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Side Leg Kick Variations on the Mat

Home  »  Pilates Mat Exercises | Free Tutorials   »   Side Leg Kick Variations on the Mat
  • August 28, 2020
Side Leg Kick Variations on the Mat - Online Pilates Classes
  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Equipment Needed: Mat (I love using the Contrology Folding Mat.)
  • Reps: 3-5 of each variation
  • Warning: May not be suitable for all hip issues
  • Questions: Contact us here

Side Leg Kick Variations on the Mat

Side Leg Kicks on the Pilates Mat are fun, tough, totally everything your body needs to do Pilates and life better. And, there are several variations you can choose from when doing your Side Leg Kicks on the Mat. When Joseph Pilates did Return to Life only the Front and Back variation were there. But, over time and with many of his proteges, more variations have been added. And, you can feel free to do whichever ones you want. But try to keep your choices to 3-4. These muscles on our hips wear out really easily! Which one will you choose?

Bottom knee not locked, press your leg down to work your glutes.

Lying on your side with your elbow, shoulder, hip along the back edge of your mat and your feet to the front edge of your mat. Be sure that your bottom knee is not locked so you can press your leg down into the mat to help ground you. Find length and strength in your bottom side. And before you begin make sure that your spine is nice and strong. It’s easy to sink and then lose some of the magic.

Front Back: the top leg goes forward for two kicks and back for two kicks.

Up Down: the top leg turns out and goes up with a pointed foot and goes down with a flexed foot.

Little Circles: the top leg reaches back and draws little circles in each direction.

Big Circles: the top leg draws 3 big circles in each direction.

Big Scissors: both legs lift and one leg goes forward and one leg goes back.

Bicycle: the top leg goes forward, knee bends and you reach a bent knee behind you, straighten the leg and then repeat. After 3 reverse.

Hot Potato: the top leg taps on the mat 5x in front of your bottom leg and then 5x behind then 4x and 4x then 3 and 3 and so on.

Internal/External rotation: the top leg turns in and out.

Table top legs: Up and down, circles, clams and Knee to Knee then Heel to heel with out the calves touching.

Be sure to check out more of my Pilates Mat exercises. I want to help you continue your Pilates Mat training!

By lesley.logan

Lesley Logan, NCPT, is the founder of OnlinePilatesClasses.com, the first free online catalogue of Pilates exercise tutorial videos, where you can also find weekly online mat classes and workshops. When not teaching from her studio in Los Angeles, Lesley can be found traveling the world leading Pilates retreats, or offering Pilates business coaching to studio owners and other instructors through her private mastermind group. Connect with Lesley on instagram @lesley.logan or through the contact page on this site.

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Take class whenever, from wherever, on whatever device – as many times as you’d like. Spending 15 minutes deciding what class to take? Here there’s only one on-demand class each week. But, don’t miss it or it’s gone! Classes start at only $7! Cancel at anytime.

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ONLINE MAT & REFORMER PILATES CLASS DESCRIPTIONS:

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MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, light weights and a Mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a Reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

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Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

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Mat props: Magic Circle or a ball or your imagination!
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See ya in class,
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MAT EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, Magic Circle or a ball and a mat!

>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, Magic Circle or theraband or ball and a reformer!

>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

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Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

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>> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

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>> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

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Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

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ONE AND DONE

Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

We are in a no judgement zone this week as we fly through the orders doing just one rep of each exercise before moving on!!!

Our “1 rep drill” or our “1 and done” theme is in its 3rd year, so it’s basically tradition to do class this week. It’s also been a favorite because I add in some accessible options for everyone to try.

If you’ve done this in the past, you know the Mat order goes FAST - so we’ll be doing a few rounds with props and no props. You can do the whole class or you can pick your favorite round and just do that! It’s a week filled with CHOICES!!

If you’ve done this in the past, you know the Reformer order is LONG - so I do cut just a few moves throughout to be as close to 30 minutes as possible. Again, I added accessible options throughout, so everyone can go through the order!

Remember we want you to embrace your own journey each time you practice and love practicing in your TODAY body!! If that means you follow my variations, perfect! If that means you go for your own, also perfect!

Get ready to be ONE & DONE!!

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Reformer: Resistance Band and Small Ball

See you in class,
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    >> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

    REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self, Resistance Band, Small Ball and a reformer!

    >> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

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    Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

    I thought it would be fun to bring some magic into class with the Magic Circle. If you hate the Magic Circle, that's OK! Don't worry - we won't use it too much. It's a great prop to magically show you "ohh, that's the muscle you need!" when we're connecting arms to back or legs to seat. And then we learn how to get that feeling without using it. Let's make some magic!

    Mat props: Magic Circle or a ball or your imagination!
    Reformer props: Magic Circle or theraband or ball

    See ya in class,
    xx-LL 💋

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    Online Mat & Reformer Pilates Class Descriptions:

    As we all get older, your balance may be something you notice declines. I love working on balance because if you’re not present in the moment, or even thinking of something else, you can lose your balance. You can also lose your balance by favoring one side more than the other, whether it’s right/left sides in terms of limbs, or inner and outer edges of the foot that you’re standing on.

    Let's check in with our balance in this week's classes. In fact, we're going to bookend our classes - a balance check at the start of class, and at the end of class - to see how our practice affected our balance.

    No props for the mat or reformer.

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    >> Wondering what mat I’m using? You can find out more here.

    REFORMER EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Your awesome self and a reformer!

    >> Wondering what reformer I’m using? You can find out more here.

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