A large number of people are referred to Pilates to help them get a stronger core. When I first started doing Pilates, I was surprised to learn what my core really was! Before that, it was all about abs. (If you’re around my age, you may remember the workout videos like “The 20 Minute Workout” from gym class that were so hard.) Crunches were always my favourite because I loved the burn that I felt. In aerobics, we’d do rep after rep of forward crunches, reverse crunches, side crunches, and bicycles.
Now I know that the core is a lot more than just the abdominal muscles; it also includes the muscles of your back, pelvic floor, and buttocks. Having a strong core isn’t about the aesthetics that The 20 Minute Workout videos were selling in the 80s, but rather about being strong from the inside out. A strong core will help you do all the other activities in your life better.
Why You Need a Strong Core
All of your muscles work together to keep you moving, so a strong core is going to make everything you do easier and more efficient. For example, a runner will benefit from a stronger core to help with their posture, and stronger glutes will contribute to a better stride with more extension and power. The same goes for anyone who cycles, swims, or dances.
Even if you are less active, a stronger core will benefit you. If you sit for long periods of time for work, a robust core will help you with better posture. This leads to less back pain and improved breathing. Yes, sitting up straighter helps you to breathe better – and when you increase your oxygen, you feel less tired.
Other benefits from a strong core include better balance and stability, reduced potential for falls; reduced pain from poor posture, weak muscles, or imbalances in your core muscles; and protection for your back from injury.
The Best Pilates Exercises for a Stronger Core
One of the best exercises that will help you get a stronger core is the plank. It engages all of your core muscles but, in my opinion, it’s pretty dull. I love how Pilates has you doing planks many times but never has you holding them. You move in and out of the exercises and slowly but surely build more strength and control with each movement.
10 exercises In Pilates that do the same job as a plank:
- Leg pull front on the mat
- Long stretch on the reformer
- Kneeling chest expansion on the reformer or tower
- Standing arm springs boxing, shave, and hug a tree
- Standing chest expansion on the tower
- Control balance front on the reformer
- Three push up versions on the wunda chair
- Up stretch on the reformer
- Chest expansion on the pedipul
- Swan on the wunda chair
All of these exercises use your full body, from how your feet and hands connect to the floor, to how you find tension throughout your body to keep your balance – especially on the apparatus. The apparatus allows you to challenge your muscles even more because you’re trying to keep the movement of the springs controlled.
The next time you’re doing a Pilates workout, keep an eye out for how many planks you get to do. They show up many times throughout a workout, so you’ll be sure to strengthen your core to help you keep moving with more power and ease.