Health Articles > Muscle-building > The Best Way To Do Pilates Abs Exercises

Joseph Pilates created Pilates exercises during World War One. These exercises are primarily designed to strengthen and maintain a more appealing looking stomach and glutes. Flexibility, body posture, and strengthening all the muscles of the body are also key benefits to doing Pilates. While using breathing concentration which is needed to complete the Pilates abs exercises the mind as well as the body get exercised. For someone who is looking to tone up their abs, Pilates is the perfect exercise because it makes the whole body tighter. Plank is one of several Pilate exercises. This is performed while in the push up position using your elbows to support your weight. While in this position you contract your abs and hold the contraction for 30 to 60 seconds and the repeat as many times as you can. Another position is called the 100s position. In this position you lay flat on your back with your legs straight and together. You pull in your abs by lifting your head and shoulders off the ground. Then, while keeping your back on the ground you lower your legs as close the ground as possible. Inhale and exhale for five seconds each time that you perform this motion and repeat at least 100 times. Many exercise professionals and exercise programs teach that the more repetitions you do the better it is for you and the more benefit you gain from it. When doing Pilates, you will be taught that it is much more important to perform each exercise precisely rather than the amount of repetitions you perform. When performing an exercise such as leg raises you would do around 20 reps as opposed to 50 because you would tire less quickly and be able to perform the movement more precisely and hold each rep for a longer period of time, thus receiving a greater benefit. Before undertaking any exercise program, you should always consult a physician to see if it will work for you and fit your particular health needs. You should never start an exercise program before you examine the risks that are involved and always start slow and work yourself up to where you want to be. Exercise videos that are on the market show the availability of many more pilate ab exercises and many of them are excellent and you can benefit greatly from their use. However, it is once again important to consult a physician before you adopt a program that utilizes them.