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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Work up to 15 reps on each side.