Hormonal changes make it more difficult to maintain a slim waistline as you get older. This is because excess calories tend to be stored in the abdominal region.
But gaining weight in the abdominal region is not inevitable. Abdominal toning exercises are useful as well. Pilates training and practice are another one of your weapons of choice. Because it strengthens your core muscles overall. Michelle Dozois, a Pilates instructor based in Los Angeles, says that her clientele frequently asks for a more Pilates-focused ab routine, so she created one.
If you want to get the best results from your Pilates routine, you should practice it three times a week, every other day, and focus on drawing your navel into your spine during each rep.
1. Toe Dip
Get on your back with your legs up and bent at a 90-degree angle. Squatting with your thighs up and your calves parallel to the ground is required.
Your hands should be at your sides with your palms facing down, and you should keep your abs tight and press your lower back toward the ground.
Next, inhale and lower your left leg to a count of 2 (“down, down”) while keeping your back straight. The next step is to exhale and raise the leg back to the starting position for a count of 2 (“up, up”), all while focusing on moving solely from the hip and sinking the toes toward the floor (without allowing them actually contact it). The same process applies to the right leg.
then repeat until you’ve completed 12 reps with each leg.
2. Double Trouble Leg Circles
Lie on your back on the floor, hands under your buttocks, legs straight out, and your partner should be lying across from you, with the soles of both your feet nearly touching.
Then, keeping your core engaged and your back flush against the floor, raise your legs straight up in the air and lower them gently. Stop when it becomes difficult to maintain this position.
After that, maintain your abs tight as you slowly trace a clockwise circle in the air with your feet. In order to avoid bumping feet, you and your dance partner should go in a counterclockwise direction.
Do this for 30 seconds in a clockwise direction, then reverse directions for another 30 seconds. However, if you are having difficulty finishing, that is if you are finding this movement challenging, try bending your knees to 90 degrees.
3. Crisscross
Start in the same position as the Toe Dip, but this time place your hands behind your head with your elbows out to the sides. Curl up until your head, neck, and shoulders are off the floor.
As you inhale, rotate your torso to the right, bringing your right knee and left shoulder closer each other and extending your left leg toward the ceiling in a diagonal line from your hips, and as you exhale, rotate to the left, bringing your left knee towards your right shoulder and extending your right leg. That’s a rep.
Finish 6 reps.
4. Leg Kick
To do this, lie on your left side, legs straight and together, and prop yourself up with your left elbow and forearm.
Next, raise your hips off the ground and your head toward the ceiling, and rest your right hand lightly on the floor in front of you for stability. But if that’s too much of a stretch, just lay your head on your extended left arm on the floor.
Then, elevate your right leg to hip level, flex your foot so your toes point forward, and exhale as you kick.
The following step is to bring your right leg forward as far as you feel safe doing so.
One repetition consists of kicking as hard as you can for two counts (“kick, kick”), then inhaling as you point your toes and swing your leg back past your left leg. To complete the exercise, you must complete 6 repetitions without lowering your leg, then swap legs and repeat.
5. Side Bend
Put your left hand under your left shoulder and sit on your left hip with your left leg bent in front of you. Then, with your right knee pointing upward, position your right foot flat on the floor in front of your left foot.
Finally, place your right arm down by your right knee. Next, contract your abs, press into the left hand, and raise your hips off the floor.
Then, as you raise your left knee onto the floor, straighten your right leg and bring your right arm overhead, forming a line with your right fingers and toes. Keep this position for 10-30 seconds. Then, repeat on the opposite side.
