How to add a Pilates flex band into your class?

The Pilates flex band is an add-on to your Pilates workouts providing resistance to the workout. There are many tensions of flex bands, represented by colours, ranging from very light to extremely heavy (thicker material). However, there are two main resistances that are normally used in Pilates training:

• light resistance
• and a stronger resistance.

Before choosing the resistance you need to ask yourself what you want to do with the flex band. Do you simply want to feel the workout by increasing some tension on both muscle and joint or if you want to get some feedback on the target area? The latter is very beneficial for individual workouts. Take for example,

Single leg circle: The single leg circle exercise on mat, lying supine with one leg bend, the other leg on table top, place the flex band around the thigh of the leg in table top, hands holding on both ends of flex band, elbows down on mat. Glide the leg around the hip joint and feel the resistance from the bend. 8-10 times on both internal and external rotation of each leg. Small, gentle rotations. Make sure the leg is returning to the hip socket when circling the leg. I can guarantee you will feel the hip joint more than ever before. That’s the benefit of flex band!

Another example is,

Bend and Stretch: lying supine, legs in table top, flex band wrapped around the soles of the feet, hands holding on both ends of flex band, elbows on mat. Exhale to press the flex band out, focusing on hip, knee and ankle movements. Inhale to return.

Again, this workout gives you more awareness on joint movements rather than just simply bending and stretching the legs. Many of the other mat exercises may be modified slightly in this way with a Pilates flex band to provide either more resistance or more feedback and focus on joint movements, enhancing your Pilates workouts.