I have been teaching for 26 years and have heard many people say that they were really not that happy with the results they were getting with their crunches, sit-ups or leg lifts! Most people don’t want their abs to get bigger, but, indeed, they want it to get smaller, more trim. I can honestly say, that I would agree with these students that those exercises mentioned above are not as effective as others that we now are in tune with. The best ones that I suggest are the Pilates Abs. Pilates has, by far, developed the best abdominal and trunk exercises. Pilates Abs works the deeper, more intrinsic abdominal muscles and the stabilizers that hold it all in. Pilates has also been shown to lengthen the muscles, giving the student a leaner, longer look. Seriously speaking, if you want to look trimmer in the waistline, then definitely incorporate Pilates Abs into your workout regimen.
The following Pilates Abs exercises are just a few that are easy to follow, execute and to begin with so you can get a feel for it.
1)The Hundreds:Lying in a supine position, (on your back) with your knees either bent or legs elevated, extend your arms to the side. Flex your spine (lift the upper body) and quickly pump them up and down for 5 times, exhaling and 5 times inhaling. Repeat this process 10 times for the 100’s! Not easy, let me tell you!
2)Crisscrosses:Lying in a supine position, and spine flexed up, hands behind neck with thumbs at the earlobes, (no interlacing of fingers) Inhale and slowly twist t the right, bringing left elbow to your right knee while extending your left leg. Hold this until you exhale and go back to your starting position. Then repeat on left side! Do 10 reps of crisscross.
3)Rolling like a ball:This is really a fun one and effective as well. Sitting tall, draw you knees into your chest and pull your ankles towards your gluts and lift the feet off the floor, balancing on the gluts/tail bone. Draw your navel to the spine and slowly roll backward leading with the lower back until you touch your shoulder blades, taking care not to roll on your neck. Immediately roll back up. Repeat about 5 times.
Try these three pilates abs exercises to get started and notice results fairly quickly! But, let’s face it everyone, when you really notice the difference is when you stop doing it. Pilates Abs are wonderful for all ages and fitness levels, so no excuses everyone!
The following Pilates Abs exercises are just a few that are easy to follow, execute and to begin with so you can get a feel for it.
1)The Hundreds:Lying in a supine position, (on your back) with your knees either bent or legs elevated, extend your arms to the side. Flex your spine (lift the upper body) and quickly pump them up and down for 5 times, exhaling and 5 times inhaling. Repeat this process 10 times for the 100’s! Not easy, let me tell you!
2)Crisscrosses:Lying in a supine position, and spine flexed up, hands behind neck with thumbs at the earlobes, (no interlacing of fingers) Inhale and slowly twist t the right, bringing left elbow to your right knee while extending your left leg. Hold this until you exhale and go back to your starting position. Then repeat on left side! Do 10 reps of crisscross.
3)Rolling like a ball:This is really a fun one and effective as well. Sitting tall, draw you knees into your chest and pull your ankles towards your gluts and lift the feet off the floor, balancing on the gluts/tail bone. Draw your navel to the spine and slowly roll backward leading with the lower back until you touch your shoulder blades, taking care not to roll on your neck. Immediately roll back up. Repeat about 5 times.
Try these three pilates abs exercises to get started and notice results fairly quickly! But, let’s face it everyone, when you really notice the difference is when you stop doing it. Pilates Abs are wonderful for all ages and fitness levels, so no excuses everyone!