yearbook

cool down
Fitness Pilates cool down
Fitness Pilates co-founder Kelly Reed-Banks
shares the perfect stretches for a relaxation
and flexibility based cool down
The cool down in Fitness Pilates can take many different
formats, some instructors like to do meditation or
relaxation techniques, some simply just like to stretch
out and realign the body after the workout, so here I am
going to share with you some of my favorite cool down moves.
MERMAID
I love this move as a hip release and lat stretch, however I do
understand it’s not great for everyone’s knees. Mermaid can be
taught as a static stretch or more dynamically, lifting and lowering
the hips from the floor whilst stretching an arm overhead from
one side to the other. If this is uncomfortable on the back knee,
then feel free to perform this with the leg stretched out in front
rather than bent.
HIP RELEASE
Either just push the knee away
or you can take the hands
through the supporting leg
and pull into you, but make
sure that the leg that is across,
is pushing against the stretch.
I personally like to lift the hips
up and work through the spine,
vertebrae by vertebrae coming
up and down into a shoulder
bridge before changing sides –
that way the back and hips are
released at the same time.
CALF STRETCH
This stretch is similar to a
down dog in yoga but instead
we bend one leg whilst
straightening the other, feeling
the length through the leg and
then alternating. This stretch
can also be performed with
both legs straight and turning
the feet so you have an internal
and external rotation. If there is
any discomfort in the wrists or
shoulders, come down onto the
elbows or against a wall. When
you need to rest and recover, sit
back in shell pose.
| PT YEARBOOK 2016 | WWW.PTMAGAZINE.CO.UK
91