Time to get your Pilates on with accredited exercise physiologist and Holixir Women’s Wellness Pilates instructor Ellie Hargreaves.
The Pilates corset workout targets all the deep and superficial muscles of the abdominals.
This series will challenge all planes of motion and stability through full spinal flexion, lumbopelvic stability, eccentric control, spinal rotation and lateral flexion.
Do each exercise for 30 seconds, before moving on to the next exercise, without a rest, until you reach the end. Take a 30-second to 1-minute break and repeat.
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Tips
- Focus on quality over quantity.
- Controlled, mindful movement will improve muscle activation and adaptation, enabling you to have a more effective core workout.
- Engaging your core is like wearing a tight pair of jeans, first you do up the zipper while drawing your skin away (engaging your pelvic floor), then aim to do up the button by drawing your hip bones together (transversus abdominis) – maintain that feeling of drawing up, across and in.
Side-plank hip raises
Start in a side plank (option to lower to the forearm), your top hand reaching to the sky or on your hip, feet stacked or split.
Lower your hips slightly then lift them back up, using the underneath side of your waist. Be mindful of keeping a slight bend in your supporting arm.
Roll downs
Sit in a tall “L” shape, your legs extended and spine upright. Draw your pubic bone to your naval as you roll down to the floor, reaching your arms forward.
Exhale, draw your ribcage to your hip bones and curl back up.
Straight-leg ab curls
Start by lying on your back, your abs engaged, legs extended and hands hammocking your head. Exhale to curl up, keeping your tailbone connected to the floor and legs stable. Inhale to lower to starting.
Straight-leg oblique curls
Begin as in the previous exercise. Exhale to curl across to one side, reaching your arm to the opposite leg.
Inhale to lower back down, then repeat to the other side.
Double-leg toe tap with ab curl
Lie on your back, both legs in a tabletop position and holding an abdominal curl.
Lower both feet to the ground while lowering your head and chest. Exhale to curl up, lifting the legs to tabletop.
Bicycle leg with oblique curl
Lie on your back, legs in tabletop.
Exhale to curl across to your bent knee as you extend the opposite leg. Inhale to return the leg to tabletop and lower your head. Repeat to the other side.
Scissors
Start on your back with your legs in tabletop position. Curl up and extend the legs (one pointing up, one pointing lower down), hugging your hands behind one leg. Maintain the curl as you swap your legs.
Butterflies
Lying on your back with both legs extended to the sky, engage your abs as you criss-cross your legs.
Continue criss-crossing as you lower your legs (as far as you can without arching your spine) and back up again.
Recline toe taps
Sit back on to your forearms, pressing your shoulders away from your ears, engage your lower abs to lift your legs into tabletop.
Exhale to tap one foot to the floor. Inhale to change legs, keeping your pelvis and spine stable.
Side-plank thread the needle
Start in a side plank, your top hand reaching to the sky, feet stacked or split.
Exhale as you reach your arm under your waist. Inhale to reset back into the side plank. Do 30 seconds on each side.
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