Quick and short on time for a core workout? This Pilates expert recommends these crucial exercises to include:
In a world where fitness trends come and go, Pilates continues to stand out as a reliable and effective method for core strengthening. London-based Pilates instructor Michelle D'Onofrio, with six years of experience and advanced classical Pilates certification, is leading the way with a deep core workout that targets muscles beyond the surface abs.
The workout consists of three moves: The Hundred, Plank, and Teaser. Each move is designed to engage the deep core muscles, like the transverse abdominis and multifidus, which are crucial for posture, stability, and control.
The Hundred, a traditional Pilates breathing and core activation exercise, requires lifting the head, neck, and shoulders off the mat while pumping arms up and down for 100 pumps. This move builds endurance in the deep core muscles and stabilises the spine.
The Plank is a powerful full-body Pilates move that builds strength, control, and balance. To perform the Plank, start on hands and knees with hands under shoulders. Step legs back to a straight position, feet hip-width apart, body lifted off the floor. Maintain alignment of head, neck, and back and hold for 30-60 seconds. To increase difficulty, alternate supporting weight between hands and forearms while keeping the body still. The Plank activates the entire core, shoulders, arms, glutes, and legs, improves shoulder stability, spinal alignment, and supports overall body integration for functional movement in daily life.
The Teaser, though not detailed in the search results, is a common Pilates move requiring core control to lift the torso and legs into a V-sit position, engaging deep abdominal muscles. The Teaser challenges strength, flexibility, and coordination all at once, targeting the deep abdominal muscles, hip flexors, and spinal extensors. It requires control through both lifting and lowering phases, building precision and flow, two of the core Pilates principles.
According to D'Onofrio, the benefits of this deep core workout include enhanced posture, spinal support, shoulder stability, increased control, balance, and overall body integration — all essential for everyday functional movements like lifting and carrying.
D'Onofrio, who leads operations across several studios, is a comprehensively trained Pilates teacher, having qualified with the Australian Pilates and Physiotherapy Institute. With her expertise in core training and rehabilitation, she emphasizes the importance of engaging the transverse abdominis, which improves posture, supports the lower back, and lays the foundation for more advanced exercises.
For those looking to enhance their core strength beyond surface abdominal workouts, D'Onofrio's deep core workout offers a time-efficient and effective solution.
- Yoga, a health-and-wellness practice rooted in science, complements Pilates well by enhancing flexibility and promoting a holistic approach to fitness-and-exercise.
- By engaging the deep core muscles like the transverse abdominis and multifidus, these Pilates exercises contribute to better health-and-wellness, improving posture, balance, and overall body integration.
- The deep core workout, led by London-based Pilates instructor Michelle D'Onofrio, also targets the shoulder muscles, contributing to increased strength, stability, and functional movement in daily life.
