If you want to get in shape or start exercising but without the need for extreme fatigue, Pilates can be a good tool to work with. In addition, in recent months it has become very fashionable a way to practice pilates that attracts the interest of more and more people. This is the wall Pilates, with which you can among other benefits, tone the legs from exercises that are fairly simple to follow so if you want to know them, just have a wall to lean on and perform what we now tell you.
Wall Pilates exercises to tone legs
As you may already know, wall Pilates is a training method based on control, precision and breathing to strengthen muscles, improve posture and increase flexibility. Although there are specific machines to practice wall Pilates, you can also do exercises with your own body weight and the help of a wall.
The wall serves as support and resistance to perform slow and conscious movements that activate the center or core of the body, that is, the deep abdominal muscles, back and pelvic floor and depending on the exercise you do, as we now tell you, will also serve to tone legs.
Core activation
First of all, let’s start with this exercise that serves to activate the core of the body and tone the entire trunk and arms.
- Lie on your back on the mat with your back well supported.
- Your legs should be straight and at a 45-degree angle to the floor while placing your feet on the wall.
- While keeping your heels together, rotate your feet slightly outward.
- Keep your arms extended at your sides.
- Expand your lungs as you inhale.
- As you slowly exhale, extend your arms about a foot off the floor, bringing your fingertips close to the wall. At the same time, bring your chin to your sternum, look toward your navel and inhale deeply.
- Hold the position until you run out of breath.
This exercise should be done three times, in sets of ten.
Leg Lift
This exercise is the best of all if your desire this summer is to tone legs. In addition, it is also good for the abdomen.
- Stand facing the wall with the arm that is closest to the wall, extended above your head and leaning against the wall.
- For balance, place the other arm at your waist or in front of your chest.
- Keep your back straight and abdominals contracted.
- Without bending your knee or rotating your hips, lift the leg farthest from the wall.
- Hold the posture for a few seconds before gradually lowering the leg.
- Repeat with the opposite leg after changing sides.
- Perform ten repetitions with each leg.
Inverted posture
Do you want to tone your glutes in addition to your legs? This is the best exercise:
- Lying face up on the mat with your back supported, align your knees and hips, bend your legs and place the soles of your feet on the wall.
- With your palms facing down, place your arms alongside your body.
- Take a deep breath, lift your hips off the floor so that they are in a straight line with your shoulders and knees.
- Hold the pose while tensing the abdomen and buttocks for a few seconds.
- Breathe deeply as you slowly lower each vertebra at a time to the floor.
Perform this exercise three times, in three sets of ten.
Supported Squat
Along with the legs, this other exercise also tones the buttocks.
- Stand with your back to the wall, feet hip-width apart and slightly away from the wall.
- Slide down until your knees are bent at 90 degrees and in line with your ankles, leaning against the wall.
- Keep your back straight and your abdominal region tight.
- With your palms facing down, extend your arms in front of you at shoulder height.
- Hold the position for a moment before bringing your back up the wall and slowly coming to a stop.
- Do this exercise three times, each for a set of ten.
Along with the exercises mentioned above, and that will help you to tone your legs and other parts of the body, we also want to recommend these. Easy to do and very beneficial for your body.
Lateral Stretch
This exercise serves to stretch the side of the body and improve not only the overall tone, but also for the mobility of the spine.
- Take a few steps backwards and face the wall.
- Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the wall with your arms extended above your head.
- While keeping your legs straight and feet firmly planted on the floor, lean your torso to one side.
- On the side you are leaning on, feel the stretch.
- Repeat on the opposite side after returning to center.
- Do ten times each on each side.
Supported push-up
Finally, this exercise works your arms, chest and shoulders.
- Face the wall, place your feet hip-width apart and take a few steps away from the wall.
- Place your hands shoulder-width apart and in line with your chest on the wall.
- Restrain your abdomen and maintain a straight posture.
- While keeping your back against the wall, bend your elbows and bring your chest close to the surface.
- Return to the starting position by pushing with your hands and extending your arms.
- This exercise should be done three times, in sets of ten.