5 Pilates Exercises for a Flat Stomach in 14 Days

Pilates is one of the most popular workouts in the world for a reason: It helps people achieve that long, lean, and perfectly sculpted body that so many celebrities and models have. Vas Priebe is a Holistic Health Coach who is certified in both yoga and Pilates. She recently spoke with The Body Network about how to incorporate Pilates into your life and how it can help you achieve a flat stomach in just a few weeks. 

Stretch First

"The biggest tip is stretching first so that your body is more open. When your body is more open, your body functions more effectively making muscle engagement easier. Better engagement equals better results," says Vas. 

Keep the Following in Mind Before You Start

Before moving onto her 5 exercises, she starts with the following tips:

• Open inner thighs and hips before you begin your ab workout. 
• Less is more with abs when done properly. 
• Be patient, move intentionally with your breath, feel your body as you move and take your time. 
• Keep your neck, jaw, face, throat soft.Tension in those places steals the work away from the abs. 
• Abs should always be softening inward, as if they are hugging and supporting your spine, not bracing outward. 

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Exercise 1: Wide Legged Forward Fold

"Take your arms out to a T and step your feet as wide as your arm span. Keep your feet facing forward. Hinge at your hips and place hands on the ground. Bend your knees and lengthen your spine to a table top position, arms beneath shoulders. Crown of head away from tail. Shift your weight back to the right heel as you lengthen and straighten your left leg. Hold for a breath cycle and then switch. Go back and forth, moving with breath for a minute or so," says Vas. 

Exercise 2: Runner's Lunge

"Step your right foot outside your right hand. Turn your toes out slightly. Step your left leg back and lower back knee. Come to finger tips, lengthen and lift your spine tall, square your shoulders. Engage your glutes as you bend deeper into the lunge. Maintain length in spine and length through the back leg. Hold for 30 seconds or a few breath cycles and then switch," she instructs. 

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Exercise 3: Table Top Knee Taps

"Start in a table top position. Lengthen and lift your spine, crown of head reaches from tail. Square off shoulders and hips. Take an inhale and widen through your rib cage as you firmly press into the ground and maintain a long spine. Sustain your width and length as you exhale and lift your knees 2 inches from the ground.Inhale and tap them gently back down. Exhale and lift. Repeat 2 sets 8-10 reps," suggests Vas. 

Exercise 4: Supine Marches

"Lie on your back, arms by your side, legs in table top. Flex your ankles. Maintain a neutral pelvis. On an exhale, hinge at your hip and lower your right leg towards the ground. Knee stays bent in the tabletop position. Belly softens inward as leg lowers. Inhale and lift the leg back to start position. Move with your breath slowly, ensuring a sense of the abs softening inward on your exhale. Repeat 2 sets 8 reps on each side," says Vas. 

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Exercise 5: Chest Life

"Lie on your back, neutral pelvis, hands behind your head at the base of your skull. Elbows slightly wider than the shoulders. Lengthen through your under arms. Take legs to a table top position, knees together, toes pointed. Prep is important here. Lift your head and chest and hold. Take a big inhale into your side body as you lengthen through you under arms and engage your triceps and lats. Hold your head up with your arms so that you often your neck and engage your core. As you exhale, soften your abdominals into your body maintaining width through your rib cage and lower abs. Avoid your belly popping upwards, brace inward instead. Hold the position keeping an eye on your abs. Watch them on the exhale to ensure they are softening inward. Take 8-10 long slow breaths holding the position, legs in table top, head and chest lifted." 

💪🔥Body Booster: Research backs up the many benefits of Pilates. Studies have found it can help increase muscle strength, endurance, and flexibility, and improve posture and balance.