Pound-Melting Pilates

By Jen Ator
Photogr a Phs by chris shiPma n

Three things are on nearly every womans wish list: smaller pores, a fat bank account, and a Pilates body. Problem is, you dont get that enviable long, lean physique simply by showing up to class a couple of times a week. The average Pilates session will tone muscles and improve posture, but its probably not going to result in significant weight loss or dramatic body changes all on its own, especially if youre not watching your diet, says Kit Rich, a Pilates instructor and personal trainer in Los Angeles.
An adrenaline junkie herself, Rich cooked up a way to combine the body-sculpting benefits of Pilates with fatmelting cardio training. Its about adding cardio intervals that pump up your heart rate, then spending the recovery time doing Pilates, which means youre getting the most out of every minute, she explains. The combination keeps your heart rate up (so you blast more calories) while keeping your muscles engaged (so youre constantly strengthening and toning). Looks like that wish list just got a little smaller.

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This fresh spin on the traditional sculpting routine produces jaw-dropping results:a slimmer, stronger body.

THE WoRKoUT
Pick a form of cardio you can do for two minutes at an all-out pace. Richs preferred activity? Jumping rope. Its an incredibly effective cardiovascular workout that can be done almost anywhere, plus its akiller calorie burner (according to the National Institutes of Health, jumping rope can burn up to 750 calories per hour). It also helps theroutine move fluidlyits faster andeasier to drop the rope andhitthemat than wait for the treadmill to come to a complete stop, walk back over to your mat, and so on.But if jumping rope isntyour thing, feel free to sub in any heart-pumping activity (running, spinning, elliptical). Do this workout three days a week on alternating days: Start with a two-minute cardio interval (go as fast as you can), then immediately do the first two Pilates exercises asinstructed. Hop back up (no resting!) and bang out a second cardio interval. Follow with the third and fourth Pilates moves. Finish with two more minutes of an all-out cardio interval and then complete the final two Pilates exercises. The first time you do the workout, hold your jump rope (you can also use a dog leash or a towel) as you work your way through the Pilates exercises; gripping the stretched rope encourages better posture and engages your lat muscles for even better total-body toning. After two or three workouts, you can make theroutine harder by swapping the rope for light dumbbells (try three to five pounds) for extra resistance.

Steady poses should be held for at least 30 seconds.

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lie faceup on the floor and raise your straight legs off theground at a 45-degree angle. Hold the jump rope afew inches off the ground with both hands on either side ofyour hips, arms straight, and the rope under your butt. Brace your core, lift your shoulders off the ground, and do10 small pumps with your hands (a). Tuck your knees to your chest and bring the rope around the bottoms of your feet (b), then extend your arms overhead and straighten your legs (c). Do 10 small pumps, moving your arms behind your ears. Reverse the movement to return to start. Thats one rep. Do five (for a total of 100 pumps).

Hundred Pump

a
Quick tip

Keep your core engaged throughout the entire move.

Sit on the floor with your legs extended, heels on the ground, and knees slightly bent. Hold the rope taut with both hands behind your head and elbows wide. keepingyour back straight, brace your core and lean back at a 45-degree angle. From that position, slowly twist your torso to the right, as if you were trying totouch the floor with your right elbow (a). Pause, then rotate your torso to the left, keeping your elbows wide and imagining that youre reaching your left elbow toward the floor (b). Thats one rep. continue rotating at a slow and steadypacefor one minute.
Quick tip
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Waist Slicer

Hold the rope taut overhead with both hands (a). Step your left leg forward and bend yourknees to lower your bodyinto a lunge until both knees are bent 90 degrees (b).Slowly pulse up and down by about an inch 10times, then push through your left heel to return to standing. Thats onerep. Repeat with the right leg, andcontinue alternating sides foroneminute.

Lunge Pulse

kneel on the ground, knees together and body forming a 90-degree angle. Bring your armsstraight overhead, holding the rope taut with both hands (a).keep your upper body still and core engaged as you bring your left foot forward and place it flat on the floor so youre in a lunge position (b), then push through your left heel to come to standing (c). In one motion, raise your right leg straight behind you and lower your torso toward the floor, keeping your back flat and arms overhead, until your body forms a T (d). Hold for three seconds, then reverse the movement to return to start. Repeat on the other leg. continue alternating until youve done 10 reps on each side.
Quick tip
Keep your elbows in line with your ears throughout the entire move.

Leg Balance Sculptor

b a

Keep your arms back to hold the rope in a straight line behind your head.

This Pilates routine minimizes downtime to maximize weight-loss results, says Rich.
Quick tip
Keep your shoulders down as you press your arms overhead.

Stand on your left leg, knee slightly bent, and extend your right leg diagonally behind you,toe touching the floor. Hold the rope taut with both hands and bring it overhead, keeping your arms straight (a). Slowly lift your right leg off the floor by squeezing your glutes, and reach your arms up and over, as if you were trying to touch your right toe (b). Pause, then return to start. Thats one rep. Do 50, thenrepeat on the other side.

Statue Toner

Quick tip

c
6

Pull your shoulder blades together as you lean forward.

Stand with your feet two to three feet apart, toes turned out, and rise onto your toes, holding the rope taut behind your head as if you were holding a bar on your shoulders (a). From that position, sit back and bend your knees to lower into a squat as you press your arms overhead (b). Pause, then pull your shoulder blades down and together and straighten your legsto return to start. Thats one rep. Start with 25 and workyourway up to 50.

Lat-Pull Pli

d a

Get Your Best Body!

a b b

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