Steel abs with Pilates: a useful set of exercises for women

Steel abs with Pilates: a useful set of exercises for women

This workout can be done by an athlete with any level of fitness.

certified yoga and pilates trainer

In Pilates, the abs are given special attention. Almost all exercises involve the cortex muscles in one way or another. Let’s analyze several exercises in which you can pump the abdominal muscles effectively and quickly. They can be performed by everyone. Let’s go from simple to complex.

A useful set of exercises for the abs

Exercise 1

Technique

• Lie on your back, lift your legs vertically up, keep your knees as straight as possible, pull your toes over yourself. The lower back should be pressed to the floor.
• Raise your head, shoulders and reach for your toes with your hands. Pull your shoulder blades off the floor and remain static.
• Keep your gaze on your toes. Alternately pull the feet toward you and away from you.
• Breathe evenly. Do the exercise for 10 counts.

Exercise 2

Technique

• Lie on your back, lift your legs vertically up, keep your knees as straight as possible. The feet are directed towards yourself, remain static. The lower back is pressed to the floor, the head and shoulders are raised.
• With an exhalation, reach higher towards your toes, pulling your shoulder blades away.
• As you inhale, bring your shoulder blades back to the mat and leave your shoulders and head in the air.
• Do for 10 counts.

Exercise 3

Technique

• Lie on your back, shoulders and head raised from the floor, legs bent at the knees so that the shins remain parallel to the floor. Keep a right angle in the knees and hips.
• With exhalation stretch your hands to your heels, looking at your abdomen. With an inhalation return to the starting position, head and shoulders do not touch the floor, the amplitude is very short.
• Do 10 repetitions and on the last one stay static for three breaths.
• Next, stretch your arms and legs in different directions, stretching the front surface of the torso.
• Do three approaches with a rest of 15 seconds between them.

This is a fairly effective complex for working out the bark muscles, their strength and strengthening. If you find it hard to perform the last exercise, repeat the number of times that is comfortable. Make sure that the lower back is always adjacent to the floor.

What other exercises can I do?

Boat pose

Technique

• Sit on your sciatic bones, bend your legs at an angle of 90 degrees in the knees and slightly deviate back. The back is necessarily straight, do not fall in the lower back! Extend your arms forward parallel to the floor.
• In this position, lift your legs one by one, without changing the angle of the knees, bringing the shin to parallel with the floor. Slowly lower the legs, they seem to change each other.
• Let’s make it harder. Try to raise both legs at the same time, shins parallel to the floor, looking at the toes. If it’s hard to keep your legs, you can hook a Pilates belt around your feet and easily hold them level with your knees. It will become easier to hold your back.
• Try to shift the tension away from the muscles of the front of your thigh, engage your cortex muscles and feel your back.
• If you want to go further, straighten your knees without changing the position or angle of your hips. Your back should remain straight and the angle at your hips should be about 90 degrees. Keep an eye on your lower back.

Leg circles

Work the lower and side abs and hips.

Technique

• Lie on your back, make sure that the lower back is adjacent to the floor. “Draw” wide circles with one leg, bringing your foot almost to the floor, but not touching it. Six times in one direction and six times in the other, then change the leg.
• Make sure that there are no unpleasant or painful sensations in the joints. If it is difficult to perform the exercise, bend your leg at the knee. This will reduce the load.

Be sure to stretch the front surface of the torso after working with the bark muscles. The half bridge, cobra or face up dog from yoga are great.