Things You'll Need:
- Pilates mat
- Comfortable clothing
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Step 1
Begin by lying flat on your back on the Pilates mat.
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Step 2
Bend your knees and bring your shins up so that they are parallel to the floor.
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Step 3
Put your hands behind your head, at the base of the skull, keeping your elbows wide.
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Step 4
Exhale as you pull your abs into a deep scoop and curl the chin and shoulders off the mat up to the base of the shoulder blades.
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Step 5
Now you’re in position to begin the exercise. Inhale to prepare. Then, Exhale for the first movement as you reach your left leg out long, keep the elbows wide, rotate your torso toward the bent right knee so that your left armpit is reaching toward the knee.
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Step 6
Inhale as you switch legs and bring the trunk through the center.
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Step 7
Exhale as you extend the right leg. Rotate your upper body toward the left knee. Keep your chest open and elbows wide. Don’t use your arms to hold yourself up, you want to really work the core muscles.
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Step 8
Repeat the exercise 10 times.
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Step 1
Lying flat on your back on a Pilates mat, place an exercise ball between your shins.
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Step 2
Place your arms behind your head at the base of your skull, interlacing your fingers and keeping your elbows wide.
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Step 3
Keep your pelvic bone pressed to the floor and lift your shoulders and chin off of the mat using your ab muscles. Don't pull on the back of your head. You want to work your core muscles, not strain your neck.
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Step 4
Lift your legs off of the floor, gripping the ball between your shins and your feet. Try to keep your shins parallel with the floor. If this is too difficult, raise your legs a little. The higher you lift your legs, the easier the exercise is.
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Step 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.
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Step 6
Repeat the exercise 10 times.
