Pilates: Lower Lift with Magic Circle - part of the women's fitness video series by GeoBeats. Hi, I am Charlotte, and this is Alice, and we are here at Streamline Pilates Studio in Brooklyn Heights, New York. We are going to show you a series you can do with the Magic Circle and the Lower Lift exercise from Pilates mat work. This will help strengthen your inner thighs. So let's lay on your back, with your feet about hip distance apart, and take an inhale through your nose, and exhale, scoop your bellybutton back towards your spine, pressing your low back down into the mat. And then, bringing one knee in at a time towards your chest, straighten your legs up towards the ceiling, and let's put the circle between your ankles, so your legs are parallel, you will feel your things feeding into your hips, and you also feel your feet stretching up towards the ceiling. Arms are at your side, the back of your shoulders are pressing down into the mat, your forearms and your palms are pressing down into the mat. And let's just ten times squeeze the circle with those inner thighs. Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth, navel back towards your spine. Five, four, three, two, one; and then, hold for ten counts. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two one. Now, let's, from your hip, turn your legs out so that your legs are turned out, your heels are towards the center. And you want to make sure that you are not just turning out from your ankle, but that your hips are turned out, your thighs are still feeding in to your pelvis, but those thighs are turned out. And now we are going to repeat that. Ten times, squeezing, ten, nine, eight, navel back towards your spine, jaws relaxed, your spine is sinking into the mat, your tailbone is heavy into the mat. Three, two, and hold it in, ten, nine, eight, seven, six five, four, three, two, one. Good. Now, keeping that turn out, let's twist your legs and hold it for five, four, three, two, one, and twist. And hold it for five, four, three, two, one. Beautiful. Bend your knees in, and now let's put your feet on the inside of the circle. So now this is going to strengthen the outer part of your leg. So, keeping those feet parallel, you are going to press away this time for ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, navel back towards your spine, low back pressing into the mat, two, and hold it, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. Great. And, bending your knees, bring your knees back into your chest, turn your legs out, straighten them up towards the ceiling, so again, now, in the turned out position, pressing it out for ten, nine, eight, seven, stomach is still scooped, thighs are still feeding in to your pelvis, four, three, two, and hold it out, ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. And rotate! And press, five, four, three, two, one, and rotate, and press, five, four, three, two, one. Beautiful! Bend your knees into your chest, let's put the circle back between your ankles for the lower lift portion, arms back at your side, legs stretching up towards the ceiling, legs are parallel again, navel back towards your spine. Taking an inhale, slowly, we are going to lower your legs down for one, two, three, four, and back up for one, two, three, four. Nicely done. And again, one, two, three, four, and back up, one, two, three, four. Two more at this slower pace. Excellent. You can see how hard her upper body is working to stabilize as her legs lower down. If you feel anything in your low back, do not lower your legs so low. If it starts to feel too easy, you can start to bring your legs lower to the floor, but the most important part is keeping that scoop in your stomach to protect your spine. So now, let's go a little quicker. Four down, and back up. And three, and back up. Good. And two. And last one. Excellent! And you are ready for your next exercise.