Pilates workout to get abs beach ready

Jennifer Raby, STOTT Certified Pilates Instructor, visited The Rhode Show to help teach us her top 5 Pilates ab exercises for a last minute beach ready body!

Jennifer says "I love these Pilates moves because no equipment is needed just a mat or towel and some space to move! Try for 8 to 12 reps, 3 to 4 days a week. For best results choose healthy foods, and do cardio fitness 3 to 6 days a week for at least 20 to 30 minutes. If new to exercise check in with your doctor make sure you’re good to go."

The Exercises:

1. Rolling Like a Ball: Start position: sitting with spine flexed creating a “C’ curve with your back, knees bent, knees and feet together, feet few inches off floor, toes pointed. Hands on shins or under knees, shoulders down.

Exercise: Inhale: maintaining “C” curve pull your naval in towards your spine and roll back to bottom of your shoulder blades (upper thoracic)

Exhale: maintaining “C” curve pull your naval in deeply to your spine and roll forward to start position.

2. Single Leg Stretch: Start position: Lying down on back (supine) with upper body flexed off mat. Legs tabletop. Hands resting on outside of legs, shoulders down.

Exercise: Exhale: extend one leg out only as low as your back can stay on mat (imprinted), moving both hands to outside of bent knee leg.

Inhale: Begin to switch legs and hands

Exhale: fully extend other leg, changing hands to flexed leg.

3. Obliques: Start Position: laying down supine with upper body flexed off mat. Imprinted position. Legs tabletop. Hands behind head shoulders down.

Exercise: Exhale: extend one leg as low imprint can be maintained. Simultaneously rotate upper body toward bent knee.

Inhale: increase spinal flexion as spine returns to center and legs begin to switch

Exhale: extend other leg and rotate upper body to opposite side

Inhale: maintain spinal flexion as spine returns to center and legs begin to switch

4. Double Leg Stretch: Start Positions upine with upper body flexed off mat, imprinted position. Legs tabletop. Hands reaching forward towards ankles, shoulders down.

Exercise: Exhale stabilize shoulders, and reach arms overhead, at same time extend legs as low as imprint can be maintained don’t arch your back!

Inhale: bend knees to tabletop position and circle arms open and around to ankles.

Exhale: Repeat

5. Scissors: Start position supine with upper body flexed off mat. Imprinted legs together straight (extended) towards ceiling, toes pointed. Hand reaching towards ankles.

Exercise: exhale reach one leg up and other leg down as low as imprint can be maintained reaching hands towards ankle of leg coming towards you. Inhale: start to switch legs by reaching them to ceiling so they pass each other.

Exhale: reach opposite leg away and other leg towards yourself. Inhale: Start to switch legs by reaching them to ceiling so they pass each other.

When doing Pilates keeping the “5 Basic Principles of Pilates” in mind will help give you an edge on doing each move with ease.

1. Breathing: each movement is done with the breath

Breathing in through the nose (inhale) breathing out through the mouth (exhale). Breathing helps to connect the mind with the movement as well as helping to access the deep abdominal muscles.

2. Pelvic Placement: Try to keep the Pelvis in Neutral or Imprint. Both positions help to stabilize the pelvis to prevent injuries and promote strength. To find Neutral lay down on back (supine) on mat knees bent feet hip width apart, arms long by sides. Rock your pelvis (hips) back and forth, Neutral position will be somewhere between the two, you’ll be able to slide your hand under the small of your back. Being in Neutral position can sometimes create strain in lower back area if both legs are off ground during some exercises, if so Imprint is the solution. To find Imprint position inhale, and on the exhale contract the abs and feel your lower back press into the floor as if you where imprinting it into sand. Imprint is recommended for moves when both legs are lifted off floor when in supine position (on back)

3. Rib Cage Placement: Make sure when doing the exercise your ribs have a feeling of staying “knitted” together. Don’t forget your abs are attached to your lower ribs, by keeping them knitted you’ll help to work abs more, as well as help to keep you spine in strong, safe position.

4. Shoulder or Scapula Placement: Keeping your shoulders down and back will help keep the exercises focused on the muscles of the abs not the upper traps and other muscles around the neck and shoulders.

5. Neck Placement: Before lifting head and neck off mat or floor inhale and imagine creating length in the back of the neck simultaneously gently nod your chin. Placing the head and cervical spine in this position can set you up for less neck strain and tension. Placing a small pillow, pad under head, or using hand towel to support head and neck is an option too.