Pilates during your daily life

People may tend to think that you can only practice Pilates when doing a Pilates class but you can also bring some of the key elements of Pilates into your daily life as long as you have the correct mindset.

Strengthen your core: Engage your core during daily chores. For example, while kneading bread, waiting at the bus stop or even picking up your child.

Improve your Posture: When you walk, work in front of the computer or sit in a meeting, be mindful of your posture. Slide your shoulder blades down, open your chest and make sure your tailbone is facing down to the floor.

If your work requires a lot of time sitting, you may want to consider purchasing a physioball and alternate between sitting on the ball and a chair.

Breathe & Relax: Some times of the day may be very stressful. Try taking a minute or two to breathe Pilates style – place your hands on your ribs and take a deep breath in, filling and expanding your lungs all the way to the base. Hold your breath for a second and then exhale, pushing all the air out your lungs. Repeat 3-4 times.

Muscle Toning: Try to think of ways to strengthen your muscles during daily tasks.

Here are some ideas:

Biceps-your shopping muscle. When you go shopping, instead of holding the bags with your arms straight, try holding them in a 90-degree angle and tone your biceps!

Quads- work on your quads by choosing the stairs instead of taking the elevator.

Abs- while sitting at home watching television or talking with friends, sit with an upright spine and your feet on the floor. Then engage your core and contract your stomach as you lift your feet off the ground. You can do this with bent legs or straight legs. (Make sure the chair you sit on is stable.)