Pilates: Exercises For Women With Bigger Breasts
VideoJug's yoga expert Sophie Rycott shows you a great series of Pilates exercises to strengthen your key muscles to conquer back and shoulder pain caused by big breasts.
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You will need
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Exercise One: The Dart
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Step 1:
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To prepare
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Lie face down on your mat with your legs and feet together. If you are uncomfortable lying like this then place a towel or cushion just under your rib cage and use it throughout this and the following exercise.
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Have your arms down by your sides and relax your shoulders forwards.
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Step 2:
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Breathing
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You will inhale deeply through the nose to prepare, aiming the breath towards the back of the rib cage and exhale deeply through the mouth.
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When you exhale, think of flattening the abdominal region. Imagine gently pulling your belly button towards your spine.
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This exercise will be performed over 4 breaths.
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Step 3:
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The exercise
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Inhale, open your shoulders back, exhale, reach your hands towards your feet while extending your upper body off the floor. Inhale, hold the position thinking of lengthening your head one way and feet the other, then exhale and gently return to the mat.
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Repeat this four times, concentrating on keeping your neck in line with your back, then relax. You will feel your upper back and shoulders working.
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Exercise Two: Pull Down
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Step 1:
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To prepare
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Take hold of your exercise band in both hands at a place where you feel sufficient tension in the band and reach your arms over your head, elbows slightly bent.
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Once again, check the tension in the band.
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Step 2:
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Breathing
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The same principles apply as before. This exercise will also be performed over 4 breaths.
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Step 3:
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The exercise
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Inhale to prepare, exhale pull the down out and down in front of your head while extending your upper body off the mat, inhale, stay, thinking of lengthening your feet and head in opposite directions, exhale to return back to the mat.
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Repeat this four times, concentrating on keeping your shoulders down and neck aligned. You will feel the muscles around your shoulder blades and shoulders working.
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When you finish, put the band to one side, sit back on your heels and round your back over your knees to relax the muscles you've worked.
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Exercise Three: Hug A Tree
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Step 1:
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To prepare
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Change position to sit down with your legs crossed. If this is uncomfortable for you, either have your legs out in front or sit cross legged on a small support.
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Place the band around your back, just under your shoulder blades and hold onto either end, fists facing down. Adjust where you hold the band if you need more tension.
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Step 2:
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Breathing
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This exercise has two breathing patterns. For the first, you will inhale to prepare then exhale over three counts to perform the movement and inhale to prepare again.
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The second you'll inhale prepare and then exhale just once to perform the movement, then inhale to prepare again.
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Step 3:
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The exercise
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Inhale to prepare, opening your arms to the sides, then exhale over three counts and each time round your arms forwards, bringing your fists closer to each other. Inhale to return and exhale over three to repeat again.
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Do this four times - then inhale to prepare, bringing the arms back out, exhale and perform the movement in one fluid action.
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Also repeat this four times, concentrating throughout on keeping your neck in a neutral alignment, shoulders down and abdominals strong. You will feel your pictorial and shoulder muscles working.
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When you finish, put the band down.
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Exercise Four: Push Ups
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Step 1:
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To prepare
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Position yourself towards one end of your mat on your hands and knees, with your legs together and toes tucked under. Walk your hands forwards to slightly more than shoulder width apart until you feel your weight resting over them and your body is in one straight line.
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Step 2:
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Breathing
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The breathing pattern is the same as in the previous exercise but reversed. First, you will inhale over three counts to perform the movement and exhale to complete it. Then inhale over one count to begin the movement and exhale to complete it.
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Step 3:
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The exercise
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Inhale over three, bending your elbows out while lowering your body to the floor, and exhale to push up to the start.
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Do this once again - then inhale to repeat the movement in one action, exhale to return to the start - and do once again.
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Pay attention to the alignment of your body - it should stay in one straight line throughout.
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When you finish, sit back on your heels and circle your wrists a few times to relax them.
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This exercise completes our workout for ladies with bigger breasts to strengthen the upper body.