Hey guys, Cassey here, and welcome to Pilates Bootcamp on Livestrong Woman.
Today we're gonna build you a beautiful back, and all you're going to need is a pair of
hand weights -- I have two 5s right here, but you can go ahead and grab somewhere below
that or a little bit above that.
But go as hard as you can -- I want you to go for a 110 percent.
Let's do this.
So sitting tall with your shoulders back, you're chest open, your neck long, and your
bellybutton in, I want you to open those palms to the sky.
Now bring the elbows behind your mid back, okay?
So reach back, back.
Right now we are sculpting that middle of your back to really give you a nice line as
you wear those backless dresses, the halter tops -- it's gonna look super sculpted with
your hair up.
It's gonna look really good.
Down, down, press, press.
And you'll notice, as you're also using your triceps and your biceps.
Good, in.
Come on -- press, press, press.
Very nice.
Shoulders feeling it a little bit?
Chest feeling it a little bit?
Oh yeah.
Very good.
Give me 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Hold it.
Okay, go ahead and bring those forward, punching towards the front.
And now draw your elbows back, okay?
So elbows should be inline with your shoulders, and we just press back, back.
Now we're getting your upper back.
Good -- reach, reach.
Now pretend there's like a walnut or something between your shoulder blades and you just
wanna crush it, okay?
So crack it.
Good -- press.
10 more now -- 10, 9, 8, 7, 6.
Come on, elbows up -- 4, 3, 2, 1.
Hold it and down.
Very nice.
Okay, now we're gonna add a little twisty twist thing here.
So I want you to start out with your hands down and then twist, bring them back.
Okay?
Here we go -- out and in, out and in.
You are still sitting super tall.
Punch it and in.
Now if you're dying here, let go of those weights but do not stop.
Reach and in.
And in, 5 more -- 5 and 4.
Come on -- 3 and 2.
Last one -- 1 and hold it.
10 pulses, let's go -- 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Squeeze and bring it down.
Very nice.
Let's go ahead and stretch that out.
Inhale through your nose and exhale.
Switch onto the other side.
Pull, pull, pull.
Okay, onto all fours now.
So, I want you resting on your hands and your knees, okay?
Now, grabbing onto just one of those weights, I want you to slightly curl your arm and then
reach up, hold it, and come down.
So guess what?
We are working your shoulders, your chest, and your upper back as well as your core with
this move, because you really gotta stabilize.
We're really just working one side right now, so you really gotta tighten up those transverse
abdominals to keep yourself balanced, or else you're gonna topple all over.
Good, reach up and down.
Keeping those eyes forward.
Nice.
And remember, slight bend in the arm.
Suck that bellybutton into your spine.
Exhale, reach and lower.
Good job.
Reach and lower.
Up and down a few more -- 3 and 2.
Now the last one, I want you to hold it.
Hold it right there.
Squeeze, squeeze that back -- 5, 4.
This should be really heavy -- 3, 2, 1.
Bring it down.
That was super intense.
Okay, eyes forward, focus, inhale through your nose, exhale, slight curl of the arm.
Let's go.
Reaching up and down.
Reach and lower.
Keeping that slight curl.
Good job.
Very nice.
All the way as far you can.
Squeeze and hold once you're up there.
Don't rush to get down.
Make every movement count.
You are so gonna feel your back tomorrow.
I can feel it right now and I'm gonna feel this.
Up and down.
Exhale, lift and lower.
And down.
Very nice.
Good.
Now give me a few more -- 3 and 2.
Last one, you gotta hold this one.
Up and hold.
Hold, hold, hold -- 5, 4, 3.
Come on, you got this -- 2 and 1.
Bring it down.
That was crazy intense.
Now leave those weights aside and go ahead and slowly lower yourself down to the mat.
Very good.
We're gonna for a little bit of a swim.
So hands forward, inhale through your nose.
On the exhale, I want you to lift up opposite arm and opposite leg.
Lifting your quad off of the mat, lifting your chest off of the mat.
And other side, up and hold.
So now that you have this movement down, we can go a little bit quicker, okay?
Flipping and flopping.
Inhale through your nose, raise everything up, let's go swimming.
This is for your low back.
So we've been working your upper back, your mid back with the first exercises.
Now we're moving down.
Okay, we're in that upper glute and the low back.
Because the low back is very important if you wanna build a strong powerhouse and a
strong core.
And let's go for 10 -- 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Hold it, hold it.
Arms coming back, lift up that chest.
Okay, continuing with that swim, we're going in and up and in.
Flow those fingers.
Front and reach.
Come on.
Lifting up as high as you can.
Good work.
Lift and lower.
Squeezing your glutes.
Nice.
And up.
A few more here -- 3 and 2.
One more.
Up and hold it.
Reaching the arms forward, hold that superman.
Inhale through your nose, exhale, come on.
Lift that chest higher.
You got it.
Hold it, swerve to the right and swerve to the left.
Nice.
And swerve to the right.
One more time to the left.
Up and hold.
Hold, hold, hold.
Down and lift.
Lower and lift.
Good.
Are you feeling that low back because I totally am.
And one more.
Reach, reach.
Hands right here.
Parachuter -- squeeze, squeeze, squeeze.
Elbows to the back.
Very nice.
Up, up, up.
Squeezing those shoulder blades together.
Keeping your quads off of the mat, give me 10, 9, 8.
Come on -- 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Hold it, hold it.
And lower with control.
Good job, let's stretch it out.
Go ahead and come on to all fours again.
Now, I want you to go ahead and lift up your chest to the sky.
Create a nice, small, little bowl of tortilla soup or something here in your low back.
Really dip right there and then spill it out.
Right there.
Inhale through your nose, exhale, and then soup, and then spill.
One more time.
And then a little bit of soup.
And then come all the way onto your knees.
Whew, my back -- that's crazy.
I hope you guys really enjoyed that workout.
Please let me know in the comments below which one of those was your favorite.
And be sure to subscribe to Livestrong Woman.
And I will see you next week for some more Pilates Bootcamp.
Alright, I love you so much.
Bye.