Display Patient Information Leaflets

Date issued: November 2024 

For review: November 2026 

Ref: C-600/LB/Physiotherapy/Paediatric Pilates Level 3

PDF: Paediatric Pilates Level 3.pdf [pdf] 1MB

Mermaid (Mobility)

Aims: 

• Improve spinal mobility.

• Optimise overall posture.

Instructions:

• Side sitting as in image below, knees bent, one leg in front, one behind, feet on floor.

• Sit tall and breathe in.

• Breathe out as you reach your arm up and bend your body away from your legs, lengthening arm overhead.

• Ensure to keep your chest open and both bottom cheeks to floor.

• Breathe in to return to starting position.

• Repeat on other side.

Variations: 

• Increase hold and concentrate on breathing into movement.

• Repeat but reach arm other way, towards legs for the opposite stretch.

Roll Downs (Mobility) 

Aims: 

• Improve spinal mobility.

• Optimise overall posture.

Instructions: 

• Standing with your feet hip distance apart, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked.

• Inhale to prepare.

• Exhale whilst rolling down through the spine, curling forwards, arms hang heavy, head relaxed

• Inhale to rest.

• Exhale to tuck bottom under and peel up through spine.

• Inhale to rest.

• Repeat.

Variations: 

• Add walking feet on the spot in folded position to mobilise hips, knees and ankles and add hamstring stretch.

• Add side bend in folded position to lengthen lower back muscles.

Thread The Needle (Mobility) 

Aims: 

• Increase spinal mobility.

• Optimise sitting and standing posture.

Instructions:

• Start in a crawling position, with your knees under hips, hands in front of shoulders and long flat back with gentle chin tuck.

• Slowly move one arm across the body reaching it through under the opposite arm.

• Hold for a few breaths to stretch.

• Return to starting position. 

• Repeat with the opposite arm.

Variations: 

• Try holding and breathing for longer periods to increase stretch.

Lunge (Balance) 

Aims: 

• Optimise dynamic balance.

• Build lower limb muscular endurance.

• Challenge core strength. 

Instructions: 

• Standing with your feet hip distance apart with weight on both feet, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked.

• Step your left leg forward into long stride.

• Lower your back knee towards the floor ensuring left toes are visible in front of left knee and keep a neutral pelvis throughout.

• Push back leg straight as you bring left leg back to standing position. 

• Repeat with right leg forward.

• x 10 repetitions each leg.

Variations: 

• Challenge strength and endurance by adding pulses, half range movements and holds.

• Add heel raises on front leg to work calf and thigh muscles more.

• Progress to walking lunges to challenge dynamic balance.

Single Leg Stand (Eyes closed) (Balance)

Aims: 

• Optimise standing balance.

• Practice spatial awareness.

• Lower limb strengthening.

Instructions: 

• Standing with your feet hip width apart, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked.

• Stand on one leg trying to keep the rest of your body completely level.

• Close eyes.

• Try to keep balance for as long as you can.

• Repeat on other leg.

Variations: 

• Challenge balance by using unstable surface or by moving arms whilst balancing.

• Challenge dynamic balance by adding movements of your other leg in the air.

Single Leg Squat (Balance)  Single Leg Squat (Balance) 

Aims: 

• Improve leg strength and endurance.

• Optimise balance.

Instructions: 

• Standing with your feet hip distance apart with weight on both feet, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked.

• Transfer weight onto one leg, lifting opposite leg off the floor, keeping rest of body level and still.

• Keeping weight through heel, bend knee to squat down pushing bottom backwards, keeping chest and back upright.

• Stand tall, pushing through heel.

• Repeat on other leg. 

• x 10 repetitions on each leg.

Variations: 

• Increase repetitions, pulse or add holds on one leg to challenge endurance.

• Add arm movements to challenge coordination.

• Complete on unstable surface to challenge balance.

Jazz Arms (Coordination) 

Aims:

• Increase spatial awareness and coordination of arms

• Shoulder muscle strengthening

• Challenge dynamic core stability

Instructions: 

• Standing with your feet hip distance apart with weight on both feet, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked.

• Keeping shoulders down with nice long neck, move arms through positions shown in images below.

• Repeat movements whilst not letting shoulders lift.

Variations: 

• Can be done in kneeling on one knee to work on endurance and strength of bottom muscles.

• Use single leg stand to challenge dynamic balance.

• Challenge coordination by reversing sequence or moving one arm a step ahead.

Dead Bugs (Coordination) 

Aims: 

• Practice full body coordination.

• Challenge dynamic core stability.

Instructions: 

• Lie on your back, feet on floor with hips and knees bent.

• Lift one bent leg into the air, whilst you tense your tummy muscles, bring other leg up to match.

• Lift both arms straight up to point to ceiling.

• Lower left leg and stretch it out, hovering it straight without touching the ground whilst right arm reaches above your head.

• Return to start position.

• Repeat on other side.

Variations: 

• Add hand or ankle weight to challenge dynamic core stability.

• Placing hands on hips to help you understand if your body is staying level.

• Add pulses and holds to challenge core endurance.

Circle/Ball Squeezes (Coordination) 

Aims: 

• Improve control of shoulder, head and neck posture.

• Optimise standing posture.

Instructions: 

• Standing with your feet hip distance apart with weight on both feet, shoulders back and down and chin gently tucked.

• Reach arms out in front of you.

• Concentrate on pulling shoulders back and down, maintain chin tuck.

• Relax.

• Repeat holding a ball between your hands and adding a gentle squeeze once lifted out in front of you.

Variations: 

• Challenge core stability by standing on one leg.

• Try moving arms up and down whilst keeping shoulders back and down to challenge control of shoulder posture even more.

Balance The See-Saw 1- Plank (Stability) 

Aims: 

• Promoting core muscle activity on unstable surface.

• Challenging shoulder stability with legs less supported.

Instructions:

• Start in crawling position, with your knees under hips, hands in front of shoulders, long flat back with chin gently tucked.

• Step one foot backwards onto gym ball.

• Maintain your shoulder position and lengthen through top of head, step your other leg up onto ball.

• Maintain your position and hold!

Variations:

• Add high fives to a partner, maintaining your trunk position.

• Challenge core and shoulder activity by flexing your knees and hips rolling ball in.

• Make it a little easier by starting with ball higher up your legs.

Balance The See-Saw 2 – Bridge (Stability) 

Aims: 

• Optimise bottom and core activation.

• Challenge coordination.

• Cooperative working (with partner if available).

Instructions: 

• Lie on your back, hips and knees bent, feet on floor with gym ball at feet.

• Rest your arms at sides, step one foot up onto the gym ball followed by the other. 

• Push low back into floor and slowly lift your bottom and back up from floor into a bridge position.

• Hold for a breath and lower back to floor.

• Repeat.

• If you have a partner available, they can try and mirror you on the other side of the ball, so you both have to stabilise the movement of the ball together to complete the move.

Variations: 

• Try resting ball on calf area and keep legs straight instead of bent.

• Keeping one leg on ball, try to straighten other leg to challenge strength on one side at a time.

• Try gently lifting hands away from floor to reduce your ability to use arms to help stabilise.

• Challenge endurance by adding half repetitions and pulses.

Swimming (Stability)  

Aims: 

• Increase bottom muscle strength.

• Improve core activation.

• Optimise single shoulder strength and coordination.

Instructions: 

• Start in crawling position, with your knees under hips, hands in front of shoulders, long flat back with gentle chin tuck.

• Slowly lift up your left arm and right leg, stretching both out as long as you can.

• Keeping yourself level and not letting your back tilt, try to move your raised arm and leg out to the side but still parallel with the floor (as shown in the right hand? image below).

• Return to start position.

• Repeat on other side.

Variations: 

• Lift up your left arm and right leg and stretch out through heel.

• Keeping yourself level and not letting your back tilt, draw clockwise circles with the right heel.

• Repeat anticlockwise.

• Return to initial position and repeat on other side.

Push The Wall (Strength) 

Aims: 

• Optimise thigh muscle strength and endurance.

Instructions: 

• Sit with both of your legs straight out in front of you, hands behind you to help support yourself, shoulders back and down and sit tall.

• Push your knee straight, pull toes up towards yourself as you lift your leg up from floor.

• Hold for 5-10, pushing through heel towards the wall in front.

• Lower slowly.

• X10.

• Repeat on other side.

Variations: 

• Challenge endurance with pulses, longer holds and increased repetitions.

• Challenge power by adding an ankle weight.

• Make it a little easier, if necessary, by putting a rolled towel under your knee and just working on lifting lower half of leg.

Plank Prep (Strength) 

Aims: 

• Maximise core strength.

• Maintain shoulder stability and strength.

Instructions:

• Lie on your front.

• Place your elbows just wider than your shoulders.

• Try and keep your shoulders back and down and neck long with chin slightly tucked.

• Try and keep your back flat without arching too much.

• Lift thighs away from floor.

• Maintain your position.

Variations: 

• Challenge single shoulder strength by adding single arm lift.

• Challenge core stability by adding single leg lift.

Bear Walks (Strength) 

Aims: 

• Optimise shoulder strength and control.

• Increase bottom muscle strength.

• Improve hamstring length.

Instructions: 

• Standing with your feet hip distance apart with your weight on both feet, shoulders back and down with gentle chin tuck.

• Bend your body forwards at hips, using your core to maintain long, flat back.

• Reach your hands to floor and walk hands forwards.

• Maintain high plank position for a breath.

• Push your bottom high, walk your hands backwards, trying to keep your back flat.

• Imagine heavy weights from your hips pulling them towards the floor, bringing your upper body upright.

Variations: 

• Press ups can be added in high plank.

• Challenge core control by stepping in high plank or rocking forwards and backwards on your toes.

• Can be done with feet wider at the start.