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Pilates on the Mat

Criss Cross

Start Position

Lie on your back (supine position), face up on floor with knees bent and aligned over hips, calves parallel to floor, hands behind head, unclasped.
Draw abs in so lower back is firmly against floor.
Inhale as you lift head, neck and shoulder blades off floor.

Workout

Exhale and extend and lower right leg as far as possible without lower back losing contact with floor; simultaneously rotate, right elbow toward left knee.
Inhale, return to center.
Exhale and switch elbows and legs to complete 1 repetition.
Continue to alternate.
Begin with few repetitions, and work up to 10 repetitions.

Tips

Modifications for this exercise include leaving both legs bent and aligned over hips, extending the straight leg towards the ceiling, and increasing or decreasing the range of motion of the legs' movement.

The lower the straight leg, the harder the abdominals have to work to maintain alignment.
If you choose to increase difficulty, you must be able to use your abdominals to keep your lower back from popping up off the mat.

Try to get a nice smooth and slow rhythm going with the breath and the movement of the legs.

Benefits

Strengthens abdominal muscles, particularly the obliques.

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