How to Do Crisscross Pilates Exercise

The Crisscross Pilates exercise works your obliques, hip flexor muscles and the stabilizer muscles located around your shoulder blades. It also defines your waistline and aides in the stabilization of your posture. Follow these steps to do the Crisscross.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Lie flat on your back on an exercise mat. Place an exercise ball between your shins.

2. Put your arms behind your head at the base of your skull. Interlace your fingers. Make sure your elbows are wide.

3. Keep your pelvic bone pressed to the floor and lift your shoulders and chin off of the mat using your abdominal muscles. Don't pull on the back of your head. Your hands are only there to support your head.

4. Lift your legs off of the floor, gripping the ball between your shins and your feet. Keep your shins parallel with the floor if you can. The higher you lift your legs, the easier the exercise is.

5. Inhale to prepare for the criss cross exercise. Exhale as you reach your first leg out. Inhale as you bring the leg back. Exhale as you reach the alternating leg out. Roll the ball between your feet as you crisscross your legs.

6. Repeat this exercise 6 times and work your way up to doing 10 repetitions.

Tips & Warnings

• The lower your legs are to the ground the more this exercise will work your abdomen.

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