This Pilates Workout Strengthens Your Lower Abs in 11 Minutes

The lower abs can be a notoriously tricky area to target. And, honestly, you can only do so many scissor kicks before never wanting to see them in your workout line-up ever again. (Trust me, I know.) But that’s where Pilates come in.

In the latest episode of Good Moves, instructor Chloe De Winter takes you through a series of exercises that don’t just make the hard-to-target area of your core feel like it’s on fire. You’ll be able to reap some important benefits beyond toned abs, too. “The core muscles are super important because they help stabilize our low back and pelvis, and they help us feel strong, stable, and supported,” she says. (Side note: Evidently strengthening your lower abs also improves sex, so there’s that.)

While there are plenty of Pilates workouts you can do that will have you sweating for up to an hour, this one is short and sweet. In fact, the series only requires 11 minutes of your time. Don’t let that fool you, though. De Winter doesn’t waste a second as she goes through great lower abs Pilates exercises like single and double toe taps, glute lifts, plank to pikes, and roll-ups. Oh, and a whole lot of pulses.

While the slow and steady burn in this workout will challenge you physically, it will challenge you mentally as well. During those same moments you’re pushing yourself to keep going, De Winter says it’s also important to think about what’s happening with your midsection in order to get the best results. Every time she says to scoop your belly, do it. “Can you find a deeper connection into your abdominals?” she says. “Think about where that activation is coming from.”

When you’re ready to try this lower abs Pilates workout for yourself, hit play on the video above.