How to Do Pilates 100s Exercise
The Pilates 100s exercise is an intense warm-up for other abdominal and lung exercises. It sculpts your abdominal muscles quickly, and you can do it at as a warm up for almost any Pilates class.
- Difficulty:
- Moderate
Instructions
-
-
1
Lie on your back on a Pilates mat. Bend your knees and place a 9-inch ball between your ankles. Make your ankles parallel with your knees and inhale.
-
2
Exhale. Bring your head up with your chin down. You should be looking straight at your belly button. Curl your upper spine off the floor and inhale.
-
3
Extend your arms and legs out directly in front of you and exhale. Lower your legs just enough so that you feel the tension in your stomach but your legs don't shake. Hold your arms about a 1/2-inch off the floor.
-
4
Hold this position and slightly pump your arms up-and-down in a repetitive movement. Take short breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Take 5 breaths in and 5 breaths out.
-
5
Repeat this exercise 10 times for a total of 100 breaths. Slowly pull your legs into your stomach. Wrap your arms around them and drop your head and shoulders to the floor.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
To protect your neck, perform this exercise with your head down on the mat.
The lower your legs, the more effective the exercise is for your abdominal muscles.
Speak with your doctor before doing any exercise program.
