How to Strengthen Your Back With Pilates

Pilates is an exercise program that helps get your mind and body in tune. It focuses on proper breathing, concentration and smooth movement. One of the areas Pilates emphasizes is proper spinal alignment and a strong "core." It will be easy to strengthen your back with Pilates, since it focuses on the muscles in the abdomen and close to the spine.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Sit in a chair with arms straight at your side. Inhale. Exhale and bend at the waist. Reach one hand to the floor and inhale. Exhale and move back to the start position. Repeat eight times.

2. Lie on your back. Use your abdominal muscles to keep your head and shoulders lifted off the floor. Pull one knee to the chest. Extend the other at a 45-degree angle. Switch legs for 20 repetitions.

3. Bend your knees with your feet flat on the floor. Put your hands over your lower abdomen. Touch your thumbs at the navel and your fingers a few inches below. Imagine that you have to zip a pair of tight jeans. Move your abdomen towards your spine. Repeat 10 to 20 times.

4. Turn over and lie on your stomach. Extend your arms and legs to the side. Pull in your abdominal muscles and elevate your head and chest slightly. Lift your right arm and left leg similar to swimming motion, then the left arm and right leg. Alternate ten times.

5. Look for a Pilates class at a local fitness center for advanced exercise to strengthen your back. Besides the mat, some of the equipment used in Pilates are the Reformer, the Cadillac and the Wunda Chair. Each piece uses springs to create resistance.

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