Kareena Kapoor Khan ‘killed’ her latest workout on the Pilates cart: ‘This exercise is not easy…’

What is the moving cart exercise?

To perform this exercise on a Pilates reformer, the practitioner can lie, sit, or stand on the cart attached to the reformer via springs. “As you move the carriage back and forth, you engage multiple muscle groups to control its movement,” said fitness expert Garima Goyal.

For example, exercises like the leg press involve pushing the carriage away with the legs against the resistance of the spring, targeting the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Similarly, exercises like the chest press or row involve pushing or pulling the cart with your arms, engaging your chest, back and arm muscles. According to Goyal, the beauty of treadmill exercises is that they offer adjustable resistance, allowing you to tailor the intensity to your fitness level. “Also, they require stability and control, which engages the core muscles during the movements, making it a complete full-body workout,” shared Goyal.

Benefits of these exercises

Let’s dive deeper into the benefits of the standing cart exercise in Pilates

Balance and stability – Standing on a moving cart requires constant adjustments to maintain balance, which engages your proprioceptive system. Proprioception refers to the body’s awareness of its position in space. By challenging your balanceyou improve your proprioceptive abilities, which is crucial for stability in daily activities and sports.

Full Body Engagement – The standing cart exercise activates several muscle groups simultaneously. Your legs work to stabilize and move the cart, while your central muscles commit to maintaining proper alignment and stability. In addition, the arms and shoulders can be involved in controlling the straps or handles, providing an integrated full body workout.

Core strength and stability – Core strength is essential to maintain a stable base and prevent injury. When you are standing in the carriage, your central muscles, including deep stabilizing muscles like the transversus abdominis and multifidus, work to support the spine and pelvis. This strengthens the core from the inside out, improves posture and reduces the risk of back pain.

Functional Movement Patterns – Pilates exercises emphasize functional movement patterns that mimic activities of daily living. “By performing dynamic movements on the moving cart, you improve your ability to perform everyday tasks with ease and efficiency. This translates into better functional form and a better quality of life,” shared Goyal.

Flexibility and mobility – The controlled yet dynamic nature of Pilates movements on the moving cart promotes flexibility and joint mobility. As you go through different ranges of motionyou stretch and lengthen muscles, tendons and ligaments, improving flexibility and reducing stiffness, shared Goyal.

Joint health and low-impact exercise – Pilates is known for its gentle, low-impact nature, which is kind to the joints. “Moving cart exercises provide resistance without putting excessive stress on the joints, making them suitable for people with joint problems or recovering from injury. This makes Pilates a sustainable form of exercise that it can be practiced throughout life,” said Goyal.

mind-body connection – Pilates emphasizes the mind-body connection, encouraging you to focus on precise movements and breath control. The concentration required during the standing moving cart exercise improves awareness and body awareness, helping you develop a deeper understanding of your movement patterns and alignment.

Postural alignment – Proper posture is essential for health and biomechanical efficiency. The standing cart exercise encourages alignment of the spine, pelvis and shoulders, promoting good posture both during training and in everyday life. Improving postural alignment can relieve muscle and joint strain, reducing the risk of injury and discomfort.

Pilates helps reduce injuries (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Improved coordination – Coordinating movements while standing on a moving cart challenges your coordination skills. By integrating arm, leg, and core movements, you improve neuromuscular coordination, which is beneficial for activities that require precise movement patterns and coordination, such as sports, dance, and daily tasks.

Increased circulation and energy – The dynamic nature of Pilates exercises stimulates blood circulation and oxygenation, and increases energy levels. Standing carriage exercises involve large muscle groups, which leads to improved blood flow and circulation throughout the body, which can leave you feeling energized and revitalized after a Do exercise.

Variety and progression – The Pilates reformer provides a versatile platform for a wide range of exercises, allowing for endless variations and progressions. As you become more adept at standing cart exercises, you can gradually increase the challenge by adjusting the resistance, range of motion, or complexity of the movements, ensuring continued progress and adaptation over time.

Injury prevention and rehabilitation – Pilates it is known for its rehabilitative benefits and injury prevention properties. “The low-impact, controlled nature of standing cart exercises makes them suitable for people recovering from injury or managing chronic conditions. By strengthening muscles, improving flexibility and promoting “With proper movement mechanics, Pilates can help prevent injury and support rehabilitation efforts,” Goyal explained.