| Pilates abs are all the rage in Hollywood and even in | | | | everywhere is also a great way to flatten and tone |
| your own neighborhood. | | | | your abdominal muscles while developing a better |
| How can you achieve Pilates abs right in your own | | | | breathing pattern and the respiratory muscles. |
| home? | | | | The hundreds name comes from the exercise doing |
| What's so great about Pilates abs anyway? | | | | 10 sets of 10 breaths, breathing in for 5 counts and |
| Pilates abdominals are very different than the | | | | out for 5 counts. You pulse your arms at your side in |
| 6-packs you generally see on people modeling | | | | time to the breathing. |
| abdominal exercise equipment. | | | | The Teaser |
| Those muscles, the "six pack", are the superficial | | | | This is a very advanced articulating Pilates move that |
| rectus abdominus, which look great but are not as | | | | takes much practice and should only be achieved |
| functional as having strong and toned Pilates | | | | when you can properly execute the hundreds and |
| abdominals. | | | | roll-ups first. |
| The rectus abdominals work to flex or bend the | | | | Starting in a V-Sit balanced just off your tailbone, |
| body forward, as in doing a sit-up or crunch. They | | | | exhale and slowly articulate or roll the spine down the |
| generally appear to pooch out when you bend or | | | | mat. Take a breath in and then exhale as you roll |
| sit-up. | | | | back up into the V with your arms and legs |
| Pilates abs are flat and hard because they | | | | extended and chest high. |
| concentrate on working the deeper seeded | | | | The Crisscross |
| transverse abdominal muscles. So, when you work | | | | This Pilates move was tested as one of the most |
| them they appear to flatten the tummy for a more | | | | effective at not only flattening the midsection, but |
| effective ab workout. | | | | also trimming the waist by working the oblique |
| This muscle group is very functional at stabilizing and | | | | muscles simultaneously. |
| supporting our spines for a strong and healthy back. | | | | Supporting your head with your hands and with legs |
| They lie beneath the rectus abdominus and run up | | | | in the air doing a bicycle motion, bring the opposite |
| and down the torso acting as a support for our | | | | elbow to bent knee twisting at the waist without |
| spines. | | | | pulling on the head. |
| What could be better than looking great and keeping | | | | Make sure the twisting action comes from the waist |
| us functionally strong? | | | | and not by pulling on the head and just turning the |
| Some of the best ways to develop those transverse | | | | shoulders. |
| Pilates abdominals are listed here: | | | | Doing these exercises consistently over a period of |
| The Hundreds | | | | 3-4 weeks will definitely get you stronger and flatter |
| This warm up exercise used in Pilates classes | | | | abdominal muscles. |