Are you looking to feel stronger, more balanced, and truly connected to your body? Dive into the transformative world of full body pilates with Carole’s “Full Body Integration” class! This pilates session is designed to bring harmony and strength to every part of you, leaving you feeling integrated and invigorated from head to toe. Forget isolated movements; this class is all about working your body as a unified whole, building deep core strength that supports every action.
Starting Strong: Finding Your Center Standing
Carole begins this integrating full body pilates journey right on your feet, establishing a grounded connection. Gentle knee softness allows for fluid movement as you reach your arms overhead for a big stretch, flowing into a forward fold. This initial sequence, including arm swings and gentle chest extensions with elbow pulls, serves as a dynamic warm-up, mobilizing the spine and shoulders. You’ll feel tension start to melt away, preparing your body for the work to come. Shoulder twists add another layer of spinal mobility, followed by side stretches that open the body from fingertips to hips, creating space and length.
Building the Foundation: Core Strength from the Ground Up
Transitioning to the mat, the class moves through a ragdoll stretch, encouraging release in the back and neck before grounding the hands for plank. This is where the core engagement intensifies. Carole guides you to push the ground away, engage the deep core by lifting the pelvic floor and drawing the navel back. Holding this strong plank builds foundational stability. The flow between plank and downward dog (referred to as “upstretch” in the transcript) with pedal-out feet effectively warms the hamstrings and continues to build heat, while adding shoulder taps challenges core stability and upper body strength.
Strengthening from Prone: Back Body and Extension
Lying on your belly, the class shifts focus to strengthening the back body and improving spinal extension. Moving through sphinx pose emphasizes grounding through forearms and opening the chest. Single leg kicks target the hamstrings and glutes, crucial for balanced full body pilates strength. Spinal stretches from this position encourage lifting the upper body with control, promoting mobility and strength in the back extensors. A flow between supported plank, child’s pose, and spinal stretch integrates core strength with spinal articulation and provides moments for deep breaths and release. Swimmers offer a dynamic challenge, lifting both arms and legs from the mat to work the entire posterior chain while requiring significant core control to maintain stability.
Grounded Power: Tabletop and Seated Challenges
Moving to hands and knees, the class incorporates classic tabletop exercises like cat-cow for continued spinal flexibility. The sequence then introduces donkey kicks, leg extensions, and pulses to build significant strength in the glutes and hamstrings. Adding external rotation and bringing the knee to the elbow challenges hip mobility and oblique strength, integrating the core with lower body movement. Seated work includes reverse table and reverse plank, powerful exercises for the back of the body, counteracted by a forward fold to lengthen the spine and hamstrings. Boat pose challenges core strength and balance, with options to extend the legs for increased difficulty, demonstrating the progressive nature of full body pilates.
Abdominal Awakening: Precision and Control on Your Back
Lying on your back, the focus hones in on precise abdominal work. Gentle arch and flatten exercises connect you to your low back and deep core. A challenging series of upper ab curls are integrated with single leg extensions, demanding core stability and control. The intensity increases with a pulsing sequence, followed by oblique work with elbow-to-knee movements, targeting the waistline and further enhancing core integration. Carole encourages maintaining the ab curl to maximize the work, showcasing the effectiveness of focused effort in full body pilates.
Standing Tall: Lower Body Strength and Stability
Returning to standing or kneeling, the class moves into a low lunge series. Arm reaches add a dynamic element, integrating upper body with lower body stability. The option to lift the back knee introduces a balance and strength challenge, working the legs and core intensely. Toe taps from this lifted lunge position further test stability and control, building powerful and resilient legs.
The Grand Finale: Core Endurance and Mindful Close
The class culminates with the Hundred, a signature Pilates exercise that builds core endurance and breath control. Carole offers modifications, allowing you to challenge yourself appropriately. Finally, the class winds down with knee circles and a full body relaxation, bringing the heart rate and nervous system back to a state of balance. This mindful close emphasizes the holistic benefits of the practice, leaving you feeling centered, strong, and completely integrated.
Ready to experience the power of full body pilates? Join Carole for this “Full Body Integration” class and discover how connecting every part of your body can transform your strength, posture, and overall well-being. Your integrated body awaits!
