Gentle Pilates to Improve Strength & Balance (Perfect for 60+)

Happy Holidays everyone. Happy Holidays. April Viesten next here with my mom Aiko. Hi. In this session we have a Pilates inspired workout to help you stay steady and strong during the holidays. Now it's going to feature 10 moves and yet you can do either standing or seated with my mom and you don't need any shoes for this workout. All right. No shoes. Yes. Now this workout won't have any bending at the waist or twisting so this may be helpful for our friends with osteoporosis. All right. So how does this sound mom? Sounds good. We're all decked out. Let's go. Ho ho ho. That's right. Ho ho ho everybody. We'll take a pause here and get started. Oh mom, want to have a seat? Sure. All right. Let's get this holiday Pilates inspired workout moving. Okay so yeah just just march it out gently. Let's just move our legs, move our arms, get everything going. Let's get the joints. You can move your hands around. Okay. Little figure eights I'm doing here while we're walking. Okay. All right. Okay good. Just give me some nice little gentle reaches up. Okay. Or whatever your range of motion is. Good. Very nice. And yes you know holidays can be very stressful so it's good just to kind of do this little gentle workout with you to just de-stress and relax. Okay. While getting stronger as well. Okay. All right. So nice nice job on this gentle warm-up. Now our first move is going to be inspired by a Pilates move called the hundreds. All right. And so if you know the hundreds you are you're basically engaging your core and you're pumping your arms a hundred times. All right. But this is how we're going to do. Okay. If you're sitting in the chair I want you to have your feet flat on the floor. Right. You can lean back if you want just a little bit but keep your back straight. And arms are out straight. Palms down. Okay. We're gauging our core. Tighten up those abs. Bring that belly button into spine and just pump it. Okay. We're just pumping down. You can bring all the way down to your waist. Like pump pump pump. Okay. Keep your feet on the ground. Keep your feet on the ground. Keep your feet on the ground and pump it out. Okay. Okay. Got the motion. Arms straight everybody. Engage the core. It's really a core move. Feel it. Yeah. And you're really working your shoulders and arms too. Okay. Now that that's just our practice route. Okay. All right. Now I'll rest. Okay. We're going to do three sets of ten pumps. Okay. So for a total of we probably did about 15 there. All right. Okay. So here we go. Let's do this. Okay. Engage the core. Let's pump it for ten. One two three six seven eight nine ten and rest. Take a breath. Breathe. Take a breath and breathe. Let's try that again everybody. All right. Here we go. Holiday pumping. Six seven eight nine and ten and rest. Okay. Can you do one more set? Absolutely. All right everybody. Never give up. Take a breath. We're going to do one more set of ten. Okay. So here we go. Okay. Ready? Engage the core. Don't forget that. Okay. Ten one two three four five six seven eight nine and ten and rest. Okay. And you said a hundred? Yes. Oh my god. A hundred. Usually it's it's on you do it on the floor. You're engaging your core and you pump it for a hundred. Yeah. It's it's yeah it's a good workout. Something to work up to. Okay. All right. Our next move are going to be side legless and so if you're seated or standing this is what I want you to do. You can hold on to something if you're standing or you know not do balance move. So I want you to lift that knee up straighten the leg kick it out bring it in and down. Got it? Yeah. That's the move. So here we go. We're going to do five on each side. Okay. So up out and out out and down. Okay. Let's do up out in and down. Bring it up look it out out in and down. Got it? Yeah. In out out in and down. Very good. Okay. Ready? I'm gonna do it inside so people can see this. Okay. So bring it up kick it out side in in and down. Got it? Yeah. Okay. This is five out out in and down. Good. One for six out out in and down. This is seven out out in and down. Good. Okay. Knee up. You do the other side. Kick it out in and down. You're right. I gave you oh my gosh I made you do seven. We're supposed to only do five on each side. Okay. Good work. Extra credit everybody. Okay. Okay. If you're standing with me or even if you're sitting shift that weight to that the the your right side here. Okay. So knee up kick it out kick it out in and down. That's one. Rolling for five. Knee up kick it out out in and down. That's two. Knee up kick it out out in and down. That's three. Kick it out out in. That's four. Breathe. One more. Out in in and down. Nice work. Hey working the hips big time on that one. Yeah. Working your thighs and legs as well. So good job. All right. Next move is okay if you're sitting in a chair all right you might want to be at the edge of your seat and if you're standing with me this is what we're doing. I'm you can you can either flex we're actually we can do toe point so one foot one foot is solidly on the ground. Okay. Right. Yeah. Knee bend and we're just going to lift up and down. Now what I want you to feel though really engage that thigh. Okay. So you're lifting your kneecaps right. Engage the thigh. So it's up and down. Up and down. Good. This is three. Good. And four. Nice. And five. And down and rest. How's everybody feeling? Check in with your body. Really nice. Working in the thighs. Okay. We're going to do the other side. Okay. So here we go. So shift the weight over. Okay. Straight leg. Lift the kneecap. Engage that thigh. One. Two. You don't want to walk out. Three. Four. Tighten the leg. And five. And rest. Probably really felt that in your thighs. You always engage your core. Oh yes. You're definitely always engaging your core to keep you steady right. You don't want to be leaning forward or back right. Yeah. Okay. Nice work. Okay. This one mom I need you to go sit sideways this time. Okay. So one butt cheek on one butt cheek off. Okay. So you're sitting in a chair. This is what I want you to do. Leg back and then forward. Okay. Back and forward. If you're standing with me I want you to stand. You can either hold on the wall or and I want you to have your your toe here but then lift and down. Lift and down. Now it's very important to stand tall right. Not to be leaning forward like sorry mom. You know leaning forward. Okay. You just want to be lifting up and down. Okay. So you got that mom. Yeah. You don't have to go too far back. I just want you to go back and forward. Back and forward. Okay everybody. You ready to do this. Here we go. Let's do five on each side. Okay. So if I'm standing slight bend in the standing leg. So up and down. You're going back and forth right mom. Yeah. Okay. This is three. Good. Four and five and rest. Woo. Don't go too far back. That's okay. I don't need you to go far back. Okay. Now I can watch you. Okay everybody we're doing the other side. Okay wait. Okay. Situate yourself right. You're sitting or standing tall. Yeah. Engage the core right. Yeah. Okay. Bring that leg back and then forward. Okay. Back and forward. Good. Back and forward. This is three. Really feel this glute if you're standing. Four and five. It's not easy. And rest. Yes. It's just like mobility right. You're just bringing it back and forward. You're really engaging your glute and your hamstring on that move. Okay. So nice work. Okay. Take a breath. Okay. Rest. Very nice everybody. Okay. So our next move. You're sitting in the chair or you're standing. You might want to sit back in your chair a little bit. Okay. Get some really kind of get get those buttocks on there. Right. Okay. One leg is on the floor. So sorry. Yeah. One foot flat on the floor. You're lifting the other leg straight out. Toe pointed. Toe pointed. We're doing little circles. One way. Okay. The whole leg. Not just the toes. The coming from the hip everyone. Okay. One, two, three, four, five. Rest. Okay. We gotta do that on the other go to other direction. Other direction. Oh. Yeah. I'm giving you rest. One, two, three, four, and five. Okay. Nice. You're standing with me. You can hold on to wall countertop. Okay. All right. Or mom. Yeah. Okay. So we have to go to the other side now. Okay. So leg straight. Toe pointed. Right. Coming from the hip. One direction. One, two, three, four, and five. Rest. Very nice. Good job. Let's go the other side. One, two, three, four, and five. And rest. Oh, yes. Hip, inner thigh. Big time. Nice work. This is going to help you as you walk. Any type of movement. Even helping to prevent falls. Because you're really working those muscles to stabilize. That's right. Yeah. Stabilize your legs. Okay. Very nice. Okay. So we're moving on to. We're going to do some upper body stuff. Okay. So take a breath. Breathe. All right. We're bringing our arms up. Pressing forward. Okay. We're going to pull it in. And we're going to press it out to the side. Okay. That's the move. Okay. And I want you to give me ten of these. Okay. So we're pressing forward. Bring it in. Press it side. That's one. Okay. Keep it going. And breathe. This is two. And three. Very nice. And four. Breathe. Keeping your core. Always engage the core. Five. Okay. Yes. Pilates is all about core work. This is six. Sit or stand tall. And seven. Really nice. Eight. Two more. Nine. One more. And ten. And rest. Do you feel that? Yep. How are you doing? Check in with your body. So nice work working that upper body. Okay. Arms and shoulders. Okay. Hey. Next we're going to do a push-up. And believe it or not, you can do it in the chair. Now, if you're doing it in the chair, you're just going to have your hands on the chair and your elbows are slightly bent. Now, to do the push-up, I just want you to straighten the arms. Okay. Just straighten the arms. Yes. And relax. You feel that? I want to let you engage your arms. Now, if you're doing it with me, I want you to do this on the wall. Okay. Or, you know, you can even do it on the sofa or floor is like the most challenging one. But I'm going to do it on the wall here. Okay. So you with me, Mom? Yep. Okay. Okay. Arms length against the wall. Here we go. We're lowering down and pressing up. Okay. This is two. Good. Three. Four. Good. Straighten the arms. Five. Six. Push it up. Seven. Eight. Nine. And ten. And rest. Nice work, everybody. Okay. Very good. How those arms feel? Oh, I feel it. Good job. Oh, yeah. Nice work. Okay. Hey, we're coming to home stretch here. Okay. Either sitting or standing. All I want you to do is just give me some toe taps forward. Tap it forward. Okay. Tap it forward. Okay. You can do anything with the arms. I want you to do ten on each side from here. This is ten. This is nine. And eight. Seven. Like a little dance move. Six. Holiday dance move. Yeah. Six. This is five. Happy holidays, everybody. Yeah. Four. This is three. And two. And one. And rest. Really, really nice. You know, so proud of you for moving, you know, getting moving during the holidays. It's really hard to fit stuff in. So, great job on taking the time for yourself. Okay. All right. Our last move, just going to be some marches engaging the upper and lower body. So, it's knee up, arm up. Okay. Opposite arm. Opposite arm, opposite leg, everybody. Okay. Are you ready for this? Yeah. Last final ho-ho-ho move. Okay. All right. Here we go. One. This is two. And three. Stand tall. Four. Engage the core. Yeah. Five. Six. Breathe. Seven. Eight. Nine. One more. And ten. And rest. Excellent work. Let's go. No repeats. No repeats. Don't you love it? All right. Let's stretch it out. Okay. So, I want you to give me a side leg stretch. So, you're sitting there. One leg is solidly on the floor. One foot is solidly on the floor. And the other one, just kick it out to the side. But straighten the leg out. Okay. Toes pointing forward. Kind of feel a nice stretch. Yeah. Good. Breathe. Give me three breaths. In. Inhale. Exhale. And one more. Inhale. And exhale. Good. Bring it in gently. Okay. Situate yourself. Right foot solidly on the floor. And kick out the other leg. Your left foot out. Feel that nice stretch in the thigh. Okay. Okay. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. And exhale. And inhale. And exhale. Good. Bring it in gently. Good job. Last move. Open, close. So, open it up. Chest. Exhale. Good. Inhale. And exhale. Give me one more. Inhale. And exhale. Nice work on these 10 Pilates-inspired moves. So, great job on taking the time for yourself and working on your strength and balance and also just relaxation. Right. All right. Happy holidays. Yes. If you like this video, please give it a like, share comments, let us know what you're doing for the holidays, and subscribe to our channel. We look forward to seeing you real soon. And in the meantime, have a wonderful holiday season. We'll see you real soon. See you soon. Bye.