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What does Core Exercise have to do with my Knee?

Your hamstrings play a very important part in protecting the health and wellbeing of your knees. For those of you that have had knee injuries or surgery - this exercise not only works your core but it really helps strengthen you hamstrings - which is vital in stabilizing the knee & improving your knee's mobility
Pilates Shoulder Bridge Prep Level 1 is an effective butt toning and strengthening exercise. It focuses on your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings and is an excellent home workout exercise for shaping and firming your backside. Add this to a Pilates leg routine or any bodyweight home workout routine to strengthen and tone glutes and hamstrings. Once this version of the exercise becomes easy, move onto the next levels.  
  
1 Lie face up on a mat with your feet hip width apart and as close to your butt as is comfortable. Place your arms by your sides, palms down on the mat.

2 Inhale deeply as you contract your core. Exhale as you press through your feet and lift your hips as high as you can, tightly contracting your glute and hamstring muscles.

3 Inhale as you slowly lower your hips down, pausing around one inch above the ground before repeating the motion. Continue for a set number of repetitions or a set time period. Lifting your hips up and lowering back down is one repetition.

4 MODIFICATIONS: To further challenge your core you can do this modification:
Lift your hands and forearms up off the ground, pressing your elbows to the ground. 2. Lift your entire arm directly above your shoulder, using just the tips of your shoulder for balance. 3. Lift your arms above your shoulders and reach upwards, lifting your shoulder blades from the floor to balance only on your spine (for the most challenge to your core muscles).

TIPS:
•    To get the most out of this motion, move slowly; about 2 seconds or longer in each direction.
•    Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings as tight as you can to get the most tone and strength improvement.
•    Level 2 Bend one leg bent and keep raised 90*
•    Level 3 1 leg straight up towards the ceiling
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