It’s week five of Dancing With The Stars and reality star Audrina Patridge has held on as one of the eight remaining contestants. While her svelte figure looks like it was made for the show’s revealing costumes, she had to work hard to increase her flexibility, stamina and strength six weeks before rehearsals began with Bodyline Pilates instructor Maria Leone. “We worked out for an hour, 2-3 times per week until rehearsals became all-encompassing, and now we try to fit it in whenever she can,” says Leone, who also works with celebrities like Kate Bosworth. “For all the exercise Audrina has done in the past, very little focus was placed on flexibility. The ability to lift your leg high or perform the splits looks great when you are on stage, so we spent a lot of time increasing hamstring flexibility and strengthening her core to support a strong dance posture.” Try Audrina’s core and flexibility exercises at home (after the jump) and tune into tonight at 8 p.m. EST on ABC to watch her and partner Tony Dovolani perform the rumba!
Pilates Hamstring Pull
Lie on your back, lift your head and shoulders off the floor and extend one leg straight to the ceiling. Keep the opposite leg straight, floating just above the floor and switch legs in a scissoring action. Make sure to keep your hips still and abdominals engaged. Repeat 8-15 times.
Pilates Roll-Up
Lie on your back, legs straight, arms extended overhead with your mid-back snug to the floor. Reach your hands to the ceiling and bring your spine off the floor slowly until your torso is folded over your legs and your fingers reach past your toes. Exhale on the way up, inhale at your toes and slowly exhale has you return to the start position. Repeat 5-8 times.
~Kelli at Hills Freak
