Sets: 2-3

Reps: 12 (6 each side)

• Lie on your back with knees bent. Hold the pilates ball at your chest.

• Lift your hips into a bridge position.

• Inhale and expand the ribcage to prep for the movement.

• Exhale as you draw in the core and press your palms into the ball. Slowly march one leg up and back down, keeping the knee bent.

• Inhale and reset once the leg is back down. Exhale and repeat on the opposite leg.

• Aim to keep the pelvis level as you unweight the leg. You want to avoid letting one side “drop”.

• The ball is there to provide resistance for your core to work against. You should feel your abdominals engaging in response to the ball press.

• The leg that is NOT marching is the working leg. Think about driving that foot into the mat to activate the glutes and hamstrings.

• You should feel this in the core, glutes, and hamstrings. You should not feel this in the lower back.

  • If you do feel this in the lower back, perform a posterior pelvic tilt, tucking your tailbone under.

Modifications:

• Lowering in and out of the bridge with each rep.

• Decreasing the range of motion of your bridge and not lifting as high.

• Instead of marching, just lift your heel (toe will stay down)

• Remove the ball and have your arms down on the mat for additional stability.