How To: Do the beginner pilates move the Saw

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If you are looking a for a quick pilates reference, take a look at this pilates animation. This a quick & easy, clearly explained diagram of the pilates mat exercise: Classical Pilates for Beginners:
The Saw. Pilates exercises focus on breathing, alignments of the spine & build strong torso muscles.

Setup for Saw:

* Inhale and sit tall on your sit bones with your back against an imaginary wall.
* Legs slightly wider than your shoulders, knees pointing to the ceiling and heels lengthening away.
* Arms straight out to the side, palms down, shoulder blades down.

Action for Saw.

* Exhale, twist to the right, lower your back arm slightly.
* Exhale further and look toward your back arm as you reach your little finger past your little toe.
* Inhale to and scoop deeper as you roll back up then twist back to the midline and return to the mid-line.

Classic Pilates Cueing:

* Twist from the waist. Reach further, further, further!
* Keep your C-curve as you reach!

Purposes:

* Stretches the spine, chest and shoulder girdle in rotation.
* Improves respiration.

Precision Points:

* Anchor sit bones to mat! -Use your abdominals (powerhouse) to reach into the twist.
* Lower your back arm and let the palm face the ceiling (the model to the left has her back arm too high).
* Look back with your eyes, and bring your ear over your knee.