PEAK PILATES MAT LEVEL ONE EXAM QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2024

One Hundred Knees to chest, chin to chest. Scoop abs up and into the mat. Arms extended by your side. Start pumping arms! (Count) Extend your legs to 45 degrees in pilates V. "Keep pumping"! "Wrap the back of your thighs". "Greek column your legs". "Eyes on your scoop". Strong centerline! Give me 5 more. Knees to chest. Lower head. Reach legs out long on the mat for The Roll Up! The Roll Up Reach arms straight up to the ceiling, chin to chest, head up. Reach arms forward and roll up. Reach! lift and scoop your abs and stretch forward. Start to roll back, curl your tailbone and imprint your spine bone by bone by bone. Now roll up! Gaze at your powerhouse. Lift your ribs up and off your hips as you reach forward. And roll back bone by bone connecting each vertebra to the mat. Draw right knee into chest leave left leg down along mat for one leg circles. One leg circle Right leg extended up toward ceiling, anchor arms and really anchor Left leg to Mat, turn out your right hip. Draw a circle with your leg! Circle across your body down around and Up! Across around and up! "hip bones are level" ""go as low as you can without arching back". "anchor your ribs." Anchor that left leg to the mat! Scissor switch your legs for left leg circle! Transition: stretch both legs out on mat for rolling like a ball. Rolling like a ball Power up into seated position! Boost seat to top of Mat. Wrap hands around ankles. Hug heels to bottom and balance on sits bones. Tuck chin to chest. No roll back to come up. Roll back to come up. Scoop abs in to come up! Imprint spine on the way down and on the way up! Transition: place hands next to hips boost seat back for single leg stretch. Single leg stretch Draw right knee into chest. Left hand is on the right hand is on ankle. Gently lower keeping head lifted. Left leg is at 45°. Pull leg firmly into seat and reach other leg long and Switch. Reach long and switch. Scoop abs into mat. Reach long and switch. Watch the centerline! Transition: Bring both knees in and wrap hands around ankles for double leg stretch. Double leg stretch Press back into Mat as you hug your knees to chest. Now reach and straighten legs to 45 degrees, reach arms by ears. Hips are anchored. Now Reach out strong and long. And circle it in and grab your chins with hands. Deep hug! Send it out! Reach Out long--really reach! (Hold it!) and circle with arms/pull it in. In with the air to stretch long, out with the air to hug tight. Inhale reach long! Exhale Hug tight! Transition: knees to chest! Now straighten legs to ceiling for Single Leg Stretch! Single leg stretch/scissors Bring your chin to chest shoulder blades on the mat. Take your right ankle with both hands. Stretch other leg out straight out of angle. Curl up head neck and shoulders and give your ankle a TUG. Tug, Tug and switch. Tug tug and switch. Gaze on your powerhouse! Remember your center line. Legs pass like sharp scissors! From the powerhouse! Tug tug switch! Tug tug switch. Transition: hands behind head for double straight leg lower lift Double straight leg lower lift Hands supporting head! Elbows wide. Lift chin to chest. Legs are in Pilates stance. Wrap thighs, engage abs, and lower with control and up. Lower lower lower lift! Lower lower lower LIFT! Sacrum is flat into mat. Watch your centerline. Movement is from your powerhouse. Transition: band right knee to chest, left leg out and long for crisscross. Crisscross Hands are still supporting head. Keep elbows wide. Press head into hands hands into head! Bend right knee to chest as left reaches long (45 degrees) Ring out rib cage as you twist and reach your armpit toward your knee. Cross. hold it. Criss. Hold it. Wring out the rib cage as you twist. Twist and reach. You're on balance beam as you twist the ribcage. Transition: Lengthen body out long and sit up/power up for spine stretch Forward! Spine stretch forward Frankenstein arms out in front. Feet are flexed and at corner edges of Mat. Exhale as you scoop abs and reach forward. And come back stacking spine from sacrum to Head! Lift up and over like a candy cane. And come back--stack your spine bone by bone by bone as you sit tall. Pinch lift and grow tall out of hips. Exhale to go forward, emptying lungs! Feet flexed. Press thighs into Mat, pull shoulders away from ears! Transition: reach for ankles draw your heels to your bottom for open leg rocker! Open leg rocker Balancing on Sitz bones in C curve position, grasp right ankle and point it out and lengthen to ceiling. Lift spine. Bend right leg back. Straighten other leg to ceiling lifting spine higher! Long and lengthened. straighten leg only as far as you can. Straighten both legs if you can. Chest lifting higher! Transition: Close legs, bend knees and roll down on back for corkscrew! Cork screw Legs lifted up to the ceiling, toes out heels together in Pilates stance! Anchor pelvis and sacrum into Mat. Anchor arms head and shoulder blades. Now reach legs across body in a circle. Circle legs around and up, around and up. Draw a perfect circle on the ceiling. Long around and up. Engage from the powerhouse! Press sacrum in mat! Keep length in spine! Transition: in one motion, roll up or power up and take a seat for the saw. The Saw Bring arms out to the sides in line with your shoulders. Set tall, lift up out of your hips. Keep strength in Torso! This is a breathing exercise. Inhale! Pulling abs in and up twist to the right. Exhale and Reach your pinky finger past your pinky toe. Pulse one farther two, deeper three and look back at your hand. Scoop deeply! Inhale and Stack up in the twist and twist left. Exhale and Reach your right pinky finger past your left pinky toe. Reach further, further, further, stack up in the twist. Really wringing out your lungs as you twist further further and stack up in the in the twist and other side! Scoop and reach. Transition: arms and legs close together. Roll back to the mat for THE Swan! The swan Scooch your body to the left side of the mat. Raise your right arm up by your ear. Bend your left knee up to the ceiling. Now turn onto your stomach. Abs need to be lifted up into your back. Your legs are hip width apart. Pelvis and hip bones are anchored. Place hands and her shoulders elbows close to sides. Gently lift head neck and upper back away from Mat. Look left circle right and center. Look right, circle left, and center. In her pelvis to floor. Abs are turned on as you lift your head neck and upper back away from Mat. (Transition: lift back to child's pose or resting position) . Rest position. Lengthen your tailbone under your heels. Scoop the abdominals into the lower back. Let's take a few breaths. Breathe deep into lower back and feel the lower back stretch and expand. While you breathe in through the nose expand your breath into your sides and back. Exhale fully. Breathe naturally. Transition: Lie onto your back for shoulder bridge Shoulder bridge Anchor your palms, Shoulder blades and hips into the mat. INhale! Exhale and squeeze your glutes! peel your spine off the mat-- hips to ceiling. Articulating each bone off the mat. Hold. Lengthen that tailbone-send it to the back of