5 Top Pilates Exercises to Strengthen Core and Improve Posture

A strong core is more than just an aesthetic goal; it enhances athletic performance, supports lower back health, and improves posture.

 Incorporating Pilates into your routine offers a fresh and effective way to target your core muscles. According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning, Pilates exercise for one hour twice a week over 12 weeks improves significant gains in abdominal endurance, upper-body strength, and hamstring flexibility.

Here are five top Pilates exercises to help you strengthen your core and improve your posture.

1. The Hundred

The Hundred is a dynamic warm-up exercise that engages your entire core and pelvic floor. This exercise stabilizes your trunk and engages your abdominal muscles, getting you to coordinate your movement with your breath.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your lower back pressed against the floor.
• Press your thighs together and raise your legs at a 45-degree angle, pointing your toes. Hold your legs in a tabletop position if this is too much for your lower back.
• Engaging your core, raise your head and shoulders away from the mat, creating a C shape with your neck.
• Reach your arms down alongside your body.
• Pump your arms up and down for 100 counts, inhaling for 5 counts, and exhaling for 5 counts.

2. Bicycle Crunch

The Bicycle Crunch targets the rectus abdomens, hips, and obliques. This exercise requires you to keep your legs off the ground, engaging your lower abs and twisting to activate your obliques.

How to do it:

• Lie on the floor with your back flat against the ground.
• Place your hands next to your head and raise your shoulders up and away from the mat.
• Bend your knees and draw your legs up off the ground into a tabletop position.
• Bring the right knee towards your chest as you straighten your left leg. As your right knee comes up, twist your body so your left elbow touches your right knee.
• Repeat on the other side, ensuring your legs and shoulders remain off the ground for the entire exercise.

3. Rotating Planks

Rotating Planks target your oblique muscles, the abdominal muscles that run along the side of the body, as you hold a side plank and then rotate your torso.

How to do it:

• Start in a side plank position with your feet stacked on top of one another if you’re advanced, or with your lower leg bent and your knee on the floor if you’re more of a beginner, and your weight on your elbow.
• Keep your hips stacked on top of each other and raise your hand to the sky, then thread that hand underneath your torso, twisting the body around.
• Return to the starting position. Aim for 15 repetitions on each side, keeping the movement slow and controlled.

4. Toe Taps

Toe Taps are a classic Pilates exercise targeting the deep stabilizing muscles in your core, your rectus abdomens, and transverse abdominals, the outer core muscles that form a six-pack.

How to do it:

• Start with your legs in a tabletop position.
• Engaging your core and keeping your knee bent, lower your right leg and tap your toe on the floor.
• Your left leg should stay in a tabletop position.
• Reverse the move and repeat on the opposite side. Aim for 15 repetitions on each side, keeping the movement slow and controlled.

5. Single-Leg Stretch

The Single-Leg Stretch exercise targets the lower core muscles and slightly works the buttocks and legs.

How to do it:

• Start lying on your back with your lower back pressed into the mat.
• Raise your head and shoulders off the mat and bring both legs into your chest, with your hands on your shins.
• Keeping your head raised off the mat, slowly extend one leg at a time, alternating sides.
• Keep the movement slow and controlled and keep the core engaged throughout the exercise. Aim for 30 repetitions, 15 on each side.