The Hundred
It’s essential. Consequential.
Don’t skip it!
Ready for an invigorating Pilates mat workout? It starts with The Hundred. It is the first exercise in the original Pilates mat sequence, as outlined by Joe Pilates in his book: Return to Life Through Contrology.
The Hundred is your warm-up. It gets the blood pumping, the breath going and the body moving. Let’s get to it!
You’ve descended to the mat with control, keeping your back lifted until you’re able to lie down. Once horizontal, you are fully supported by the mat, working with gravity, rather than against it – so easy-peasy. You reach your arms long overhead, legs lengthening in the opposite direction from the seat all the way through to the feet, creating a stable and complete lower body connection.
Your spine lengthens along the mat and the next move depends on your body. If you’re me, you’ll start from the center of the body, pulling in from the stomach to reach out in opposite directions. The arms float up and go long by your sides while your legs simultaneously lift as high or as low as you can keep your spine long and supported by the mat.
You’re in a long flexion of the upper body while lengthening through your lower back. Your arms hover directly above the mat next to your hips and you start to pump up and down energetically by your sides. An important thing to note: the pumping action starts at hip height and reaches upward about 6-8 inches above, according to Joe in RTL. While it isn’t necessary to break out a ruler for exacting measurements, the point is to aim for a purposeful pump that facilitates connection from the back of the body through to the arms. Your pumping should be vigorous — not meaningless. Limp wrists and flutter pumps defeat the purpose.
Let’s talk about the breath. Fill your lungs deeply through your nose for a count of 5 and fully exhale for another count of 5. Repeat. 9 more times. The arms pump in time with your counting all the way up to 100, so you’re working to coordinate the movement with the breath which requires focus.
More Tips for a Successful Hundred
If you’re just starting out, keeping your head lifted without straining your neck may not immediately be available. In such cases, you’re welcome to leave your head resting on the mat. Do regularly test your ability to curl up with appropriate connection, however, so you ensure adequate progress in line with your goals.
