a computer all day or carrying a heavy bag on one shoulder
• poor posture, such as Kyphosis (rounded upper back) or Lordosis (over arched back)
• tight or strained muscles
• weak abdominal muscles

Fortunately, in many cases the best medicine isn’t surgery or pills, it is exercise. However if you have persistent or recurring back pain it is important that you seek the advice of your doctor before starting an exercise programme or doing any of these exercises.

Pelvic Curl Bridge

The pelvic curl is usually one of the first exercises taught to beginners of Pilates as well as being a favourite of physiotherapists. It’s a great exercise in that virtually anyone can do it. At the same time it helps us learn how to use the abdominal muscles in a way that supports and lengthens the back. 

Lie on your back in relaxation position with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat, a hip-width apart. Place your arms by your sides with the palms facing down. Relax your neck, shoulders and lower back.

Inhale to prepare, engage the core, starting with your pelvic floor muscles and then up towards your belly. Imagine that you are zipping yourself in to a pair of jeans that are too tight. Your pelvis should move into posterior tilt, so that the small of your back is now touching the ground. Exhale and slowly raise the pelvis and then the spine off the mat, one vertebra at a time.

Inhale and hold at the top. Ensure that the inner thighs are engaged, your knees should remain a hip width apart and not fall outwards. Increase the stretch of the hip flexors by pushing your knees forward a little. The pelvis should be at maximum posterior tilt and you should feel a stretch in the hip flexors.

Finally, exhale and slowly lower the trunk. Roll down one vertebra at a time, returning to the starting position.

Repeat ten times.

Single-Leg Folds

The single-leg fold is done with the spine in a neutral position. It’s another great exercise for beginners to Pilates who lack pelvic stability or core awareness. Lifting one leg when the other remains on the mat begins to challenge the core in a functional way, similar to walking. The exercise works the abdominals and hip-flexors.

Lie on your back in relaxation position with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor a hip width apart. Your arms should rest by your sides, palm down,. Ensure that your shoulders are relaxed and your pelvis in neutral.

 Engage your core but ensure that the pelvis remains in neutral. Exhale and raise one leg until the knee is above the hip joint and the thigh perpendicular to the mat.

Inhale and return to the starting position by lowering the leg to the mat.

Repeat the exercise five times with the same leg. Place the foot fully down on the mat.

Perform the same sequence with the opposite leg.

Curl up

Lower back pain can occur for any number of reasons but it is frequently caused by weak abdominal muscles. This exercise is another classic Pilates move.

Lie in Relaxation Position with your knees bent and the feet flat on the mat, a hip-width apart. Place your hands, one on top of the other, behind the head and bend your elbows so they point sideways.

Engage your core and then slowly curl the head, neck and upper torso up, so that the shoulder blades lift off the mat.  Make sure you direct your gaze to your belly button to avoid straining the neck and ensure that your lower ribs stay connected to the mat. Breathe in to the back of your ribcage and maintain the position.

Exhale to lower the head and chest back to the starting position without releasing the abdominals.

Repeat the sequence ten times.

Oblique Strengthener (or Knee Rolls with double knee fold)

This supine spine twist is great for those lacking spinal mobility but it is not an easy exercise as a reasonable amount of core strength is required. Substitute the Oblique Strengthener with feet flat on the floor if you have any concerns. As the name suggests the exercise targets the oblique muscles as well as stretching the back muscles.

Lie on your back in Relaxation Position. Breathe into prepare and engage your core, then exhale and float one leg up, breathe in then exhale and float the other leg up, so that both legs are held in the coffee table position, with your knees directly above the hip joints and the lower legs parallel to the mat. 

Put your arms out to the sides so that they are in a T position with the palms facing up and your shoulders relaxed. Ensure that your lumbar spine is pressing into the mat, by engaging your pelvic floor muscles and bringing your pubic bone towards your belly button. 

Engage your inner thighs and bring your legs together.

Exhale and rotate your pelvis to the left so that your knees  move towards the mat. 

Exhale and rotate back to centre.

Inhale and rotate the pelvis, lowering the legs to the other side.

Finally, exhale and return to centre.

Repeat the sequence five to ten times on each side.

The last of our pilates exercises for lower back pain is basic back extension. It’s a simple yet effective exercise for strengthening the often weak back extensor muscles. It also helps develop control of the core muscles. The basic back extension works the back extensors and abdominals.

Basic Back Extension – Pilates Exercises for Lower Back Pain 

Dart Prep

Lie prone with the forehead resting on the mat or if you prefer a small cushion.

Your arms should be by your sides with the palms facing inwards. Your legs should be in parallel.

Engage your core muscles, stretching your spine downwards by pulling your pubic bone towards the mat and stretching through the crown of your head  upwards.

Inhale and maintaining the stretch slowly raise your head and upper off the mat, keep your gaze downwards towards the mat.

Hold at the top for a couple of breath cycles (depending on ability).

Exhale to lower to the starting position, sequentially from bottom to top.

Repeat 5 to 10 times.

Other exercises that are excellent for the back include, Side Plank dips, Bird Dog and The Plank.

For an online class dealing with this subject please click here

The knee is one of the largest and most complex joints in the body. The knee joins the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia). The smaller bone that runs alongside the tibia (fibula) and the kneecap (patella) are the other bones that make the knee joint. Tendons connect the knee bones to the leg muscles that move the knee joint. Ligaments join the knee bones and provide stability to the knee: the anterior cruciate ligament stops the femur from sliding backward on the tibia (or vice versa, the tibia sliding forward on the femur). The posterior cruciate ligament prevents the femur from sliding forward on the tibia (or the tibia from sliding backward on the femur) and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments stop the femur from sliding side to side. There are also two C-shaped pieces of cartilage called the medial and lateral menisci that act as shock absorbers between the femur and tibia. And finally numerous fluid-filled sacs (or bursae) help the knee move smoothly.

Unfortunately the knee is also one of the joints most likely to give us grief at some stage in our lives, either through injury (tearing a cartilage or ligament) or general wear and tear leading to arthritis. In 2017 there were some 106,334 knee replacement procedures carried out in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, whilst in the US this number increases to in excess of 250,000. 

Strengthening the muscles that support the knee can help prevent the need for surgery, or in the event of an operation still being needed, help bring about a successful outcome to the operation. You don’t need to worry that working out will cause more knee damage or pain either. As long as your doctor says it’s OK for you to exercise, the best thing you can do to relieve pain is strengthen the muscles and keep them flexible. 

Traditionally, treatment for the knee focused on strengthening the quadriceps muscle (the muscles at the front of the thigh), but recent research shows that strengthening the core, hip abductors, and glutes—in addition to stretching and strengthening the quads and hamstrings —is actually much more effective at easing knee pain than just strengthening the quads.

If you haven’t exercised for a while you will need to start slowly and build up over time but the following exercises are a great place to start. 

1. Leg Raises. Start with a simple strengthening exercise for your quads, which puts little to no strain on the knee. Lie on your back on your mat. Bend one knee and place your foot flat on the floor. Keeping the other leg straight, raise it to the height of the opposite knee. Repeat 10-15 times for three sets. Repeat with other leg.
2. Leg Slides.  Exercises the quads, hamstrings and glutes. Lie on your back with your feet off the mat. Your knees should be bent, a hip width apart ith your feet flat on the floor. If you are lying on a carpet you will need a piece of cardboard or something that will slide easily over the carpet. Raise the toes of your left foot so only your heel is in contact with the ground (or on the cardboard), Slide your left foot away from you being careful to keep your knee in line with your hip. When your leg is straight return it to the starting position. Repeat 10-15 times for 3 sets. Repeat with other leg.
3. Single Leg Kicks. A great exercise to strengthen the hamstrings and buttocks. Lie on your front with your legs straight in parallel so that your tops of your feet are in contact with the ground, inner thighs engaged. Bend your elbows, making a fist with one hand and clasping it in the other and raise your chest. Keep your spine long, and focus forwards and slightly up. Slowly bring your left heel towards your left buttock with the toe softly pointed. Pulse twice before returning your foot to the ground. Do 3 x sets of 15. Repeat with other leg.
4. Calf Raises. Stand facing the back of a sturdy chair. Hold the back of the chair with both hands. Slowly raise the heels as high as you can, then lower. Do three sets of 10-15. When this becomes easy you can increase the difficulty by lifting one foot slightly off the ground, and raising and lowering your heels on just one leg.
5. Side Leg Raises. Works the abductor muscles, the glutes and the core. Lie on one side with your legs stacked one on top of the other. Bend the bottom leg at the knee for support. Ensure that your hips are perpendicular to the floor and your chest and hips remain pointing forwards and not downwards. If you need a little extra support you can place your top hand on the ground in front of you otherwise rest your top hand on your top thigh (this means you need more core control). Raise the top leg to about 45 degrees. Hold for 5 seconds, lower and relax briefly, then repeat 10 times for 2 sets. Switch sides and start over. 
6. Side Clam. Great for the glutes and hip flexors. Lie on your side with your legs stacked and knees bent. Rest your head on your bottom arm or prop your head on your hand. Your hips should be perpendicular to the floor and your chest pointing straight ahead. Making sure that you don’t rock backwards open your top knee, keeping your feet together. The movement should come from your hip joint. Return the knee to the starting position. Repeat 10 times for 2 sets. Switch sides and start over again.

Think about doing some Pilates on a regular basis as this will enable you to work on all the key muscles without compromising your knee joint. Join a local Pilates class or take an online course from the comfort of your own home.

For an online class dealing with this subject please click here

If you suffer from hip pain, Pilates is an excellent way to remedy discomfort. The pain is often caused by issues with nearby muscles, ligaments or tendons, although hip pain can also be referred from the lower back. While it may be tempting to keep the area immobile, regularly practicing Pilates can decrease pain significantly. This is because the joint itself benefits from gentle yet deliberate movement.

The hip joint is both extremely strong and amazingly flexible, it needs to be, as it has to bear weight and allow for a wide range of movement. It is located where the head of the femur, or thighbone, fits into a rounded socket of the pelvis. It’s known as a ball-and-socket joint. This is because the top of the thigh bone is shaped like a ball and the ‘ball’ sits inside a hollow socket in your pelvis.

The hip joint is held together by a covering of muscles which are secured to the bones by strong cords called tendons. These muscles and tendons form a capsule around the joint and support its movements. They help move the joint, supporting your leg and upper body movement. The main muscles that support the hip joint are the hip flexors of which the primary ones are the rectus femoris, iliacus, psoas, iliocapsularis, and sartorius muscles. In addition weak, buttock muscles can contribute to lots of different painful hip and leg conditions.

Inside the capsule is the synovium, which lubricates the joint with synovial fluid and keeps the cartilage healthy. The cartilage sits between the bones of your hip joint to stop them rubbing together and reduces any impact when you walk or move your hip.

This ball-and-socket construction and the relevant muscles allows for three distinct types of movement:

• Hip flexion and extension – moving the leg forwards and backwards.
• Hip abduction and adduction – moving the leg out to the side (abduction) and inward toward the other leg (adduction).
• Rotation – internal rotation (pointing toes in) or external rotation (turning the toes out) and then moving the straightened leg in the direction of the toes.

The hip joint can withstand repeated motion and a fair amount of wear and tear but despite its durability, the hip joint isn’t indestructible. With age and use, the cartilage can wear down or become damaged. Muscles and tendons in the hip can get overused. Bones in the hip can break during a fall or other injury and any of these conditions can lead to hip pain.

If your hips are painful it may be caused by one of the following: 

• Arthritis.  Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are among the most common causes of hip pain, especially in older adults. Arthritis leads to inflammation of the hip joint and the breakdown of the cartilage that cushions your hip bones. As the arthritis progresses the pain gets worse. Because of the pain many people start to avoid exercise, this leads to stiffness and a reduced range of movement in the hip and increased pain. The good news is that gentle exercise and stretching can make a radical difference and actually prevent the need for surgery.
• Muscle strain or tightness. There are a variety of factors that can cause this, from shortened hip-flexors, due to prolonged sitting, to excessive compression and muscular tension from imbalanced walking or standing patterns. For example if you have previously injured your left knee your body may well have learnt to stand in a certain way to protect the knee. Unfortunately after your knee has healed this way of standing has become the “norm” and your body continues to avoid putting pressure on the knee by placing additional pressure on other muscles and joints. The good news is that we can help our hips move more freely and release tension with a few simple exercises whilst regular body awareness exercises will help you re-educate your body to become better aligned so that your joints and muscles can start to work properly. 

Exercises and stretches for hip pain

If you suffer from chronic pain it is important to check with your doctor that it is OK for you to do exercise before commencing any exercise programme.  Assuming he has said that it is safe for you to proceed, the following exercises can help stretch and strengthen your hip muscles. Depending on your current mobility, you may be unable to do some of these stretches and exercises at the beginning. That’s fine, focus on those that you can do and you will find that the other exercises will become easier over time. 

Knee Fold & Stretch

Lie on your back, with both knees bent and your feet flat, about a hip width apart. Engage your core and raise your left knee so that the lower leg is parallel to the floor. Now place both hands on the left knee and bring it towards your chest. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds.

Then let go of the knee and gently lower the leg back toward the floor. Repeat with other leg.

The Frog – External hip rotation

Sit on the floor with both legs stretched out in front of you. Bend your legs at the knees and press the soles of the feet together. Place a hand on top of each knee and gently push them both down towards the floor. Apply just enough pressure to the knees until you feel a stretch, but do not push them any further than is comfortable.

Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and then relax.

Repeat the stretch 5 to10 times.

Bent Knee Opening

Lie with your knees bent and a hip width apart with your feet flat on the floor. Engage your core and then gently allow one knee to move out to the side and towards the floor. As you exhale slowly return the knee to the starting position. Then repeat on the other side. Start with a small range of movement here. The aim is not to bring the knee as close to the floor as possible. The aim is a relaxed and smooth movement in the hip socket. Try to keep your pelvis still as you move one knee out. A slight weight shift is natural, but you are looking for a free and easy movement at the hip, so the pelvis should be able to stay relatively settled. You can also vary this by moving both legs out to either side simultaneously, which will be a more balanced and therefore an easier movement.

Perform 8 repetitions on each side.

Knee Circles

Lie on your back, bring your knees up and hug your bent legs to your chest (as is comfortable). Place your hands on top of your knees and allow your legs to slowly move away from your chest until your arms are extended and your knees are roughly above your hips. You are aiming for your thigh bone to stand relatively upright in your hip sockets. Allow your feet and lower leg to just dangle heavily, in order to relax your quads and hip flexors at the front of your thigh. Start moving your knees with your arms, drawing small circles into the air. Try to allow your arms to do the work here and your hip muscles to remain as passive as possible. This can be tricky. The more relaxed you are, the easier it will be for your hips to let go. The more passive the muscles around the hip become, the better. In order to achieve this, think less about the knees circling on the ceiling and more about the sensation of your hip bone circling.

Perform 10 circles in each direction.

Oblique Strengthener – Double hip rotation

Lie flat on the back with your knees bent and the feet are flat on the floor. Your legs should be together an in parallel.  Gently rotate the knees to the left, lowering them toward the floor. Rotate the head to face the right while keeping the shoulders against the floor.

Hold this position for 20–30 seconds.

Slowly return both the head and knees to the starting position.

Repeat on the opposite side.

Hip and lower back stretch (Supine Rest Position)

Lying flat on the back, bend the knees and bring them toward the body until the feet are flat on the floor. Bring your knees up into a double knee fold and then using your hands, pull both knees in toward the chest. Breathe deeply, pulling the knees closer to the shoulders with each exhalation.

Go as far as is comfortable, then hold the position for 20–30 seconds. Breathe normally.

Standing Hip flexion

Stand upright. Extend one arm out to the side and hold on to a sturdy surface, such as a wall, table, or chair, for support. Slowly raise the right knee to the level of the hip or as far as is comfortable while keeping the left leg straight. Only hold this position for a second before placing the left foot back on the floor.

Repeat with the left knee.

Standing Hip extension

Stand upright with the legs straight and the feet shoulder-width apart. Extend both arms out in front of you and hold on to a chair, table, or wall for support. Keeping the right leg straight, take the left leg backwards without bending the knee. Lift the leg as far as possible without causing discomfort, then clench the buttock tightly and hold the position for 5 seconds.

Repeat this stretch 5–10 times on each leg. To increase the resistance, try attaching small weights to the legs.

Standing Hip abduction

Stand upright. Extend the left arm out to the side and hold on to something solid, such as a chair, table, or wall. Starting with the feet together, lift the right leg out to the right side. Keep the left leg straight and avoid rotating the hips.

Hold the position for 5 seconds and then slowly return the leg to the starting position.

Do this exercise 5–10 times on one leg, then repeat it on the other side.

Pilates Squat

Stand upright with the feet in parallel a hip width apart. If necessary, hold on to a chair, table, or wall for support. Keeping the back straight but allowing the torso to come forward, gently lower the body by bending the knees until they are above the toes. The feet should remain flat on the ground. Hold this position for a few seconds, then slowly straighten the legs to return to the starting position.

Repeat 5 to 10 times.

Bridge Dips

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Ensure that your knees are pointing to the sky and not dropping sideways. Engage your core and then using your glute muscles push your pelvis upwards until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Your spine stays in neutral alignment so the natural arch remains. Now lower your pelvis half way, before pushing upwards again. Keep your inner thighs engaged – it may help you to place a ball just above your knees.

Repeat 5 to 10 times before gently lowering your spine back to the mat.

Periformis Stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, a hip width apart. Place your right ankle just above your left knee and with the fingers of your right hand push your knee away from you.

Hold for a count of 20 and then repeat on the other side.

Figure Four Stretch

Lay on your back with your legs bent and feet flat on the ground. Place your right ankle on your left knee, loop your hands around the back of your left leg, and draw it toward your chest. Feel the stretch in your glute and hip.

Clam

Lie on your side. Rest your head on your arm or hand. Your legs should be together, one on top of the other. Bend your hips to approximately 45 degrees and bend your knees at 90 degrees. Make sure one hips, knees and ankles are stacked. Raise the top knee upwards while keeping your feet in contact with one another. Then bring the knee back to the starting position. Repeat 10 times with each leg. • Focus on not allowing the alignment of the body to be disrupted with leg movement and try to ensure you don’t rock backwards.

Cat Stretch

Start on your hands and knees , with your arms under shoulders and your knees under your hips, the knees hip-distance apart.  The pelvis and spine should be in neutral alignment. Breathing out pull your pubic bone up towards your belly button, and take your belly button towards your spine. Pressing down on your hands roll your head forwards. Breathing in, start to unravel the spine, sending your tailbone away from you as you lengthen the upper spine and raise the head. Repeat 10 times.

For those of you who prefer to watch and listen to “how to do” exercises, there is a class on exercises for painful hips here.