This is one of the most popular Pilates exercises for developing your core strength and stability. The plank is known to target abdominal muscles and shoulder stability. Full optimization is achieved through the integration of the core stabilization muscles in the pelvic-lumbar region and the shoulder girdle. Good
alignment and solid stabilization must be present. The arms, glutes and legs should be active as well.

The most common plank is the front plank which is held in a push-up position with the body’s weight borne on forearms, elbows and toes. You will identify that a plank is successfully performed when good form is achieved (the body is in a straight line from head to toe), you can feel your core (center) is working and your hands are directly under your shoulders.

The Pilates Criss Cross focuses on the abdominal muscles with emphasis on the obliques. This exercise involves flexion and rotation of the spine, develops pelvic stabilization and trunk rotation, and defines your waist.

Tip: Always keep a lot of length between your shoulders and your ears. Imagine that your back is very wide and that your shoulder blades are sliding down your back as you raise yourself off the mat. Keep your elbows wide and stable. Rotate from the waist.

Instructions:

1. Lie on your back and draw your knees to your chest in table-top position. Your knees are bent and your fingers laced behind your head.
2. Lift your shoulder blades off the mat and exhale to twist your right shoulder toward your left knee as you extend and straighten the right leg out, rotating the trunk toward the bent knee.
3. Come back to centre on the inhale and then exhale to twist to the other side, changing legs simultaneously as the trunk passes through the centre.
4. Work up to 15 reps on each side.

Often used as a warm-up and cool-down exercise to relieve tension, restore body balance and stretch your legs. The rolling motion strengthens the abdominal muscles and improves blood circulation throughout your body. It also stretches and increases mobility in the back, spine, neck and hamstrings and works on improving your posture.

Instructions:

1. Begin by standing with your feet hip-distance apart and your spine in neutral position. Your legs and feet should be parallel to each other. Let your arms relax along the sides your body.
2. Inhale and lengthen your spine as you prepare to move. Scoop in your abs; you will keep them pulled in throughout the exercise.
3. In the exhalation, tuck your chin under and lengthen the back of your neck. Nod your head forward and let your shoulders drop forward as you start bending your upper back. Bend your knees slightly and continue rolling your entire spine forward and down, one vertebra at a time. Roll down as far as you comfortably can go while keeping your neck, head, and shoulders relaxed. Your arms should dangle from your shoulders.
4. Keeping your abs scooped and your body draped forward, inhale and tuck your pelvis slightly. Then exhale and begin to reverse the movement, slowly rolling back up, one vertebra at a time. Keep your navel pulled in deeply as you roll your torso back upright.
5. Return to your starting position. Then repeat the move 5-10 times.

The Pilates swimming exercise strengthens the muscles on the back of your body including the butt, thighs and your back muscles. Keep your head and your neck working as extensions of your spine and don’t break the line at the neck. Shoulders are relaxed throughout and abdominals engaged and lifted off the mat.

Instructions:

1. Lie flat on your belly with your arms stretched out in front of you and legs outstretched behind you. Squeeze your inner thighs and heels together. If this position feels too compressive on your lower back, allow your legs to open slightly but still keep them turned out, with your heels dropped toward each other and your knees facing away from each other.
2. Breathing continuously: Pull your navel up and off the mat and raise your head off the mat slightly as you simultaneously lift your right arm and your left leg off the mat. Squeeze your butt and try to keep pressing your pubic bone down the mat.
3. Switch arms and legs and begin an even rhythm of swimming, alternating arms and legs. Think of reaching your arms and legs long away from yourself, extending your body as much as possible.
4. Swim continuously for a total of 24 total beats (6 full breaths). Try to complete 4 swimming beats on the exhale and 4 beats on the inhale.
5. Finish by pressing back to rest position, sitting on your heels to release your back.

This is a powerful duo in targeting your lower abs which results in the flatter tummy everyone desires.

The Chest Lift creates a deep curve of the abdominals down toward the mat. It is done very slowly with the breath and no momentum is used.

The Single Leg Stretch teaches you to move from the centre. It trains the abdominals to initiate movement, and to support and stabilize the trunk as the arms and legs are in motion. Especially helpful in targeting the lower abs, good coordination is achieved as well.

When you build abdominal strength and understand the lengthening move of the Pilates Chest Lift, you will have a good foundation for working with many of the forward flexion Pilates exercises like the Single Leg Stretch and The Hundred.

Instructions:

1. Lie on the back with both feet flat on the floor and knees bent. Adjust shoulder blades so that they are lying flat on the floor. Inhale to prepare. On the exhale, draw the navel in toward your spine and lift your head, shoulders and feet off the floor.
2. Place the right hand on right ankle, left hand on right knee, and keep the elbows lifted on the inhale.
3. Exhale and extend the left leg straight in front of left hip, as close to the floor as possible without letting the back arch away from the floor or the hips sway away from centre.
4. Inhale and switch legs, but be sure to keep your belly scooped inward as you do this.
5. Clasp left hand on left ankle and right hand on left knee as you make the switch.
6. Repeat 10 times.

This exercise aims to tone leg muscles and provides a great workout for the core muscles and the entire lower body. It looks simple but should be executed with control and awareness. It can be made more challenging by incorporating small weighted Pilates balls, which will work to tone the shoulders as well.

Instructions:

• Stand up straight with the feet about hip-width apart and the toes pointing forward. Tighten the abdominal and buttocks muscles. Stretch the arms out to the side, shoulder height with the palms facing down.
• Bend the knees and come into a squat. Stick the hips back as if you are about to sit on a chair.
• Press your heels into the floor, stand back up and lift your right leg up. The toes should be facing forward. Do not turn the leg out or in.
• Lower the right leg slowly and with control so that the toes touch first and the heel last. Make sure you do not just drop the leg back down.
• Squat down again and this time, lift the left leg as you stand back up.
• Go back and forth for 8 to 12 repetitions. Do this with control.
• To make this exercise more challenging, hold a weighted Pilates ball in your hand. As you lift the right leg, lift your right arm up to shoulder height, palm facing down as you hold the ball. Squat and lower both arms down. Pass the ball to your left hand. As you stand up and lift the left leg, lift your left arm up shoulder height.