For decades, Pilates has been highly regarded to develop strength, increase flexibility, and develop overall physical fitness. The real foundation of this workout is the focus on flexible strength and stability in the core.
Whether a person is just starting out or simply diversifying their workout routine, there are lots of very useful pilates exercises that focus on the core. Let’s talk about them!
Of those, one of the most well-known is The Hundred. This exercise works the whole body, focusing particularly on the core, lower back, and obliques. Beginning it involves getting down onto your back with your legs up and knees bent at an angle of 90 degrees. As you raise your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat, your arms extend along the sides of your body, hovering above the floor.
Pumping your arms down and up, you keep the breaths steady—five counts in and five counts out—and you do ten of these sets. This exercise not only works to tighten up your stomach area but also enhances your control over breathing and cardiovascular endurance.
The most famous one is called plank, which seems to have become an exercise incorporated into many workouts, but in Pilates, it really gets those deep core muscles going. Starting on all fours, step your feet back to extend your legs so you're in a straight line from head to heels. Holding this position, engage your core while making sure the hips are in line and not sagging or too high. It is an awesomely strong exercise for building core development and works both shoulders, arms, and legs.
This is excellent for anyone who would like to engage in an exercise that will provide them with core stability while improving flexibility. In a slow, controlled movement, you will lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms up and overhead.
Another exercise, targeting only the core but involving both arms and legs, is the Double Leg Stretch. Lie down on your back with your knees bent toward your chest, grasping your shins.
Lift your head, neck and shoulders off the mat. Inhale, extending the legs to 45 degrees, as you stretch your arms over your head. Exhale, circling arms back around to draw the knees back into the chest.
It is an easier modification done to work up to one of the most classic, full-body exercise. Lie down on your back, seated on the mat with one leg extended and one bent, then roll back slightly as you lift your extended leg, holding on to the back of your thigh. You will extend your arms forward, lifting your chest and rolling up to a seated position, balancing on your tailbone. You then roll back with control.
For those targeting to tone their obliques and aiming for a good waist definition, the Criss-Cross should be part of your exercises. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent into your body at a 90-degree angle. You lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat as you extend one leg out, twisting your torso to bring your opposite elbow toward the bent knee, then switch sides in a controlled manner.
If incorporated into a regular workout regimen, these exercises would dramatically enhance the strength of the core, thus enhancing one's posture and overall fitness.
