PILATES BALL EXERCISES
Relaxation Strategies
The pelvic floor is the only group of muscles with direct nervous input from the stress nerves. The more stress you have, the more it will respond. The strategies below will help the nervous system be more balanced, and in turn, less hyper-active pelvic floor. *Stress can mean hyper-viligence, type A, perfectionistic tendencies.
Neck Gnar
This exercise taps into your relaxation nervous system by providing sensation into the nerves of your neck and collarbone. These nerves have a strong connnection to the relaxation nervous system.
Perform 1-2 minutes per side
Visceral Rolling
The organs of the abdomen have input from the stress and relaxation nervous system. Rolling with a soft ball, like a pilates ball, will help release tension to create a relaxation response.
Roll for 1-2 minutes.
CORE EXERCISES
Ball March
Bring the ball to the top of the thigh and push gently. Keeping a neutral spine in the low back, bring the opposite leg up and back down.
4 sets of 5 if this feels hard
3 sets of 8-10 if this is a goof effort
Supported Crunch
Place the ball under your back between the ribs and the top of the pelvis. Straighten one arm to the side for support, the other under the head and neck. Crunch up and try to touch the elbow to opposite knee. Cue: Rib to opposite hip. To advance the exercise, straighten the leg as you lower.
4 sets of 5 if this feels hard
3 sets of 8-10 if this is a goof effort
Ball Squeeze Bridge
Place the pilates ball between your knees. Gently squeeze your knees together as you come up into a bridge. Cue: Reach your knees over your toes as you lift up.
3 sets of 8-10
Ball Squeeze Plank
Get into a side plank position. Place the ball between your knees and gently squeeze. Lift up into a side plank on knees. Perform either a static hold or perform plank lifts.
3 sets of 10 lifts or 10 second holds repeat 5-8 times.