March MATness Day 30: The Control Balance

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We’re almost there! Before we get up, we get to try another challenging exercise with our heads over head (if we want). You can of course modify - even by turning the shape so that you’re on your back with the legs alternating in the air, an exercise from Romana’s ab series (Single Straight Leg Stretch – see video below).

“Is it not the ultimate goal?” asks Andrea Maid, “Control. And what do you have when you are in control? Balance. I think of this exercise as an extremely challenging lower body exercise. You are working against gravity, your greatest foe in the workout, and odds are in its favor. Reminiscent of The Hundred, Double Leg Pull (of course) and the Jackknife amongst others, this exercise is clearly all those exercises put together and more.” (pilatesandrea.com/on-the-or... )

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As always, if you need to warm-up, do at least The Hundred, maybe all of the previous 32 exercises. Then repeat this exercise 6 times.

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Follow Joe’s instructions from the excerpt from Return to Life. And make sure to modify to ensure your body gets what you need today.

Instructions from Online Pilates Classes – with suggestions on how to make the exercise easier starting at about 02:24:

youtu.be/AcsklME8B7k(Not working as expected?)

If you’d rather be less in the air, you can turn your body around and do Single Straight Leg Stretch:

youtu.be/GP4wMpfFFWY?t=33(Not working as expected?)

You can read more about the exercise and written instructions at the OPC page for it: onlinepilatesclasses.com/pi...

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If you’re struggling with this exercise, first know that you’re not alone! And then check out this video from Andrea Maida:

youtube.com/watch?v=vZHddaK...(Not working as expected?)

Or her tips and hints in this March MATness video from 2019:

youtu.be/wOpFx9GPoy0?t=475(Not working as expected?)

Another set of instructions from the Pilates Lesson Plan, including a video and modification suggestions, are here: georgewatts.org/lesson-plan... (and pilateslessonplans.co.uk/fr... )

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Standing variations for exercises 31-34 from RAD Pilates: instagram.com/reel/CafNSQXp...

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Photo from Return to Life as published by Presentation Dynamics. Photos are far better reproduced in the paperback published by the Pilates Method Alliance in 2010, which isn’t available electronically. (See this post for the title page: healthunlocked.com/strength... )

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★ Our March MATness summary page: healthunlocked.com/strength... ★