Ultimate Abs Workout: 5 Pilates Exercises for a Toned Core
Fitness trends go out of style nearly as soon as people even know what they are, so it’s remarkable Pilates has managed to stick around for so long. It probably has a lot to do with the workout program’s focus on core strength. Most Pilates routines call upon the muscles around your midsection, so it’s nearly always a great abs workout.
Whether you’re male or female, fitness newbie or gym junkie, Pilates can seriously help strengthen your core. Get started with these five exercises.
1. Wind down
Try this Pilates move for a strong core. | iStock.com
For this move, sit in the center of the mat with your knees bent and your feet lightly resting on the ground. Sit straight up so your shoulders, back, and hips are all in alignment. Bend your elbows and curl your hands into fists directly in front of your chest. Move your fists in a circular motion as you roll your body down toward the mat, keeping your stomach tight. Stop before your back touches the ground, then reverse the direction of your hands as you sit back up.
2. The hundred
You can do this exercise from home, too. | iStock.com
Begin lying on your mat with your legs together and your arms at your sides. As you tighten your glutes and core, raise your feet off the ground, keeping your toes pointed. Extend your arms in front of you so your hands are just above your hips and raise your upper back and shoulders off the mat. From this position, pump your arms several inches up and down five times as you inhale, then do five more as you exhale. Repeat as you’re able, eventually building up to 100 total pumps.
3. Double-leg stretch
Two women are strengthening their core muscles during Pilates. | iStock.com
Start on your back with your knees lifted directly above your hip points, heels together. Extend your arms out to your sides as you lift your shoulders and upper back off the ground, keeping your gaze just below your knees. In a slow, controlled movement, simultaneously extend your arms and legs in opposite directions as you exhale. Inhale as you return to the starting position. Shape recommends performing 15 repetitions.
4. Extension arrow
Make sure you’re working your back muscles, too. | iStock.com
Begin on your stomach with your arms at your sides and your legs extended in a straight line. Maintaining steady breathing, gently arch your back to lift both your arms and legs off the ground. Hold the position, then release your limbs back to the ground. You can check out a variation using dumbbells by heading to Muscle & Fitness. Beginners should start without the weights, then reach for a set of light dumbbells as the move becomes easier.
5. Roll-up
The roll-up doesn’t hurt your back or neck. | iStock.com
Lie on your back with your legs together and toes pointed. Raise your arms so they point toward the ceiling with your palms facing forward. Moving slowly, engage your abs and exhale as you slowly roll up to a seated position. As you move, bring your arms down so they end parallel to the ground. Self suggests aiming for 10 repetitions.
HEALTH STUDIES AUGUST 27, 2017 CAN CHEMICALS IN YOGA MATS MAKE WOMEN INFErtile? A new study suggests that there might be a link between products such as yoga mats and infertility among women — at least when it comes to the chemicals found in these products. The study, which involved researchers from Harvard University and the University of Michigan, took a look at 211 women who had checked into the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center for in vitro fertilization screening. According to Forbes , the researchers evaluated the women for exposure to organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs), which can be found in products that use polyurethane foam, such as car seats, sofas, computer chairs, and yoga mats. Infertility, as it turned out, was a huge risk of exposure to PFRs, as women with these chemicals in their urine had a 40 percent smaller chance of successfully giving birth, or even getting pregnant. The New York Daily N...
Fitness Wearables Can Keep You Moving, Save Your Life Tweet 2 in Share Wearable fitness devices and apps for your smart phone can track your steps, heart rate, and even your alertness level while driving. But they can also save your life. Patricia Lauder, a 73-year-old Connecticut resident, decided to buy a Fitbit fitness tracker before she retired. Her work kept her at a desk and she wanted to become more active. Gradually she noticed the device showed that her resting heart rate was just getting higher and she was feeling tired all the time. “When I went to do something, I got even more fatigued, and I wasn’t getting any better,” Lauder recalls. “Every day my heart rate seemed to be jacked up another five points” Eventually, when her resting heart rate went up to 140, she called an ambulance and went to a cardiologist at UConn Health. A CT scan revealed that she had two large blood clots in her lungs — pulmonary embolisms — and that her lung a...
Comments