Sculpt & tone strong abs with core exercises like Pilates 100. Quick, easy, effective & can be done in 5-minutes. Guaranteed to flatten the tummy!
Core Focus
Give your abs & core some love with our favourite Pilates move, the 100. The Pilates 100 is a simple exercise that targets your abs, and at the same time challenges you to focus on your breathing too.
Core exercises like the Pilates 100 strengthens the transverse and rectus abdominis, pelvic floor muscles, obliques, lower and outer-middle back aka the lats, hip flexors, abductors, and adductors. That's a whole lot of muscles from just one core exercise!
Working your core with daily ab exercises gives you a slimmer waist and a toned tummy. Adding a daily 15-minute core-focused workout will also help with your physical stability in everyday life, improve your posture, eliminate lower back pain, and even improve your breathing.
Let's get started on the Pilates 100!
Get 100
Start by sitting on the yoga mat with both legs stretched out. Lift both arms to stretch out from the chest, and parallel to the legs. From this position, do the Pilates roll down - rolling the back down from the base of the spine to the neck and top of the head - until your upper back is flat on the yoga mat. Place arms on the sides of your body on the yoga mat.
Keeping your feet together, lift your feet off the mat and bring your legs in to a supine Tabletop position, with your bent knees directly over your hips. Press the top rim of your sacrum in to your mat so that your spine is flat. Bring your arms straight overhead.
Inhale and lift your head, neck and shoulders off the mat together, but keep your lower back and sacrum pushed down flat in to the yoga mat. At the same time, extend your arms forward. Feel the engagement in your core muscles, especially your abs.
Exhale over five counts, pumping your arms up and down on each count while keeping the body in the position. Inhale for five counts as you continue to pump your arms on each count. Together, this is one set of 10 in the Pilates 100. Repeat another 9 sets to complete the Pilates 100.
For a greater challenge, as you lift your head, neck and shoulders off the yoga mat, straighten your legs forward as well, keeping them at an angle to the yoga mat. Angle your legs as low as you can hold them while doing the Pilates 100. This is YOUR practice, so do what works best for you.
This story was originally published by our friends at SOULSCAPE.
