- Difficulty: Beginner/Intermediate
- Equipment Needed: Small Barrel (I love using the Small Barrel.)
- Reps: 5-8
- Warning: May not be ideal for some low back issues.
- Questions: Contact us here
Leg Series: Frog on the Small Barrel
The Pilates Leg Series on the Pilates Small Barrel is very similar to the Leg Series on the Spine Corrector. The difference is the size of the apex of the barrel. You may always need a Small Barrel (looking at you my fun-sized crew). Or you may need it due to your current flexibility. I used to be fairly hypermobile in my lower back. Using the Small Barrel helped me have to really work for my length where the Spine Corrector let me rest. When you’re new to the Leg Series do enjoy the Frog exercise. But once you have a good understanding and connection to the Frog you can skip it because the Frog will become how you enter and exit the rest of the Leg Series.
When you bend your knees don’t drop your heels. Hug the heels as you move.
With the Small Barrel, you can enter it via sitting on top just shy of the apex of the barrel. Or by lying on the ground, pulling your knees in to lift your hips up and landing on top of the apex. Hands-on the sides of the barrel holding the handles while shoulders are wide, gaze is up to the ceiling. Knees into chest, heels together, toes apart.
Hugging your heels together reach your legs out to the high diagonal. The higher you go the easier it is the lower you go the more difficult it is to maintain your pelvis on the barrel without it tipping back and forth. Hug the heels as you bend your knees and pull the legs back in. Repeat. Watch that the heels do not drop on the way in and the knees do not lock on the way out.
Be sure to check out more of my Pilates Small Barrel exercises. I want to help you continue your Pilates Small Barrel training!