{"id":399,"date":"2025-10-06T20:17:15","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T20:17:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/?p=399"},"modified":"2025-10-09T13:14:14","modified_gmt":"2025-10-09T13:14:14","slug":"total-gym-pilates-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/2025\/10\/06\/total-gym-pilates-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Total Gym Pilates: Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"16310\" class=\"elementor elementor-16310\">\n<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6fb3b7b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6fb3b7b\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6f67e42\" data-id=\"6f67e42\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-47f54f6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"47f54f6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\/\/youtu.be\/-GKq0T_N0Zc&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n<div class=\"elementor-video\"><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2219ffd elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"2219ffd\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n<p><strong>Total Gym Pilates: Strength Meets Flow<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Part 1: Building the Foundation<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever practiced Pilates on a mat or reformer, you already know the method is rooted in precision, control, and flow. But once you experience Pilates on the Total Gym, everything shifts &#8211; literally.\u00a0 The incline, the moving glideboard, and the pull of gravity create an entirely new relationship with your core.<\/p>\n<p>As a Pilates professional who has trained clients across every format, I can confidently say this: <strong>The Total Gym offers one of the most dynamic and accessible ways to simulate reformer-style Pilates at home.<\/strong> You\u2019ll move with intention, activate with control, and rediscover how even the most familiar exercises feel fresh, effective, and surprisingly challenging.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What Makes Pilates Different on the Total Gym<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Pilates on the Total Gym blends the best of mat and reformer training into one seamless experience. The glideboard moves with your body. like a reformer carriage, while the adjustable incline uses your own bodyweight and gravity as resistance. This unique setup challenges balance, range of motion, and control, creating an adaptable workout that\u2019s both supportive and dynamic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Here<\/strong><strong>\u2019<\/strong><strong>s how it compares:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Mat Pilates:<\/strong> Stable surface, bodyweight resistance, focused on precision and control.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reformer Pilates:<\/strong> Moving carriage with spring resistance for added feedback and flow.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Total Gym Pilates:<\/strong> Moving glideboard with incline-based bodyweight resistance for a reformer feel with a mat-style foundation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>How Resistance Works<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Gravity becomes your training partner. The incline determines the level of challenge, while the glideboard\u2019s movement demands constant core activation. Instead of just working <em>on<\/em> the equipment, you\u2019re fully engaged <em>with<\/em> it\u2026 making every motion a full-body experience.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Pilates <\/strong><strong>Principles<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>No matter the surface, the foundation of Pilates remains constant:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Breath<\/strong> guides your movement.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Control<\/strong> overrides momentum.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Precision<\/strong> activates deep muscle layers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Flow<\/strong> connects one move to the next.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Centering<\/strong> comes from your powerhouse (core)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Foundational Pilates Moves on your Total Gym<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This short sequence builds a strong foundation while showing you how the glideboard, gravity, and your own bodyweight create a reformer-style workout at home. <em>Be patient with yourself\u2026 Pilates mastery develops over time, with practice and presence.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Set Up:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Incline: <\/strong>Low\u2013Medium Level (lower incline increases core challenge)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Accessory:<\/strong> Foot Bar or Squat Stand<\/li>\n<li><strong>Key:<\/strong> Glideboard (GB)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Directions:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Focus on precision, control, and deep core engagement.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Move slowly and intentionally<\/strong> \u2014 <em>quality over quantity<\/em>.<\/li>\n<li>Apply the Pilates Principals:\n<ul>\n<li><strong>A &#8211; Alignment:<\/strong> Keep length and neutrality in the spine.<\/li>\n<li><strong>B- Breath:<\/strong> Inhale to prepare, exhale to move.<\/li>\n<li><strong>C- Core Control: <\/strong>Stabilize from the center to support every action.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>The Foundation Sequence<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Roll-Up with Bent Knees (5\u20138 reps)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Sit in the center of the GB with knees bent in hips width distance and feet flat. Holding onto the sides of the thighs and assume a C-curve shape of the spine. Use your arms to assist your core control as you articulate the spine into supine, exhale to roll up one vertebra at a time back to the starting position.<\/li>\n<li><em>Focus: Builds core control and spinal articulation while utilizing a solid breathing pattern.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><strong>Hundred (100 pulses)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>From a supine position, legs in tabletop, lift head and shoulders. Pump arms vigorously while breathing in for 5 counts and out for 5, until you reach 100 reps.<\/li>\n<li><em>Focus: Utilize the GB to keep the lower spine imprinted while the legs are bent or extended. Add core intensity by using the incline to assist your upper spine to lift higher. <\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"3\">\n<li><strong>Bicycle (10 reps per side)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Hands behind head, legs in table top. Draw one knee in while twisting the torso toward it, alternating sides in a controlled pedaling motion. This exercise enhances oblique strength and coordination.<\/li>\n<li><em>Focus: Use the incline to lift the upper torso and fully engage the leg as it extends so one leg lengthens as the other draws into chest to contract the obliques.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong>Bridge Articulation + Pulses (5\u20138 reps)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Lie on your back with knees bent and feet grounded, hip-width apart. Maintain a neutral spine as you press into your feet to lift the hips, articulating through the spine one vertebra at a time. At the top, hold the lift and add small, controlled pulses before rolling down with the same precision.<\/li>\n<li><em>Focus: Glutes, hamstrings, and spinal mobility through segmental articulation.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"5\">\n<li><strong>Side-Lying Leg Series (10 reps per movement)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Lie on your side on the GB, legs long and parallel to the floor while keeping the waistline lifted and hips stacked throughout the movement.<\/li>\n<li>Variations: Straight Leg Lifts (top leg lifts and lowers, Leg Circles (top leg drawls circles in both directions), Inner Thigh Taps (top leg stays lifted while bottom leg lifts and lowers)<\/li>\n<li><em>Focus: Hip stability, inner and outer thigh strength, and improved balance.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ol start=\"6\">\n<li><strong>Swimming (10 reps per side)<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Lie prone on the GB, arms extended. Alternate lifting opposite arm and leg in a fluttering motion. Strengthens the posterior chain and builds total-body coordination.<\/li>\n<li><em>Focus: To strengthen the posterior chain activation, spinal extension, and utilize full-body coordination. Try to keep the head in neutral alignment by gazing towards floor without straining the neck.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>Stretches<\/strong>: Child\u2019s Pose, Cat-Cow, Roll Up to Stand<\/p>\n<p><strong>Mind-Body Takeaway<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Pilates on the Total Gym isn\u2019t just a substitute for studio equipment; It\u2019s a smart, scalable way to deepen your practice at home. The dynamic movement of the glideboard, the pull of gravity, and the feedback from the cables transform Pilates into an experience that challenges the body while sharpening the mind-body connection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Up Next\u2026 Part 2: Pilates and the Toe Bar<\/strong><strong><br \/><\/strong>Get ready to elevate your practice. In Part 2, the toe bar transforms classic Pilates patterns into a full-body challenge that builds strength, balance, and seamless flow.<\/p>\n<p>Until then, glide with intention, move with control, and build strength from your center out.<\/p>\n<p>Best,<\/p>\n<p>Maria<\/p>\n<p><u>@GROOVYSWEAT<\/u>\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s Connect on Social Media<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section><\/div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.totalgymdirect.com\/total-gym-pilates-part-1\">Total Gym Pilates: Part 1<\/a> appeared first on <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.totalgymdirect.com\">Total Gym Pulse<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Total Gym Pilates: Strength Meets Flow Part 1: Building the Foundation Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES If you\u2019ve ever practiced Pilates on a mat or reformer, you already know the method is rooted in precision, control, and flow. But once you experience Pilates on the Total Gym, everything shifts &#8211; literally.\u00a0 The incline, the moving [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":348,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-399","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/399","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=399"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/399\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":400,"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/399\/revisions\/400"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/348"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=399"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=399"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.abaragambi.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=399"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}