The Beginner Ab Workout

Work Out Tips To Change The Way You Look

Your abdominals are looking a bit neglected and you feel a little soft. Pilates beginner ab workout is just what you need to beat back the battle of the bulge. Never worked out before? Or not for a very long time? Bite the bullet and start a Pilates ab exercise program today.

When you're trying to tone up and trim down, look for exercises that integrate many muscle groups at once.To say that Pilates is the best beginner ab workout around is only half the story. Pilates doesn�t isolate the abdominal muscles but builds a balance of strength in your entire body.

For beginner ab workout exercisers, this is crucial. If you are deconditioned, you'll want to strengthen your entire body, not just one part. Pilates is the original core strengthening workout and because it is tailored to suit whatever level of fitness you're at, it is a perfect choice for a beginner ab workout.

5 classic beginner Pilates mat exercises for abdominals.

� The Hundred: Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet placed hips width apart on the mat. Stretch your arms down at your sides. Now roll your chin and chest off the mat so that you are raised up on the base of your shoulder blades and draw your shoulders away from your ears. Lift your arms 6 inches and quickly pump them up and down five times while inhaling and exhale, pumping your arms five times. Repeat 10 times to make 100 pumps.

(Workout tip) Keep your lower back connected to the mat, but try not to press it hard into the mat.

� Half Roll Back: Start seated with your knees bent, feet placed on the mat, arms stretched in front of you at shoulder height. Inhale to engage your abdominals, exhale and rounding your back, roll your spine back off your tail bone. Create a letter "C" with your spine, feet stay on the mat. Inhale to stay, exhale and roll back up to a seated position. Repeat sequence 5 times.

� Crisscross or Obliques Prep: Lie on back with knees bent and feet placed on the mat hips width apart. With hands behind head for support, exhale and roll head and shoulders off mat, twisting your waist to the right. Hold this long enough to exhale. Now inhale and return to the starting position. Repeat 5 times each side keeping your lower back connected to the mat at all times.

For more challenge: alternate between right and left without stopping.

� Rolling like a ball: Sit up tall and pull your ankles in towards your bottom as close as you can get them. With your hands wrapped around your ankles, bring your head towards your knees and lift your feet off the ground so you are balancing on your sit bones. (You should be on a mat to avoid any pain in your tailbone) Now tighten your core and slowly roll backward through your spine until your shoulders have touched the ground, being careful not to roll on your neck. Then slowly roll back up again, like a ball! Use your core for stability. Start with a sequence of 5 and then slowly increase as your abdominal muscles strengthen.

� Plank Pose Prep: Start out on all fours, hands under shoulders and hips over knees. With feet together and toes curled under, squeeze knees together and lift your knees off the mat one inch. Your knees should be hovering over the mat.Think of lengthening your body from the top of your head to the bottom of your spine and maintain that �plank� position in the torso. Feel the scapula down on your spine, shoulders pulled away from your ears, and abdominals pulling up into your back. Lower knees and repeat 3-4 times.

This beginner ab workout is just the start. The Pilates mat exercises have many other wonderful elements and when combined with regular cardiovascular exercise is a well rounded workout. Exercises for abs are best when they combine core strengthening and stability ball work. Even though the exercises listed above are for a beginner ab workout, they are better done with the guidance from a certified Pilates instructor. Pilates is a discipline. Make it part of your workout schedule.

If you are not in an area where you can find a qualified instructor, or it is not in your budget at this time, you may find that a video is what you need to insure you are doing your ab exercises correctly. For help in deciding which ab workout video is right for you please click here for our review on pilates ab exercise videos.

� Already experienced with Pilates? Looking for something more challenging then the beginner ab workout discussed here? Please click here, to see our more advanced ab workout article.

End of beginner ab workout article.
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