Mat Pilates Hip Mobility: Control Balance

Mat Repertoire

Hip Mobility:

Control Balance

Alternate Names

N/A

Derived From

Classical Mat Work: The Control Balance

Primary Element

Mobility

Why for Primary?

To create mobility through the hips in flexion and extension. The leg reaching away is stretching the front of the hip or hip flexors and activating hip extensor muscles (gluteals and hamstrings). The reaching overhead stretches hamstrings and activates hip flexor muscles.

Secondary Element

Strength

Why for Secondary?

To create abdominal strength to control the spinal movement upwards as well as the decent back to the Mat with control.

Tertiary Element

N/A

Why Tertiary?

N/A

Repetitions

4-6 each side

Plane of Motion

Sagittal

Targeted Muscles

To create pelvis stability and initiate the posterior tilt the targeted muscles are the deep abdominal muscles transversus abdominis.

 

To lift the hips and move the leg backwards or overhead, the primary muscles are the gluteals and hamstrings

  • Gluteus maximus
  • Posterior head of the adductor magnus
  • Hamstrings

 

To move the leg forward the primary muscles are the hip flexors

  • Psoas
  • Illiacus
  • Rectus femoris

Warnings

This exercise may be unsuitable for clients where inversion or spinal articulation is contraindicated or would cause pain. Also watch for clients going up too high on the neck, aim to stay as high as the back of the shoulders.

Execution

Lie supine on the Mat with the arms anchored to an A-frame position and the legs reaching up towards the ceiling. Exhale to lift the legs up and overhead aiming to keep them parallel to the floor when overhead. Aim to stay on the shoulders not the neck. Reach the hands around and hold onto one leg, reaching the other leg up towards vertical. Switch the legs aiming to reach back with the overhead leg and up with the vertical leg. To finish, roll the spine back to the Mat with control.

Observations

Do a body scan of the client taking note of the following points

  • Head and Neck
    • Is the back of the neck long and crease-free? A slight retraction of the neck with the chin tucked can help avoid straining the neck
    • Aim to stay on the shoulders, not the neck
  • Pelvis
    • Are the hip bones even horizontal or is the client leaning to one side?
    • Is the sitting bone of the overhead leg reaching upwards to avoid collapsing into the front of the hip?
  • Legs
    • Is the ‘vertical’ leg reaching upwards not forwards? If it reaches forwards the torso will rock back down to the Mat
    • Is the ‘overhead’ leg reaching back as opposed to down? If it reaches down the torso will rock down and load onto the neck

Learning Style Technique Cues

Auditory – word associations that connect mind and body

  • Engage transverse abdominis to initiate the movement then flex the lumbar spine towards the Mat before take-off
  • Keep the ribcage connected towards the hips at the top of the shoulder stand
  • Only bend the knees to create the ‘bicycle’ as opposed to the ‘scissor’ movement
  • Say the client’s name when you’re about to interact with them

 

Visual

  • Image the sitting bone of the overhead leg reaching upwards to avoid collapsing into the front of the hip
  • You may demonstrate a part of the movement as a visual representation for the client to see

 

Kinaesthetic

  • Engage the abdominals when switching the legs to avoid collapsing or using the arms for support

Modifications and Variations

Regress the exercise by

 

Progress the exercise by

  • Adding ankle weights
  • Adding a Magic Circle or Pilates ring between the ankles
  • Adding pace and repetitions
  • Finishing by rolling the spine to the Mat and then in one movement standing straight up onto the Mat (some momentum is often required!)

Series and Transitions

This exercise is part of the Hip Mobility series. This series can also be found in the Reformer repertoire, Wunda Chair, Barrel and Cadillac repertoire.

Inspired Academy follows the order below to create stability and mobility before adding strength.