Build strength in your glute, lateral leg, and hip while strengthening your core and other tiny, difficult-to-find muscles! This Pilates exercise is excellent for all levels of exercisers, from beginner to professional athlete. It is common in many a pilates mat class. It is great for building strength in your glutes, lateral leg, inner thigh, […]

Work your shoulders, arms, legs and core all in one with this downward dog to plank exercise! As long as you can do a downward dog and a full plank* this exercise is an excellent, advanced, time-saving option for your core workout. It is also an exercise appropriate for pregnancy. Just be certain, if you […]

Add a little stretch to your squats with this heart-calming variation! If your heart rate climbs high while doing a set of squats, adding this arm reach overhead between each one can help to slow your heart rate climb. Take that extra second to breath while you reach up and overhead, bending through the side […]

An excellent core workout for all levels! This exercise is used by pilates instructors, personal trainers and physical therapists as a great way to build up core muscles, especially low core muscles. However, jumping in without any solid instruction means that you might not be getting the most out of this exercise. In this video, […]

Work your triceps to the fullest, while protecting your joints, with this surprising variation! The bent-over tricep extension might be a staple in your upper-body workouts, but have you tried this variation with a shortened ROM (range of motion)? The beauty of this tricep extension variation is that it never really allows the tricep to […]

Try this challenging but fun oblique exercise! This exercise is great for slimming your sides and strengthening your obliques. If you don’t have a friend to hold your feet you can slip them under a very low table or cabinet or press them up against a wall. Be certain to keep your hips stacked on […]

Work your obliques without bending! (No twisting necessary either!) Two versions of standing oblique exercises to try if you have a theraband or cable machine. Both versions will hold steady from the waist down, no movement in the hips as you resist the pull of the band or turn through the torso. The first version […]

Work your obliques with this all-inclusive exercise! Obliques help you side bend and twist*. This exercise works both those functions of your obliques! Be sure you pull your belly button back toward your spine so you really work your obliques and don’t strain your back. Only bend as far as you can control with your […]

This standing oblique side bend using a dumbbell or kettlebell is a great way to work your obliques from a standing position. If you have trouble getting down on the floor to do other kinds of oblique work or if your shoulders prevent you from doing even incline side planks, give this one a try. […]