Movement · Quick Abs

Quick Abs

A quick Pilates core routine — warm the spine, work the classic stomach series, then gently extend to finish. Move from your center and keep the belly flat, not domed.

Begin the practice →

7 moves · about 10 minutes

Before you begin

A gentle lift, throughout. On every move, lightly draw up through your pelvic floor — a soft lift from the base, never a clench, while you keep breathing. New to it? Start with Pelvic Floor Foundations →

Breathe. One rule runs through every move — inhale to prepare, exhale to curl and connect. It’s taught step by step in Pilates for Beginners →; everywhere after, it’s simply understood. Hold the stretches for about 5 slow breaths — that’s at least 30 seconds; if you finish quicker, you’re breathing too fast, so slow it down. For a calming anchor, try Five Finger Breathing: with a fingertip, trace up each finger as you breathe in and down as you breathe out — five fingers, five breaths.

Warm-Up

Rolling Like a Ball

8–10 reps

6–8

Move 1 →

The Hundred

100 beats (build to 100)

100 beats

Move 2 →

The Work

Scissors

8–10 sets

8–10 each

Move 3 →

Single Leg Stretch

8–10 sets

8–10 each

Move 4 →

Double Leg Stretch

8–10 reps

6–8

Move 5 →

Spine Stretch Forward

8–10 reps

3–4

Move 6 →

Cool-Down

Modified Back Extension

Hold 30–45 sec

hold, 2–3 times

Move 7 →

Quick Abs

A quick Pilates core routine — warm the spine, work the classic stomach series, then gently extend to finish. Move from your center and keep the belly flat, not domed.

Warm-Up

1. Rolling Like a Ball · 8–10 reps — Stay round like a ball and use control, not momentum.

2. The Hundred · 100 beats (build to 100) — Keep the low back gently anchored and the belly flat, not domed. Higher legs are easier; lower is stronger.

The Work

3. Scissors · 8–10 sets — Keep the low back anchored and the belly flat — lower the bottom leg only as far as you can hold that.

4. Single Leg Stretch · 8–10 sets — Keep your upper body lifted and still — the work is in the center, not the neck.

5. Double Leg Stretch · 8–10 reps — Only extend as low as you can keep the low back anchored and the belly flat.

6. Spine Stretch Forward · 8–10 reps — Grow taller before you fold — lengthen up and over, not just down.

Cool-Down

7. Modified Back Extension · Hold 30–45 sec — Lift only as far as feels good — keep it gentle, shoulders relaxed away from the ears.

The Way · by Gina Santangelo · ginasantangelo.com · Learn each move at ginasantangelo.com/movement