Beach Body Pilates

Like I’ve said in every one of my fitness articles,

THE WEATHER IS WARMING UP.
PUT ON YOUR BIKINI WORKOUT FACE.
GET TO IT.

No but seriously, its nice out, soon enough everyone will be on summer vacation or wishing they didn’t have that internship so they could go to the beach. Either way, you want to look good even if your clothes are on so just do this workout to humor me.

These exercises work your core, as well as those pesky muscles you didn’t even know you had. Here are 4 of the Pilates I find helpful, but if you’d like some more feel free to visit Shape.com.

Bridge Attitude Lift
Reps: 10 on each leg
How to do it: Lie face up with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms extended overhead, holding the ends of your towel in each hand (your arms should be hovering just above the ground). Pull your abs in tight and lift your hips off the floor into a bridge pose. Next, extend your right leg out parallel to (but not touching) the ground. Then, bend your right knee and turn your right heel up to the ceiling as you pull your leg in as close to your body as you can without dropping your hips. Extend your leg back out to your starting position.

Extended Side Crunch
Reps: 10 on each side
How to do it: Lie on your left side with legs extended, toes pointed, and arms extended overhead with the towel. You should be balancing on your side with your shoulders, hips, and ankles stacked so that your body makes a straight line from head to toe. Inhale and stretch your body as long as you can. As you exhale, shift your weight back slightly into your left ‘cheek,’ lifting your legs off the floor and slightly in front of you while crunching through the right side of your torso. Inhale again and lower back into your starting stretch position.

Towel Saw
Reps: 10
How to do it: Sit with legs extended on the ground, feet flexed and hip-width apart, and hold the towel tight at both ends with arms reaching overhead and slightly in front of you. Bend your knees slightly and stack your shoulders directly above your hips, maintaining a straight line from your tailbone to the crown of your head, pulling in at your waist (imagine you are wearing a tight corset). Raise your arms overhead and inhale. As you exhale, twist your upper body to the right and reach your towel to the outside of your right foot (as if you were trying to saw off your pinky toe with the edge of your left hand). Return back to the center start position and repeat to the left.

Swan Extension Row
Reps: 10
How to do it: Holding the towel, lie facedown with legs extended on the floor hip-width apart, toes pointed. Bend your elbows in by your sides so that the towel is pulled just in front of your collarbone and look down so that your chin is in towards your chest. Extend your spine and lift your chest and arms off the floor (keeping your toes on the floor). Pull your shoulder blades back and together as you lift up. Next, extend your arms (your arms should be outside of your ears) and lift your thighs off the floor. Hold for one count, then bend your elbows back in and lower your chest and thighs back to starting position.

Visit Shape.com and check out their awesome work outs, form tips, and photos so you can get a better idea of what these work outs look like.

-Brooke Leone