As you may or may not know, Pilates is excellent for strengthening the core. We’ve found a secret set of Pilates moves that to get your lower abdominals looking sleek and sexy! Read on to find out more.
Tone and strengthen lower abs with Pilates
Criss-cross
Lie on your back on a Pilates mat. Make sure that your spine is imprinted on the floor. (‘Imprinted’ – says Lisa Mercer – means that your back is in a flat position.) Put your legs into table top. Inhale and connect your abdominals. Slowly lift your chest up off the floor with your fingers interlaced behind you head. Exhale and twist your upper body towards your left and, at the same time, extend your right leg out. Inhale, bring your right leg back into table top and your upper body back to centre. Repeat on the other side. It is advised to perform 10 – 12 reps of this exercise.
Chest lift
Lie on your back with your legs in table top and your fingers interlaced behind your head. Make sure that your spine is imprinted on the floor. Inhale and connect your abdominals. As you exhale slowly bring your chest up off the floor. As you come down, exhale. Repeat 8 – 10 times. Make sure – says Marguerite Ogle – that you don’t use any momentum when you practise this exercise. Always make sure that you lift your chest very slowly, keeping your abdominals engaged while you do so.
Toe tap
Lie on your back with your legs in table top, making sure that your spine is imprinted on the floor. Inhale to prepare and connect your abdominals. As you exhale, slowly lower one leg and tap one of your toes onto the floor. Inhale and bring that leg back into table top. Repeat on the other side, and perform a total of 10 – 12 reps.
Single straight leg stretch
Lie on your back with your legs in table top. Inhale to prepare, connect your abdominals and roll your chest towards your legs. Straighten one leg towards the ceiling and lower the other to the floor so that it hovers just above the floor. Interlace your fingers behind the straight leg. As you exhale, switch legs. Repeat 8 – 10 times.
Always remember that any exercise programme will be more effective if you follow a calorie-controlled diet!
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
Do want to learn more about Pilates and even become a Pilates instructor? If so, why not sign up for Trifocus Fitness Academy’s Comprehensive Pilates Instructor course.