Pilates Workout: 7 Exercises You Must Include To Your Fitness Regime To Strengthen Core Muscles

Pilates is a low-impact exercise which is known for its ability to strengthen core muscles, enhance flexibility, and improve overall health. Incorporating Pilates exercises into your fitness routine can enhance core strength, stability, and overall body function. Pilates is essential for maintaining stability and balance, reducing back pain, and improving posture. We got in touch with Dr Indramani Upadhyay, MPT (Ortho), HOD – The Center for Knee and Hip Care, Vaishali, Ghaziabad who shares seven essential Pilates exercises, their health benefits, and how to do them correctly.

Pilates Core Strengthening Exercises

1. The Hundred

The Hundred is a Pilates exercise that warms up the body and strengthens the core. It improves circulation, strengthens the abdominal muscles, and enhances lung capacity.

How to Do It:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and legs lifted at a 90-degree angle.

2. Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat.

3. Extend your arms alongside your body, keeping them straight.

4. Pump your arms up and down, inhaling for five counts and exhaling for five counts.

5. Repeat for 10 cycles, making 100 arm pumps in total.

2. Roll-Up

This exercise targets the abdominals and improves spinal flexibility. It enhances spinal flexibility, strengthens the abdominal muscles, and stretches the back.

How to Do It:

1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and arms reaching overhead.

2. Slowly roll up to a sitting position, vertebra by vertebra, reaching for your toes.

3. Reverse the movement, rolling back down to the starting position.

4. Repeat 5-10 times.

3. Single-Leg Circles

Single-leg circles are great for strengthening the core and improving hip mobility, they strengthen the hip flexors, improve hip mobility, and engage the core muscles.

How to Do It:

1. Lie on your back with your arms by your sides and one leg extended toward the ceiling.

2. Draw small circles in the air with your extended leg, keeping your hips stable.

3. Perform 5 circles in one direction, then reverse for 5 circles.

4. Switch legs and repeat.

4. Criss-Cross

This exercise targets the oblique muscles, improves rotational flexibility, and enhances core stability.

How to Do It:

1. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and legs lifted at a 90-degree angle.

2. Bring your right elbow toward your left knee while extending your right leg.

3. Switch sides, bringing your left elbow toward your right knee.

4. Continue alternating sides for 10-20 repetitions.

5. Plank

Planks strengthen the entire core, including the shoulders and back, and improve overall stability.

How to Do It:

1. Start in a push-up position with your hands directly under your shoulders.

2. Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.

3. Hold this position for 30 seconds to 1 minute, maintaining a strong core and flat back.

6. Swan

The Swan Pilates exercise strengthens the back muscles, improves spinal extension and stretches the chest.

How to Do It:

1. Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders and legs extended.

2. Lift your chest off the mat, using your back muscles to arch your upper body.

3. Hold for a few seconds, then lower back down.

4. Repeat 5-10 times.

7. Leg Pull Front

The leg pull front is a type of Pilates exercise that strengthens the core, glutes, and hamstrings, and improves balance.

How to Do It:

1. Start in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders.

2. Lift one leg off the ground, keeping it straight and parallel to the floor.

3. Hold for a few seconds, then lower your leg and switch sides.

4. Perform 5-10 repetitions on each leg.