When it comes to Pilates basics, for me the perfect trinity is always shoulder bridge, swimming and the one hundred. These exercises help you to focus on your core and trunk stability as well as mobilising your spine and getting blood flow to the lower back.
If you can practise these between Pilates classes, you’ll find you can progress quicker each week.
1. Swimming
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkDIsTEP5lQ
2. Shoulder Bridge
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgA2M45dHS4&feature=relmfu
3. One Hundred
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QCSDC5tAOEA&feature=relmfu
Here’s a link to another post I wrote which breaks down the One Hundred setup, just in case you’d rather have it written down. In this post I go into how to do the exercise without the fear of making any pelvic floor issues worse!
http://alittlefitter.com/2012/07/17/finding-your-core-without-pushing-through-your-floor/