PILATES - Gabi Fastner

PILATES
®
BRASIL
GABI FASTNER
WORKBOOK
PILATES BRASIL®
PILATES
BRASIL®
TOGU Brasil - The handy deep muscle exercisers
Each Brasil weighs 270g and has an intelligent interior (a weighted
filler material inside a cavity) which moves slightly when you shake it
up and down to do "mini moves". They are so rhythmical, they make
you join in!
You can use Brasils for your whole pilates session, whether you use
them in "mini moves" as a deep muscle trainer or as a fantastic
dumbbell for guided movements. Brasils also train our sensory motor functions with their knobbly surface, using all your senses!
Pilates training with Brasils are a fun way to train; they're easy to use, they tone your body, strengthen your back, improve your posture
and are undoubtedly easy on your joints.
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How the Brasil® works
In the past, exercising your body just used to concentrate on the surface muscles.
But studies have shown it is your deep muscle levels (local stabilisers) that are the
key to protecting your body and toning it.
The different muscle layers have different functions and there are strong links between them. Surface muscles perform body movements, but these must be based on a
system stabilised by deep muscle in order to avoid placing wear and tear or even
stress on the body. The deep muscle layer in particular has a holding function. It can
only make stretching and rotating movements within a limited range of movement.
The core aim of exercising using Brasils is to strengthen your deep core muscles, including your deep abdominal and pelvic floor muscles (powerhouse). Using relatively
small, rapid shaking movements in different starting positions should make the desired muscle contractions happen. And it will also exercise your surface abdominal
muscles, your neck and shoulder muscles and your extremities.
So even very small movements with a light weight will make a real difference to exercising your deep muscles; otherwise your deep muscles are prevented from moving
when you suddenly tense your surface muscles.
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Guidelines for training with Brasils
- Place your own body in the correct position
- Gently shake the Brasils backwards and forwards (use the Brasils like maracas and
shake the iron filings inside) using small "mini moves"
- Stand in a good position (lift your sternum up and pull your tummy button in)
- How long should you do "mini moves" for? 10 to 40 seconds, although 10 seconds
are enough when you first start exercising! Rest, and then repeat this a second time
- For mini moves, use less than 30 per cent of your maximum strength
When doing any of these exercises, you
must remember to:
1. Pull your tummy button in
2. Push your sternum forwards and up
3. Pull your shoulders down and back
4. Breathe evenly
5. Don't bend your wrists
6. Use your muscles to control your elbows
7. When you are doing "mini moves", remember
to grip the Brasils in your hands, placing your
thumbs over the top of them
8. Also sometimes unclench your fists for guided movements
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Pilates Brasil exercise videos can be found on youtube http://bit.ly/Swa2Us
TOGU Brasil website www.togu.de
my Homepage www.gabi-fastner.de
I hope you have fun exercising!
Gabi Fastner
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1. SCISSOR
Stabilise your powerhouse and improve your balance!
Stand with your legs hip width apart, then raise yourself up on both tiptoes Hold your
arms up and then swing them with scissor movements Keep your shoulders down!
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2. TRIANGLE
Strengthen your powerhouse! Stretches the inside of your thighs and the sides of
your core muscles, improves the flexibility of your hip joints for improved balance and
opens your rib cage.
Place your feet one meter apart and turn your back heel outwards, turn your front leg
to one side, push your hip to the side, keeping one arm low down and stretching the
other arm up. Do some mini moves. Keep your pelvis straight! Your pelvis, knee and
foot should be in a line!
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3. SCALES
Strengthens leg, bottom and back muscles; stretches your spine and improves your
balance!
Stand on one leg and stretch the other leg out as far behind you and upwards as possible, stretch your arms out next to your body. Do some mini moves forwards and
backwards at the same time. Tense your abdomen! Keep your pelvis parallel to the
floor!
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4. SIDE LIFT
Strengthens the outside of your thighs and stabilises your core.
Kneel down with one arm on the floor next to your knee, and then lift one leg. Do mini
moves with your other raised arm. Keep your abdomen tense! Keep your pelvis
straight! Keep your head in line with your spine! Your leg should be in a straight line
with your upper body!
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5. SUNBED
Exercises your deep abdominal muscles!
Sit up straight with both arms stretched out in front of you, then lean back and lift
your arms out to the sides. Keep leaning back and do some mini moves backwards
and forwards at the same time. Tense your abdomen! Keep your spine in a neutral position! To make it more difficult, lift your legs off the floor.
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6. THE V
Strengthens your deep abdominal muscles and improves your balance!
Sit upright, stretch your legs diagonally upwards and keep your arms next to your
thighs. At the same time, do some high and low mini moves. Your spine stays in a
neutral position! To make it easier, lower your legs!
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7. KNEELING DOWN
Strengthens your bottom muscles, the back of your thighs and your deep back
muscles! Improves your balance!
Get down on all fours and lift one arm and the opposite leg off the floor. Do some mini moves backwards and forwards. Pull your tummy button in! Keep your head in line
with your spine!
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8. POWERHOUSE
Strengthen your powerhouse!
Lie on your back with your feet hip width apart then stretch your arms up to the ceiling and do some mini moves, swinging opposite arms backwards and forwards.
Keep your spine in a neutral position!
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9. SCISSOR 2
Strengthen your powerhouse!
Lie on your back and lift your legs up at right angles to the floor. Move your arms in a
large scissor movement. Keep your spine in a neutral position!
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10. HUNDREDS
Strengthens your deep abdominal muscles!
Lie on your back and stretch your legs up diagonally in front of you. Do some high
and low mini moves at the same time with your arms. Pull your shoulders down! Your
back stays on the floor.
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11. SIDE LIFTS
Strengthens your waist and the outside of your thighs!
Lie on your side and take the leg that is on the floor and bend it behind you. Lift up
your head and lift up the upper leg too and stretch it, then do some mini moves with
your free arm until you can touch the leg that's up in the air and then down again.
Your upper body and leg should be in a line!
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12. SEESAW
Strengthens your back extensor muscles and the backs of your legs!
Lie on your stomach and put the Brasils down. As you breathe in, roll your upper body up and as you breathe out, lower your upper body back down and roll your legs up
in the air at the same time. Lift your tummy button off the floor! Keep your neck long!
Use the power of your back muscles!
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13. SWIMMING
Strengthens the back of your thighs and your deep back muscles!
Lie on your stomach and alternately move your right leg and left arm towards the ceiling and then your left leg and right arm. Do some mini moves, swinging your opposite arms up and down. Pull your tummy button up and in! Keep your arms and legs
stretched!
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14. BRIDGE
Strengthens your bottom muscles, the back of your thighs and your deep back
muscles!
Lie on your back and lift up your legs hip width apart, then stretch one leg forwards
and up. With your arms over your sternum, do some mini moves, swinging alternate
arms backwards and forwards. Keep your thighs at the same height! To make it easier, leave both legs on the floor!
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15. INSIDE
Strengthens the inside of your thighs and your waist!
Lie on your side and lift the uppermost leg in front of you. Pick up the underneath leg
and stretch it; at the same time, do some mini moves up and down with the uppermost arm. Keep your pelvis still!
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