PILATES ANATOMY ACTUAL FINAL QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔active exhalation - ✔✔-presses the diaphragm upwards
-aids the internal intercostals, QL and lats to depress the rib cage
-allows activation o external obliques and transverse abdominis
✔✔benefits of controlled exhalation - ✔✔-improves relaxation and focus
-decrease stress, blood pressure, rise for cardiovascular disease
-allows for activation of other muscles
✔✔what did Joseph Pilates say about breathing - ✔✔you just out the air before you can
in the air
✔✔percussive breathing - ✔✔the hundred (5 breaths in, 5 out) breath highlights work of
intercostals
✔✔primary muscles that move the pelvis - ✔✔-gluteus maximus (hugs hips and
buttcheeks together)
-pelvic floor muscles (not originally in the work of Joseph Pilates, lift pelvic floor
muscles, activate by stopping floor of urine or trying to stop passing gas)
✔✔single straight-leg stretch (hamstring pull) - ✔✔-lie on your back with head and
scapulae off the mat in chest lift position, one leg is lifted toward the forehead with both
hands grasping it near the ankle, the other leg is suspended above the mat at a height
at which the lower bach can maintain imprint
-exhale, pill abdominal wall toward spine while pulling the top leg closer to the forehead
with two gentle pulses coordinated with two exhales
-inhale, while keeping legs strat switch legs and move hands to opposite leg
-exhale, pull this leg closer to the forehead with one breath for each of the 2 pulses
✔✔rollover with legs spread (rollover) - ✔✔-lie on back with arms at sides palms down,
hold legs straight out at a 60-degree angle to the mat or higher
, -inhale, raise the legs to 90-degree angle
-exhale, round the spine, bringing pelvis off the mat and toward the shoulders as the
legs move over head
-inhale, lower feet toward the mat over head, touching the mat if flexibility allows, then
separate the legs to shoulder-width apart
-exhale, slowly roll the spin back down to the mat, when pelvis touches mat move legs
farther down and bring them together and return to start position
✔✔rocking - ✔✔-lie on stomach with knees bent and close together, each hand
grasping a foot, raise the head, chest, and knees off the mat
-inhale, rock body forward
-exhale, rock body back
✔✔crisscross - ✔✔-lie on back with head and scapulae off the mat in chest lift position,
legs in tabletop
-exhale, straighten one leg while rotating trunk toward the opposite bent knee
-inhale, start to switch feet while rotating trunk to center
-exhale, do the same thing to the other leg
✔✔saw - ✔✔-sit upright with feet slightly farther than shoulder width apart, knees
straight, feet flexed, arms out straight to sides at shoulder height
-inhale, rotate upper trunk to one side then bring the head and upper spine forward and
downward so that the hand reaches to the outside of the opposite foot
-exhale, reach arms slightly farther forward with three consecutive saw-like motions,
bring tunk back up back to start position
-inhale, rotate upper trunk to opposite side and repeat
-exhale
✔✔swan dive - ✔✔-lie on stomach, resting on forearms with the upper trunk lifted off
mat, place elbows wider and in front of shoulders, hands next to each other, legs
together straight back and feet slightly pointed
-inhale, lift chest off higher the mat as you straighten elbows and raise out to the sides
at shoulder height, at the same time raise both legs off the mat
-exhale, rock body forward
-inhale, rock body back to lifted position
✔✔spine twist - ✔✔-sit with legs together and outstretched to the front, feet flexed, arms
straight out to sides, reach slightly back at shoulder height palms facing down
-exhale, rotate the upper trunk to one side and then slightly farther in that same
direction
-inhale, rotate upper trunk back to center
-exhale, rotate upper trunk to opposite side then slightly farther
-inhale rotate back to center
✔✔side kick - ✔✔-lie on one side with both legs slightly forward, bend elbow to rest
head on and place other hand facing ceiling on floor to support
AND ANSWERS SET A+
✔✔active exhalation - ✔✔-presses the diaphragm upwards
-aids the internal intercostals, QL and lats to depress the rib cage
-allows activation o external obliques and transverse abdominis
✔✔benefits of controlled exhalation - ✔✔-improves relaxation and focus
-decrease stress, blood pressure, rise for cardiovascular disease
-allows for activation of other muscles
✔✔what did Joseph Pilates say about breathing - ✔✔you just out the air before you can
in the air
✔✔percussive breathing - ✔✔the hundred (5 breaths in, 5 out) breath highlights work of
intercostals
✔✔primary muscles that move the pelvis - ✔✔-gluteus maximus (hugs hips and
buttcheeks together)
-pelvic floor muscles (not originally in the work of Joseph Pilates, lift pelvic floor
muscles, activate by stopping floor of urine or trying to stop passing gas)
✔✔single straight-leg stretch (hamstring pull) - ✔✔-lie on your back with head and
scapulae off the mat in chest lift position, one leg is lifted toward the forehead with both
hands grasping it near the ankle, the other leg is suspended above the mat at a height
at which the lower bach can maintain imprint
-exhale, pill abdominal wall toward spine while pulling the top leg closer to the forehead
with two gentle pulses coordinated with two exhales
-inhale, while keeping legs strat switch legs and move hands to opposite leg
-exhale, pull this leg closer to the forehead with one breath for each of the 2 pulses
✔✔rollover with legs spread (rollover) - ✔✔-lie on back with arms at sides palms down,
hold legs straight out at a 60-degree angle to the mat or higher
, -inhale, raise the legs to 90-degree angle
-exhale, round the spine, bringing pelvis off the mat and toward the shoulders as the
legs move over head
-inhale, lower feet toward the mat over head, touching the mat if flexibility allows, then
separate the legs to shoulder-width apart
-exhale, slowly roll the spin back down to the mat, when pelvis touches mat move legs
farther down and bring them together and return to start position
✔✔rocking - ✔✔-lie on stomach with knees bent and close together, each hand
grasping a foot, raise the head, chest, and knees off the mat
-inhale, rock body forward
-exhale, rock body back
✔✔crisscross - ✔✔-lie on back with head and scapulae off the mat in chest lift position,
legs in tabletop
-exhale, straighten one leg while rotating trunk toward the opposite bent knee
-inhale, start to switch feet while rotating trunk to center
-exhale, do the same thing to the other leg
✔✔saw - ✔✔-sit upright with feet slightly farther than shoulder width apart, knees
straight, feet flexed, arms out straight to sides at shoulder height
-inhale, rotate upper trunk to one side then bring the head and upper spine forward and
downward so that the hand reaches to the outside of the opposite foot
-exhale, reach arms slightly farther forward with three consecutive saw-like motions,
bring tunk back up back to start position
-inhale, rotate upper trunk to opposite side and repeat
-exhale
✔✔swan dive - ✔✔-lie on stomach, resting on forearms with the upper trunk lifted off
mat, place elbows wider and in front of shoulders, hands next to each other, legs
together straight back and feet slightly pointed
-inhale, lift chest off higher the mat as you straighten elbows and raise out to the sides
at shoulder height, at the same time raise both legs off the mat
-exhale, rock body forward
-inhale, rock body back to lifted position
✔✔spine twist - ✔✔-sit with legs together and outstretched to the front, feet flexed, arms
straight out to sides, reach slightly back at shoulder height palms facing down
-exhale, rotate the upper trunk to one side and then slightly farther in that same
direction
-inhale, rotate upper trunk back to center
-exhale, rotate upper trunk to opposite side then slightly farther
-inhale rotate back to center
✔✔side kick - ✔✔-lie on one side with both legs slightly forward, bend elbow to rest
head on and place other hand facing ceiling on floor to support
