Back-friendly & effective: This Pilates workout forms your center

Table of contents

• Get up to the crescent moon
• Double leg extensor
• Pilates classic: "The Hundred"
• Taillendrehung „The Saw“
• Criss-Cross-Crunches
• Strong, narrow waist: side plank

The desire for a flat, defined belly does not have to remain a dream - with the right mix of training and nutrition you can achieve visible success. And best of all: there is no need for complicated fitness plans or strict diets!

The recipe for success is simple:Targeted abdominal muscle exercises combined with a conscious diet.Pilates exercises are particularly effective because it strengthens the deep muscles-those that are often neglected, but is crucial for a slim waist.

If you integrate the following exercises into your training at least three times a week and at the same time reduce food and white-flour-containing foods, you will soon feel the first changes- and see!

Tipp:So that the exercises develop their full effect, you should tighten your stomach firmly during the entire training. Also make sure to carry out every movement slowly and in a controlled manner - this is how the muscles are activated and injuries are avoided.

Get up to the crescent moon

This exercise strengthens the entire fuselage muscles and helps you to effectively define your belly.

Starting position:
Lay yourself relaxed on your back. Remove your arms behind the head so that your whole body is stretched for a long time. Now consciously tie your stomach and press your legs tightly.

Execution:

• Inhale:Guide your arms straight towards the legs. At the same time, the upper body and legs lift. Make sure that your back stays straight and your legs are stretched and pressed closely together.
• Keep short:Feel the tension in the abdominal muscles.
• Exhale:Role the upper body slowly and lower the legs in a controlled manner to the floor.

Repetitions:Run 3–6 times slowly and concentrated.

Double leg extensor

This exercise activates the entire fuselage muscles and ensures a strong middle of the body.

Starting position:
Lay yourself relaxed on your back. Pull your knees to the chest, lift your head off a few centimeters from the floor and tighten the stomach tightly.

Execution:

• Inhale:Stretch your legs straight to the front and lead your arms straight to the back of the back. Your body now forms a slightly curved shape - similar to a crook or a "crooked banana".
• Keep short:Feel the tension in the abdominal muscles.
• Exhale:Raising returns to the starting position by pulling your knees to the chest and leading your arms forward.

Repetitions:Run 6-10 times slowly and concentrated.

Tipp:Keep the abdominal tension throughout and avoid a hollow cross to protect the back.

Pilates classic: "The Hundred"

This exercise is a real Pilates classic and not only strengthens the abdominal muscles, but also the deeper fuselage muscles and endurance.

Starting position:
Lay yourself relaxed on your back. The arms are stretched out next to the body, the legs are slightly pressed together. Test the belly firmly.

Execution:

• Inhale:Lift up the upper body and legs a few centimeters from the floor at the same time. Make sure the legs are stretched and kept closely together. You lead your arms forward, parallel to the floor.
• Dynamic movement:From this position the arms in small, powerful movements up and down.
• Breathing:The movement takes place within a rhythm of five breaths per round (inhale five times, exhale five times).
• Goal:10 repetitions to get a total of 100 arm movements.

Tipp:Make sure to keep the abdominal tension constant and to carry out the movement in a controlled manner. If the exercise is too intense, the legs can be easily bent.

Taillendrehung „The Saw“

This exercise strengthens the side abdominal muscles, mobilizes the spine and improves the flexibility of the waist.

Starting position:
Sit upright, keep your back straight and open your legs a little more than hip width. The feet are flexed, the tips of the foot point to the body. Lift your arms stretched to the shoulder height and tighten your stomach tightly.

Execution:

• Inhale:Turn the upper body to the left so that the arms go with you. Beat forward at an angle and take the right hand to the outside of the left foot. The left arm points up.
• Exhale:Press the right hand gently against the outside of the left foot and pull the right arm into short movements three times. The waist moves.
• Pay attention:Keep the weight evenly distributed on both side legs to preserve stability.
• Return to the starting positionand run the movement to the other side.

Repetitions:3 times per side.

Tipp:Make sure you get the rotation out of the waist and keep your shoulders relaxed. The exercise not only improves your trunk stability, but also promotes the mobility of the spine.

Criss-Cross-Crunches

This dynamic exercise activates the entire abdominal muscles, especially the sloping abdominal muscles, and ensures a defined waist.

Starting position:
Lie on your back, pull your knees to the chest and put your hands loosely on the back of the head. The elbows point outwards, the belly is tightly tense.

Execution:

• Inhale:Pull your left knee to the body and stretch your right leg into a diagonal. At the same time, turn your upper body to the left so that your right elbow touches the left knee.
• Exhale:Change the side by putting on your right knee, stretching your left leg and turning your upper body to the right so that the left elbow touches the right knee.
• Flowing movement:Perform the change checked and evenly - imagine a quiet pedal movement.

Repetitions:8 times per side, a total of 3 sets.

Tipp:Keep the abdominal tension constant and avoid pulling your hands on your head. Instead, the force should come from the middle of the body.

Strong, narrow waist: side plank

This exercise strengthens the entire fuselage muscles, especially the side abdominal muscles, and ensures a defined waist.

Starting position:
Sit on the floor with your legs outstretched and turn your body onto the left side. Support the left hand on the floor and put the right hand on the hip. Test the belly firmly.

Execution:

• Inhale:Lift off the hip from the ground so that your body forms a straight line. The weight lies on the feet and the left hand. The left arm remains stretched and stable.
• Variation:Loose the right hand from the hip and lead your arm up over the head.
• Keep short:Feel the tension in the middle of the body.
• Exhale:Slowly return to the starting position.

Repetitions:3 times per side.

Tipp:Make sure not to let the hip sink, but to actively keep the entire body under tension. If the exercise is too challenging, you can first run it on your knees instead of on your feet.

Reading tip:

People - for a strong middle of the body and movable hips

This exercise strengthens the lower abdominal muscles, improves hip mobility and trains body tension.

Starting position:
Lie on your back, your arms lie relaxed on the side of the body. Keep your legs stretched and tighten your stomach.

Execution:

• Inhale:Lift the left leg stretched up.
• Controlled circles:Pull ten even circles with the foot - depending on the mobility, you can be larger or smaller.
• Exhale:Slow the leg back into the starting position.
• Change of sides:Repeat the exercise with the right leg.

Repetitions:3 times per side.

Tipp:Make sure that your lower back stays on the ground during the entire exercise and your stomach is actively tense to keep control.

More reading tips:

Important note at the end:Your body is as individual as your character. You have to find out for yourself which diet and which training form suits you best. Don't let others put you under pressure. Basically, however, the following applies: a active lifestyle with a balanced diet and a lot of movement is still the best way to stay fit permanently and to achieve or maintain a healthy weight. If it is difficult for you to achieve your ideal weight or if you suffer from health consequences of your overweight or below, please let yourself be supported by your doctor or nutritionist.