Fitness trainer and former Olympian Annabelle Rosemurgy is the owner of a chain of Pilates Studios in Southern California, called Equilibrium. I’m excited to finally have a PILATESpost up in herre. Please to enjoy…
Who doesn’t like to fall in love?
There’s nothing like it.
But, as anyone who has fallen in love can attest, over time, couples start packing on the pounds.
You’re dining at nicer restaurants – drinking a little more extra wine than normal, sharing desserts regularly. Soon you are ordering in comfort food, watching movies, and cuddling. Within a few months, couples look a little worse for the wear.
With Spring right around the corner, put down that stale box of Valentine’s Day chocolates and do something good for each other…Get cut not comfortable with the one you love.
I’ve created a routine that’s designed to be done twice each time you hit the gym and four times a week. It will have lovers back to their pre-relationship bodies in no time. After all a couple that sweats together, stays together.
Cupid Crunches-Targets the Obliques.
Man and Woman are on tandem machines.
Each person sits on the right outer thigh extending the left leg out. Hook leg under “X” strap. Holding the body bar, extend arms straight above the head lengthening the upper body, focusing on keeping the core engaged and chest open. Slowly extend arms and torso out. Hold for five seconds. Slowly contract and return to starting position. Perform 10 crunches.
Alternate sides, doing 10 more crunches. Man and Woman alternate body positioning so they appear to form a T shape.
Lover’s Limbo Crunch- Works the Abs and Quadriceps.
Each person sits facing forward on the rear platform of their respective machines keeping the tailbone tucked underneath for lower back support. Hook both feet under the S strap with knees bent towards the chest. Extend arms directly out from the shoulders holding the body bar. Arms should be shoulder width apart, palms facing down. (This is the starting position.)
Keeping abs engaged, slowly release the carriage away from the body, keeping the body bar directly in line with the shoulders. and Crunch knees into chest, lifting the upper body to meet the knees. As the upper body returns to the starting position, arms press up above the shoulders reaching towards the ceiling.
Focus on keeping the pelvis tucked underneath, protecting the lower back and neutral spine.
Tag Team Tease Him – Works the core with a focus on the Obliques.
Woman places hands on the foot bar. Her shoulders are square to the bar. Cross the right foot in front of the left, heel to toe.
While slowly releasing the carriage away from the body, keep the pelvis open facing outwards, legs straight, and the spine neutral. Extend legs out to a full side plank position engaging just the right oblique. Continue to keep pelvis open and spine long.
Engage triceps to stabilize the upper body. Slowly contract the right oblique, keeping the pelvis open, and raise the hips towards the ceiling folding in half. Perform 10 reps. Alternate sides, placing left foot in front of the right. (This exercise is compatible with all Pilates machines.)
Tag Team Tease Her-Works the Obliques.
The Real Ryder has a unique, articulating frame that allows it to steer, turn, and feel like a road bike. That side-to-side motion requires constant shifts of balance – continuous adjustments and corrections that correspond to a rider’s movements on the road while encountering wind shifts, obstacles, and banked and curving surfaces.
While the woman is on the Megaformer, the man is on the Real Ryder Bike (or other stationary bicycle). If using a Real Ryder, he will steer and cycle to the right, holding that position for one minute.
After one minute, he will repeat, steering and cycling to the left. Cadence should be between 80-110 rpms, using moderate resistance. After a total of six minutes (three minutes on each side), man and woman tag team and switch exercises. If a Real Ryder is not available, each person should ride for a total of six minutes using moderate resistance and at a speed of 80-110rpms.
Love in an Elevator Lunge-Works the Glutes and the Hamstrings.
Woman places right foot on platform and left foot approximately six inches from the front of the carriage. Keeping the left leg straight, push the carriage back by bending the right leg, keeping the knee over the ankle and the knee stationary throughout the exercise.
Bring the carriage back in by pressing through the right heel engaging the right glute and hamstring as the body returns to its starting position. Throughout the move focus on keeping the core engaged, the upper body tall, and the chest open, stabilizing the upper body.
For a more intense exercise, the woman can hold 4lbs dumbbell weights giving the option to perform a variety of exercises like bicep curls, upright rows, shoulder presses, or lateral raises. Alternate legs. Perform 10 reps on each side.
Simultaneously, the man stands at the rear of the machine facing forward with 8-10lb dumbbells in each hand. As the woman lunges back on the carriage, the man stands with feet shoulder width apart and steps forward with the right leg. He bends the right knee in a lunge position at the same time the woman is lunging (cheek to cheek).
He then presses through the right heel, engaging the right glute, hamstring, and quadriceps, right leg pressing back and returns to starting position. Alternate legs. Perform 10 reps on each side.
Couples Spoon with Tricep Dips: Works the Triceps and lower Abs.
The man and women are on tandem machines.
Each person puts their hands on the bars on either side of their respective machines. Both start with legs straight out in front of them. Each of them presses up off the bar, squeezing the shoulder blades, and keeping the chest open. Lift hips up into a pike position, using the lower abs and triceps for stabilization.
Slowly release from pike position, keeping the legs tight, bending the elbows into 90 degree angles while keeping the shoulder blades squeezed together and chest open. Hold for four seconds. Press up for four seconds back into pike position. Repeat 10 times.
Ahh…ain’t love grand?
Joanna Sutter says
March 3, 2011 at 5:25 amI haven’t taken a pilates class in years…ever since my gym started charging for the classes. But what an awesome workout…I hope to start a relationship with it again someday soon. 😉
Jody - Fit at 53 says
March 3, 2011 at 7:38 amAh, a CA connection although with our traffic, I would get there a day after the class finished! 😉 I would love to try pilates but the budget does not allow it right now.
Brandi says
March 3, 2011 at 8:24 amI’m not a huge Pilates lover, but I can definitely agree with partner exercise!!
I LOVE going on runs with Guitar Guy. He makes it fun, and a tad more competitive (you should see us at race finish lines…ridiculous!)
🙂
JourneyBeyondSurvival says
March 3, 2011 at 10:46 amSo. Miz. Do you think this would help you with your #hurtbuttitis? It looks like it would stretch it out.
Yum Yucky says
March 3, 2011 at 1:55 pmHoly cow, I love me some Pilates. In the morning it really revitalizes my lazy circulation and I feel great all day. I’ve never worked on the equipment (just DVDs) but I just joined a gym TODAY!!! The YMCA. I don’t know if they have Pilates equipment, but I’m still excited that I’ll be in class with a real instructor and challenging myself. Thanks for sharing this! 🙂
Loretta says
March 3, 2011 at 2:04 pmWhat’s the story about the bar? I was curious as to the reason… for instance, why couldn’t they just raise their arms up. Is it for the weight, holding it up? Or to keep in alignment or something… just wondering. 🙂
Kristina says
March 8, 2011 at 11:24 amYes, the bar is weighted. It is approx 5 lbs. Using the bar also makes you have to use your abs to stabilize and balance, therefore increasing the core challenge 🙂
Alyssa says
March 3, 2011 at 3:02 pmCan I ask what brand of Reformer that is? We have a different brand, which won’t support a lot of the exercises pictured here.
Kristina says
March 8, 2011 at 11:25 amThe machine is called a Megaformer. It is not a reformer, but rather a completely new machine that is designed for a total body conditioning and strength training workout. Megaformer + you = amazing results in record time!
Kristina says
March 8, 2011 at 11:27 amThe machines are called Megaformers. They are not exactly reformers, but completely new machines designed for a total body conditioning and strength training workout. Megaformer + you = amazing results in record time!
charlotte says
March 3, 2011 at 3:22 pmI love the Reformer!!! Alas, exercise is the #1 thing my husband and I canNOT do together. So I’ll just have to stick to Pilates for singles… Looks fun though!
thegirlfriendmom says
March 3, 2011 at 4:28 pmI’m a Pilates instructor in NY and don’t think I’ve ever seen those Reformers. They look cool. What are they? Thanks.
Rachael says
March 3, 2011 at 5:13 pmI completely agree with the relationship comfort pounds. You say it so gracefully LOL! My husband and I started working out together in November and have a pretty good routine. We have been taking this week off from our usual routine. We will start back again next week and I am going to throw out the idea of pilates. I enjoy them and it is a great workout. We shall see if the male ego can take it. HEHE! Have a nice weekend!