Pilates 100s challenge every part of your core, says Daniela Mazal, a certified Pilates teacher at Old School Pilates. Lifting your head engages your abs, pumping your arms engages your back muscles, and your pelvic floor and glutes are working to support your legs. "The focus on breath throughout this exercise engages the diaphragm, which stabilizes the core from the inside out, especially on the deep exhalations," Mazal adds.
How to Strengthen Your Core With Pilates 100s:
- Start lying on your back with your legs in a tabletop position (knees over hips and knees bent at a 90-degree angle). Engage your deep abs to press your lower spine into the floor.
- Exhale and lift your upper back off the floor until the bottom tips of your shoulder blades skim the floor. Straighten your legs to a 45-degree angle (but make sure your low back is staying connected to the floor). Reach your arms long by your sides, holding them about two inches off the floor.
- Pump your arms up and down with a small range of motion, keeping your elbows straight. Inhale for five arm pumps, and exhale for five pumps. That completes one set or cycle. Over time, work your way up to 10 cycles.
