Pilates Cardio Exercises
- The jump board on a reformer is an easy way to speed up your heart rate. Use a jump board and two red springs to work your legs while still working your core. Lie down on the reformer and put your heels and toes against the jump board, forming a table top position. Use your legs to push your body away from the jump board until your feet are not touching the jump board any more. Repeat 10 times.
As a variation of the same movement, you can switch to a beat after the 10 pushes. The difference between a beat and a jump is that while doing a beat you make your feet touch each other quickly when they are not touching the jump board. Repeat beats 10 times. At the beginning start with jumps, then move to beats and repeat this to form a suitable exercise circuit. - Anyone who does Pilates regularly has a mat. Start your cardio Pilates with a standard plank pose. Lie face down on your mat, tuck your toes under and raise yourself on your toes and hands, with your hands under your shoulders. Do regular leg lift series but perform them faster than usual. March by lifting your legs up one at the time in small and quick motions. March as fast as you can to work your core and to keep your breathing up. Repeat the leg lifts at least 10 times.
Sit on the mat with your legs folded to your left side and your arms resting on the right side. Put your weight on your right hand and lift your left hand from the mat. Push your body up using your legs and right arm to form an arc or an upside-down "V." Sit back down. Repeat five times. Then switch sides so that your legs are folded on your right side. Put your weight on your left hand to form the arc. Repeat five times. Then sit down on your mat to form a reversed plank position. Face the ceiling, touch the mat with your heels and place your arms below your shoulders hands pointing to your toes. Lift your body up so that your arms and heels hold your entire weight. Lift your legs up one at a time. To make this a cardio exercise, lift your legs using small quick movements. Repeat 10 times. - The EXCO chair is a small piece of exercise equipment that fits into even the smallest apartment and quickly raises your heart rate. Start your exercise with step ups. Put your left foot on top of the EXCO chair and your right foot on the sliding part. Hold the plastics in both of your hands. Lift your arms up horizontally in front of you when you let the sliding part lift your body up and then lower your arms close to your body when you push the sliding part back down. Repeat 10 times. Then switch the direction so that when you push your body up, you lower your hands and when you step down you raise your arms. Repeat 10 times. Then switch legs so that your right foot is on top of the EXCO chair and your left foot is on the sliding part. Repeat both exercises again 10 times.
