Pilates: Is Pilates for you?

Any exercise regime we take up has to promise to tone up our problem areas. Luckily as celebrity fans Kate Winslet, Jennifer Garner and Liz Hurley can testify, Pilates really helps you to achieve your dream physique.

Pilates © Getty

Gillian Greenwood, Pilates expert has these top exercises for toned legs, bums and tums:

Squat against the wall with thighs parallel to the floor and knees above ankles.

Your back is against the wall and your head slightly away from the wall. See how long you can hold it for, then repeat.

Lie on your side on the floor, knees bent at a right angle. With your knees in front of your hips, feet forwards in line with your knees..

Rest your head on your outstretched arm. Use your tummy and pelvic floor to keep your back still, breathe out and lift your top leg a little (only as far as your back/hips stay still).

Lower the knee and breathe in. Repeat up to 16 times.

Lie on your back, knees bent and your hands under your head, elbows in your periphery vision. Put one hand on your tummy.

Use your pelvic floor and tummy muscles and breathe out as you lift your head to look at your tummy.

Only lift your head as much as you can keeping your tummy in! Breathe in and lower your head. When you've worked out how to curl up keeping your tummy in you can put both hands under your head.

For more information on Pilates please visit the following sites:

The Pilates Foundation
Gillian Greenwood
West 1 Physio
APPI Pilates 

Article Plan Pilates: Is Pilates for you? ▼

• Pilates exercises for legs bums and tums