Maria and Wolfgang doing the Pilates exercise Side Bend

Pilates exercises explained

Side Bend Series

The "Side Bend Series" was composed of the Pilates exercises "Side Bend", "Side Bend Twist" and "Side Bend Open Chest" together.

Thanks to the complexity of these Pilates exercises we train many muscle groups, from the foot to the crown. The torso stability is challenged the most. The reason for this is balancing on hand and foot.

All exercises like "Side Kick Kneeling", "Side Bend" to "Side Bend Twist", prepare you optimally for this series.

Exercise description

Sitting on one buttock, the bent, erect, front leg hooks the heel into the angle of the foot of the back leg. The supporting hand lies flat on the mat.

With the inhalation we shift the weight slightly to the supporting hand, press the feet into the mat and lift the upper body in an arc towards the ceiling to the T-stand. On the exhalation, we bend and continue to extend the arc with the free hand. Inhaling come back to the T-stand.

With the next exhalation, we lift the pelvis towards the ceiling and thread the free hand under the body flank. The gaze follows the movement. On the inhalation we return to the T-stance.

From the T-stance we open the chest towards the ceiling with the exhalation. The gaze follows the movement. Inhaling we come back to the mat via the T-stand.

We repeat this exercise 3 to 6 times per side.

Frequently asked questions

What to do for wrist pain?

Move the hand a little further away so that the angle in the wrist increases slightly.

Switch sides after each repetition to allow the joint to become accustomed to the load.

Support on the forearm. Make sure that the alignment of the shoulder girdle is not too steep.

After the exercise, stretch the wrists slightly by gently pulling on the hands (traction).

Pro Tip From Maria

Before lifting from the floor, draw your attention to the shoulder blade from the supporting hand and again consciously "melt" it into the back rib cage. This provides a deepening stability between the shoulder girdle and torso.

When the feet are brought closer to the buttocks, the lateral tilt increases. This provides more mobility. If the feet are positioned further away from the buttocks, a deeper control of the lateral trunk muscles is required.

Video with the brief explanation of the Pilates exercise Side Bend

Most common errors

Polarity during exercise is lost, resulting in overuse of the shoulder joint.

The shoulder blade detaches from the trunk, resulting in a loss of stability in the shoulder girdle.

Too much power is drawn from the shoulder girdle and less from the center of the body. This puts too much stress on the shoulder girdle.

When opening the rib cage, one often loses the muscular connection between the rib cage and the pelvis. This can lead to over-rotation in the thoracic spine.

The hand is placed too close to the buttocks, resulting in overuse of the wrist.