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3 Pilates Exercises for Your Abs

10/16/2013 1 Comment

Getting and keeping a firm, toned abdomen can become increasingly difficult as we age. Some increase in belly fat may be due to aging, but a more sedentary lifestyle combined with high calorie diets can also pack on the pounds around your waist. When women reach middle age, hormonal changes mean that excess calories are stored as fat around your belly, on your hips and on your thighs. Weight gain and an increased waist line is not inevitable. Staying active, exercising and cutting calories can help get you trim and keep you fit. Pilates is a good way to work your abs while strengthening your arms and legs.

The toe dip Pilates move will work all of your abs, especially your obliques and lower abs. Lie on your back and bend your knees. Lift your legs, with your knees bent, until your thighs are straight and your calves are parallel to the floor. Place your hands on the floor on each side of your thighs with your palms down. Squeeze your belly and breathe in. Point your toes and lower one foot toward the floor. Keep your knees bent. Stop just an inch or two inches above the floor. Hold the position for 2 to 3 seconds and then exhale as you bring your leg back to the start position. Repeat 10 times on each side. You can do 10 repetitions with one leg and then 10 more with the other leg, or alternate legs until you do 10 repetitions on each side.

Leg circles work all of your ab muscles while strengthening your legs. Lie on the floor with your legs stretched out. Raise one leg toward the ceiling and point your toes. Make sure your hands are placed palms down on either side of your thighs. Make 10 small circles with your toes toward the left and then 10 small circles to the right. Bring your leg back to the floor and repeat on the other side.

Finish off your Pilates ab workout by doing a set of leg kicks. Lie on one side of your body with your legs straight out. Place one leg on top of the other and support your upper body on your elbow. Lift your ribs off the floor. Place your other hand (the one that is not supporting your weight) on the floor in front of your tummy to support your body and provide stability. Raise your top leg a few inches and point your toes. Swing your leg forward in front of your body as far as is comfortable for you. Hold the position for 2 seconds and then swing your leg back to the starting position. Do 10 repetitions on each side.

Filed under abdominal, abdominal muscles, abs, fitness, healthy body, Pilates, strengthen, stretching, workout

Winsor Pilates Ball Workout

02/27/2013 Leave a comment

Photo Credit: José Vílchez

Pilates is a popular form of exercise practiced by Hollywood stars, athletes and ordinary people. Pilates isn’t a fad. It is a type of exercise developed in the early 1900s by Joseph Pilates, an athlete who designed the exercise to help improve range of motion, strength and balance. The philosophy of Pilates promotes harmony of body and mind. This type of exercise takes concentration, dedication and supervision by a trained Pilates instructor. Pilates exercise movements can be modified to include exercise equipment, such as an exercise ball. Winsor Pilates was developed by Mari Winsor, a former professional dancer and fitness expert. Mari Winsor developed her slimming style of Pilates about 20 years ago. Her form of Pilates emphasizes the slimming and toning nature of Pilates exercises. Mari Winsor trained with a Pilates expert who was trained by Joseph Pilates himself. She opened a studio in Los Angeles where she has trained celebrities as well as regular people. Mari Winsor often employs equipment, such as balls, to enhance the toning and trimming effects of Pilates exercises.

If you want a strong core, Pilates can help you get it. Pilates mat exercises using an exercise ball can help you strengthen your abdominal and back muscles. Balancing on the ball while performing Winsor Pilates exercises engages all of your core muscles. The ball provides an unstable surface which forces your abdominal muscles to continuously make small adjustments to keep your body stable and balanced. Researchers reported in a study published in the Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapy that women who were previously sedentary developed stronger abdominal and back muscles as well as improved endurance and flexibility.

Regular Pilates workouts can help you develop better posture, too. You’ll experience greater flexibility and greater range of motion as you stretch your muscles and strengthen your joints. Strengthening your back muscles and core can also help prevent or relieve minor back pain caused by weak muscles. You can do Pilates 2 to 3 times each week as part of your strength training routine. Pilates isn’t effective for weight loss, so you still need about 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise each week to lose weight and maintain weight loss.

The exercise ball, also called a stability ball, can be incorporated in Pilates routines to help strengthen your core and back muscles. There are different skill levels of Winsor Pilates ball exercises to accommodate beginners to the Winsor ball expert. No matter how fit you are, you should begin with the easiest form of Winsor Pilates ball exercises until your body becomes accustomed to balancing on the unstable surface of the ball. The intermediate and advanced levels present a challenge by requiring greater coordination with multiple moves. Pilates exercises on an exercise ball include the shoulder bridge, the roll over with scissors, the twist and leg pull. Do knee folds by sitting on the ball with your feet hip-width apart on the floor. Lift one foot off the floor and hold it for 5 seconds. Repeat with the other leg.

The first thing you should think about is finding the right Pilates instructor and selecting the right size ball. Not all exercise balls are created equal. Select a ball that gives slightly when you sit on it. You should be able to sit comfortably on the ball with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle with your feet flat on the floor. Practice sitting on the ball to find your balance and adjust your core to stabilizing your body. Once you feel comfortable on the ball, try a few simple Pilates exercises, such as knee folds.

Filed under abdominal muscles, abs, fitness, flexibility, Pilates, strength training

Functional Ab Exercise

01/17/2013 Leave a comment

You’ve probably heard the phrase “functional training” tossed around at the gym or used by your personal trainer. Chances are you aren’t really sure what it means. Functional training is simply doing exercises that are similar to real life movements. For example, when you climb stairs, you use your legs, thighs, hips, core, back, arms and abs. Some stair stepper machines don’t work your arms or work only your lower body. Functional training uses more natural movements that simulate real life activities. Your muscles work in planes of motion that are normal. Many injuries occur when you exercise beyond the normal planes of movement. Functional training helps eliminate this risk. Functional training also strengthens your muscles, which makes every day activities easier. Your abdominal muscles stabilize your spine and hips, as well as assist in maintaining balance and lifting. A weak core impacts your overall level of fitness and endurance. Strengthen your core to be stronger, enjoy better balance and avoid back pain.

One of the best exercises to strengthen your core muscles as well as your back muscles for a stable spine is the plank. Your abdominal muscles help to stabilize your spine. The plank exercises is function in that you aren’t crunching or twisting in an unnatural manner. Your aren’t actually moving at all. The plank exercise trains your abdominal muscles, so that you develop stability and support for your spine. Keep your spine in a neutral, or straight, position when doing planks and squeeze your abdominal muscles to help keep your spine straight. Make a straight line with your body from the top of your head to your heels and hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds. It’s okay if you can hold a plank for only a few seconds in the beginning. Add 5 seconds to your hold each time you do planks and soon you will be holding the position for 30 seconds or longer without sagging your back.

Filed under abdominal, abdominal muscles, abs, belly fat, functional exercise

Effective Stability Ball Exercises

05/21/2012 Leave a comment

Photo Credit: LocalFitness.com

An exercise ball is a great way to develop your core strength, back and spine strength and improve your balance. Exercise balls can make exercise fun while you get in shape. Just sitting on an exercise ball will help develop your core strength and balance. Because the ball rolls around you are forced to engage your abdominal muscles and sit up straight to keep the ball stable. As the ball tries to roll underneath your body, you respond by moving your core and tightening your leg muscles, first the left then the right, to keep the ball stable. Try some more difficult exercise ball exercises to get a really good workout for your core, back and shoulder muscles.

Crunches on an exercise ball are moderately easy to perform but will fully engage all of your core and back muscles. Lie back on the ball with the ball under the middle of your back. Keep your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart and your knees bent at a 90 degree angle. Cross your arms over your chest to prevent you from pulling yourself up using your hands behind your head. When you feel stable on the ball, lift your upper body up using your abdominal muscles. Avoid the urge to pull yourself up using your neck.

The bridge is an effective exercise to strengthen your back, chest, core and leg muscles. Begin by sitting on the exercise ball with your arms crossed over your chest. Slowly walk outward one step at a time while rolling the ball under your body. Roll the ball back toward your upper back until the top of your body forms a flat line from your hips to your chest. Make sure to keep your feet flat on the floor with your knees bent at a 90 degree angle. The upper leg, back and chest should form a straight line that is parallel to the floor. Hold this position for about 10 seconds and then roll back to the sitting position.

Push-ups are more effective with an exercise ball. Lie across the ball on your abdomen. Place your palms on the floor about shoulder width apart. Walk forward until the ball is resting underneath your thighs. Keep your feet together and your spine straight. Lower your upper body toward the floor by bending your elbows and then push back up. Do 10 push-ups and increase the number of push-ups as your body grows stronger.

Filed under abdominal muscles, core, exercise ball, exercise equipment, strength