Warm up Pilates exercise for the legs and core and for preparing the body for more strenuous exercises. It’s a beginner exercise but ideal for everyone just to warm up, loosen up.
How to do this stretching exercise:
Stand tall in a modified Pilates position (beginning position) with head reaching towards top of ceiling and with back of neck long and eyes straight ahead. The arms should be relaxed at the sides and the feet in parallel position
Lift your heels and simultaneously bring your arms over your head and balance on the balls of your feet. Inhale during this movement. Initially you may be out of balance because this exercise takes coordination. Try it first without lifting the arms and lift them later when you are on the balls of your feet.
Return to modified Pilates stance, the beginning position and exhale as you are doing so.
Inhale again and as you do so, you are going to bend your knees, press your hips back and bring arms up to shoulder height as you do a small squat with eyes level.
Exhale and return to modified Pilates stance (beginning position).
Do about 4 to 8 repetitions of this exercise.
My Heel Raise with Squat exercise video will demonstrate how to do this exercise:
