Pilates is a fantastic way to move your body, especially if you don\u2019t feel confident lifting heavy weights or doing high-impact cardio and are looking for a low-impact option.<\/p>\n
Modern Pilates is a varied discipline, though, and some classes may be more suitable for younger bodies.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n So I turned to Claire Seager, 51, a Pilates teacher and founder of Pilatify<\/a>, which is designed with women over the age of 50 in mind, to ask what benefits Pilates can offer older women.<\/p>\n Latest Videos FromFit&Well<\/p>\n \u201cPilates brings the whole body into balance and once we\u2019ve worked one set of muscles, we will stretch them,\u201d Seager says. \u201cModern life, and age, often brings us into a head-forward and stooped posture, and Pilates aims to counteract this.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is low impact, keeps you strong, improves your balance and reduces stress,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n You may like<\/p>\n Below, she\u2019s shared her top five beginner-friendly Pilates moves for women in their 60s and 70s. \u201cThe exercises I\u2019ve chosen offer the perfect blend of strength, flexibility and posture correction,\u201d Seager says.<\/p>\n The best Pilates moves for women in their 60s and 70s1. Rocking cat and cow<\/p>\n Reps: 10<\/p>\n Get on your hands and knees, pull your tummy in and up, and round your spine.Draw your pubic bone to your nose, rounding your back. This is cat.Keep that shape and move your butt to lightly touch your heels.Rock forward again so your shoulders are back above your hands.Arch your back, lifting your tailbone, head and chest. This is cow.<\/p>\n Make it easier: Omit the rocking motion and move between cat position and cow position.<\/p>\n 2. Reverse tabletop<\/p>\n Reps: 10<\/p>\n Sit on the floor with your legs together and extended, your hands on the floor slightly behind your butt, with your fingers facing forward and your chest open.Lift your butt so your body is in a straight line from head to feet.Lower slowly.<\/p>\n Make it easier: Start with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.<\/p>\n What to read next<\/p>\n 3. Knee circles<\/p>\n Reps: 10 in each direction on each side<\/p>\n Get on your hands and knees.Keeping your pelvis as still as possible, lift your left leg behind you, keeping your knee bent to 90\u00b0.Move your left leg out to the side then back to the start, drawing an imaginary circle with your knee.Once you have completed the reps on one direction, complete another set of reps in the opposite direction.Then repeat on the other side.<\/p>\n Make it easier: If you find your pelvis moves as you circle your knee, just lift and lower your knee.<\/p>\n