ITT Pilates Exercise: Saw
The Saw is a great Pilates Mat Exercise to work on trunk rotation and abdominal strength while stretching the back and hamstring muscles. The oppositional pull of reaching one arm forward while pulling back in the ribcage and pelvis will give you a stretch along the entire back of the body. The Saw exercise is also an important lesson on pelvic stability. The abdominals work to keep the pelvis in place while performing a dynamic movement in the upper body. Let's go step by step through Saw to master this exercise:
1. Sit tall on top of sitting bones with legs stretched in front, open to the width of the mat or shoulder width apart, and ankles flexed.
2. Reach out to sides, shoulder level, with palms facing front
3. Inhale - grow taller as you rotate head, shoulders and ribcage to the right while pelvis remains facing front and left sitting bone anchored to the mat.
4. Left arm sweeps across body to reach over right leg while right arm internally rotates, turning palm to ceiling, as it reaches behind torso
5. Exhale - nod nose down and roll down through spine from head to lower ribcage, reaching arms in opposition
6. Continue Exhaling and “Saw” off right pinky toe with left pinky finger in 2-3 pulses
7. Focus on using abdominals to pull the ribcage and pelvis back with each pulse of the arm
8. Inhale- start at base for spine to sequentially roll back up to sitting and rotate back to facing front