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This 10-minute routine from Prevention’s new Fit in 10: Slim and Strong—for Life! program will help you tone and strengthen your deepest core muscles for a flatter, firmer belly. It combines highly effective Pilates work with essential corrective exercises to help you reactivate weak belly muscles quickly and gently. The result: a tight, toned core that will support your every move and reduce the risk of back pain.
How to do it
Perform each exercise for 20 seconds, and rest for 10 seconds as you transition to the next move. Do the circuit 4 times.
1. Dead Bug to Reverse Crunch
Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Pull your belly to your spine and press your lower back into the floor. Keeping that position, raise your knees over your hips and extend your arms over your chest.
Keeping your back pressed into the floor, extend your left leg in front of you to a 2-inch hover and your right arm behind your head. Return to start and repeat on opposite side. Now, pull your belly in and lift your butt and hips a few inches off the floor to perform a reverse crunch. That’s 1 rep.
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2. Windmill
Lie on your back with your weight on your forearms, your knees bent and lifted over your hips in a tabletop position.
Leading with your knees, make a circle with your legs in a clockwise motion. When you return to the starting position, repeat the circle in the opposite direction.
3. Ab Tuck
Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat, your hands on the floor beside your hips. Lean your torso back a few inches and lift your feet off the floor. This is your starting position.
Engage your abs, then extend your legs and lower your torso closer to the floor. Pause, then pull your knees back to your chest as you return to the starting position.
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4. Bird Dog
Start on the floor with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
Engage your core and shift your balance to your left knee and right hand. In one movement, extend your right leg back behind you and your left arm out in front of you. Pause, then slowly release both back to the starting position. That’s one rep. Immediately switch sides and perform the same with the left leg and right arm. Continue alternating sides.
5. Side Plank Sweep
Start in a forearm side plank on your left arm, feet staggered, right arm extended over your shoulder.
Sweep your right arm down and under your ribcage, rotating your torso. Sweep your right arm back to start. Continue for 20 seconds, then switch sides and repeat for another 20 seconds.
This article originally appeared on Prevention.com.
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