• How to tone your abs with pilates

    • Rate this video      
  • Chris Freytag , Fitness Expert, Prevention Magazine
  • Comment on this video
  • My Howdini

    Suggest a video
    My favorites
    My previously viewed videos
    My profile

    About this video


    There's nothing like pilates to firm and tone your lower abdominal muscles. Chris Freytag of Prevention Magazine demonstrates a few simple pilates moves that you can do at home to tone your abs.




    Visit Prevention Magazine's website for more fitness tips.


  • Instructions

    How to tone your abs with pilates

    Belly fat can be a problem for us as we grow older. While cardio exercise can burn the fat, in order to flatten your abs Chris has several Pilates-based exercises to help tone your abs.
    • Locate your Transverse Abdominus in your lower abdomen.
    • Place your hands below your belly button and cough.
    • Once you locate this muscle you will want to pull that muscle in tight and learn how to contract and hold it in to flatten your stomach during these movements.
    Exercise 1
    1. Use a flat band and place it over one foot and hold the other ends in one hand.
    2. Lay down on the mat carefully pulling in your lower abdomen.
    3. Lift the leg with the flat band to the sky.
    4. Switch legs in a scissor motion, keeping your abs tight, opening through the hip flexor.
    5. Continue alternating legs, inhaling and exhaling every time, pulling your belly to your spine.
    6. Switch the band to the other leg and repeat steps 1-6.
    Tips:
    • Remember to keep breathing throughout the exercise.
    • Stretch through your hips and hamstrings.

    Exercise 2
    1. Sit up from the scissors exercise, bending the leg that has the flat band on one foot while holding the ends in one hand.
    2. Sit up as tall as you can, pull your abs tight and lengthen your other leg.
    3. Lift your leg with the Flat Band and extend it outward.
    4. Extend your arm that is holding the ends of the band back away from the leg through the triceps.
    5. Go back to the beginning position.
    6. Lift and extend your leg and arm again exhaling each time.
    Tips:
    •   Inhale and exhale through each motion.
    •   Perform several on each side.

    Exercise 3
    1. Place both feet into the band.
    2. Criss-cross the band and take one end in each hand.
    3. Lie back on the mat and bend your knees bringing your feet in the air to the tabletop position.
    4. Pull your abdominal muscles in.
    5. Lift up through your neck, head and shoulders. Relax through the front part of your body and let your abdomen do the work.
    6. Inhale and extend all your limbs and press out.
    7. Exhale and pull all your limbs back in, drawing your belly button to the spine.
    8. Repeat several times
    Tips:
    • Inhale every time you extend and exhale every time you bring your limbs back in.

    Exercise 4
    1. Take the band off of your feet and place it across your shins and lie back on the mat with your knees bent and feet up in the tabletop position.
    2. Wrap the band around your hands a few times.
    3. Lift through the head, neck and shoulders.
    4. Pump your arms to promote circulation and pull your abs in tight.
    5. Inhale five times through your nose (all while pumping your arms).
    6. Exhale five times through your mouth.
    7. Count your breathes to 100 (10 reps).
    8. Release to the floor.
    Tips:
    •  Remember to keep your abs tight.
    Use these abdominal toning exercises several times a week.
  •  Print Instructions
  • Return to top of page
  • Comments

    How to tone your abs with pilates

    0 Comments

Site built by Kings of Viral