Strengthening your core is one of the best things you can do for your overall fitness—and there are Pilates exercises to add to your workout routine that can help you get there. Your core includes your rectus abdominis muscles (the muscles that run vertically along the front of your abdomen), your obliques (the muscles along the sides), and the transverse abdominis (your hips, lower back, and pelvic floor). Building strength in your core muscles is crucial to keep your body stable and balanced. It also helps you maintain proper posture and exercise form and helps you move in a more controlled and efficient way.
Similarly, toning your arms can make it easier to perform everyday tasks, increase your arm and shoulder strength, and keep your arms pumped up will also give you a healthy heart, according to the American Heart Association. These are all particularly important muscles to strengthen as you get older.
Thankfully, there are tons of great core and arm exercises out there. Pilates exercises really hone in on your core and arm area, making them great options. To learn more about the best Pilates exercises for sculpting your arms and midsection, we spoke with Lauren George, a certified Pilates and barre instructor with over 15 years of experience in the industry. She said that there are four Pilates variation exercises (which we will explain in-depth below!) that are best for strengthening your core and arms: single leg stretch with the Pilates ring, a Pilates push-up into leg pull front, a Pilates 100 with a theraband in hands under hips, and a Pilates roll-up with pilates ring in hands. Read on to learn more about these Pilates moves!
What Are Variation Exercises?
Pilates is an exercise that was developed by Joseph Pilates in 1926. It focuses on improving posture, enhancing flexibility and coordination, and core-strengthening exercises. “Pilates variation,” George, of Lauren George Fitness, says, is a modification of one of Pilates’s traditional exercises. “Variations can be designed to make exercises more accessible or more challenging,” she explains. “Variations can involve modifying the movement itself, adding a piece of equipment, combining exercises, or changing the sequence or order of the exercises. Sometimes variations, especially ones that include adding a piece of equipment like the Pilates ring or dumbbells, can recruit additional muscle groups.”
A common, beginner Pilates exercise is the Pilates 100, “which involves lying on your back with your head and shoulders curled up off the mat, arms extended out straight by your sides, and legs extended out at 45 degrees,” George notes. “You then proceed to pump your arms as you inhale for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts 100xs.” So, some examples of variations, she says, would be putting your feet on the ground with your knees bent or you could modify the exercise by placing a Pilates ring between your ankles. Now that we know what variations are, let’s get into the 4 best pilates variation exercises for sculpting your arms and midsection.
1. Single Leg Stretch With The Pilates Ring In Hands Above The Chest
This is a classic Pilates mat exercise that targets the abdominal muscles—they particularly focus on the rectus abdominis and the obliques. The single-leg stretch also engages the hip flexors, quadriceps, chest, and biceps, and strengthens the lower back muscles.
George explains how to perform the exercise: “Lie flat on your back on a mat with your arms extended up above your chest and hands on the ring. Inhale to prepare and exhale as you bring your knees to a tabletop position (knees bend and stacked over hips). Curl your chin towards your chest and engage your abdominal muscles as you exhale, curling your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat. Extend your right leg out to 45 degrees,” she says. A Pilates ring is a tool that you can incorporate into your regular Pilates exercise routine.
“Inhale as you switch legs, extending your left leg out to 45 degrees,” George continues, “Keep your head and shoulders lifted off the mat throughout the exercise and squeeze the ring. Continue to alternate legs, inhaling as you switch and exhaling as you bring your leg towards your chest, for several reps.”
The single-leg stretch can help burn abdominal fat and develop upper body strength by targeting the abdominal muscles and, with the Pilates ring, your chest, shoulder, and bicep muscles. It also increases flexibility and improves posture by engaging the hip flexors, and the muscles of the core and back.
2. Pilates Push-Up Into Leg Pull Front
Another effective Pilates workout is the Pilates push-up into a leg pull front. It’s an advanced Pilates sequence that almost targets the entire body—including the arms, shoulders, chest, and core muscles. George describes how to perform the Pilates exercise, “Begin in a plank position with your hands shoulder-width apart on the mat and your feet hip distance apart. Make sure your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels (to modify, place one or both knees on the mat).”
“Inhale as you bend your elbows, lowering your body towards the mat until your arms form a 90-degree angle by your rib cage like cricket legs. Keep your elbows close to your sides. Exhale as you push up to the starting position, extending your arms fully. Keep your body in a straight line throughout the exercise,” she explains. “Lift your right leg towards the ceiling, using your glute and core muscles to lift it as high as you can without arching your lower back. Keep your arms and left leg stable. Inhale as you lower your right leg back to the mat. Repeat the push-up and leg lift sequence on the other side, lifting your left leg off the mat and lifting it towards the ceiling.” This exercise strengthens the upper body, engages the core, improves balance and coordination, and it’s a low-impact exercise. Georga says that the push-up into leg pull is an ideal option for individuals with joint pain or injuries.
3. Pilates 100 With A Theraband In Hands Under Hips
The Pilates 100 with a theraband is a variation of the classic Pilates 100 exercise. A theraband is a thick elastic resistance band that can help strengthen your muscles at home for Pilates exercises. Not only does it target the arms, shoulders, and upper back muscles, but it also engages the core and improves overall circulation. George says that you perform this exercise by, “Begin lying on your back with the theraband in your hands, knees bent and feet on the floor. Exhale as you draw your legs into a tabletop position.”
“Curl up through your head, neck, and shoulders and either thread the band over your legs or send one end around your hips so that you are holding each end of the band in one hand with the band under your calves and behind your hips,” she adds. “Inhale for 5 counts and exhale for five counts as you pump your arms up in down while maintaining tension on the band. Keep your arms straight and your hands shoulder-width apart, and make sure your shoulders stay relaxed and away from your ears.” You then continue inhaling and exhaling as you pump your arms up and down for another 100 counts.
This exercise targets the arms, shoulders, and upper back muscles, and engages the core with the theraband. It also improves circulation with the rhythmic pumping motion.
4. Pilates Roll-Up With Pilates Ring In Hands
A final Pilates variation exercise that George recommends for sculpting your arms and burning belly fat is the Pilates roll-up with a Pilates ring. It’s an advanced Pilates exercise that targets the core, chest, shoulders, biceps, back, and hip flexor muscles. This exercise also improves flexibility and mobility in the spine.
George explains how to perform this exercise, “Begin lying on your back, with your legs extended and your arms holding a Pilates ring above your chest (a modification would be to bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor). Inhale as you lift the Pilates ring towards the ceiling, keeping your arms straight and your shoulders relaxed. Exhale as you squeeze the ring and engage your core muscles and begin to roll up one vertebra at a time, lifting your head and shoulders off the mat.”
She adds, “Continue rolling up until your entire back is off the mat, and you are seated on your sit bones, with your legs extended in front of you and the Pilates ring in front of your chest. Inhale as you reach the Pilates ring forward, extending your arms fully and stretching your spine forward. Exhale as you engage your core muscles and begin to roll back down one vertebra at a time, keeping your spine rounded and your arms reaching forward.”
Then, you’re going to want to squeeze the ring all the way down and “continue rolling back down until your entire back is back on the mat and your arms are holding the Pilates ring above your head again.” George says you should repeat the exercise for several repetitions and focus on the smooth and controlled movement of the spine. This exercise improves spinal mobility, targets the core, engages the hip flexors, and improves posture.
The Bottom Line
Overall, there are plenty of Pilates variation exercises to not only tone your arm muscles but burn and sculpt your core muscles. George also stresses, “Focusing on the mind/body connection while moving through these exercises with help you get more out of each movement. Additionally, putting an emphasis on proper breathing techniques and engine the transverse abdominis and pelvic floor while performing core exercises in Pilates will help increase their effectiveness.”
