Pilates Move Of The Week: Muffin Tops Be Gone With The Oblique Toe Tap

Pilates Move Of The Week: Muffin Tops Be Gone With The Oblique Toe Tap
Aaron Smith

Pilates Expert

Jan 15, 2024

Muffin tops be gone! Oblique Toe Taps are the key to a tighter firmer ALL-OVER midsection to target those hard to reach places. For the complete core-set, incorporate our Oblique Toe Taps to tighten and strengthen your entire mid-section and shed your muffin tops completely! Starting position: Lay on your back, with your knees bent towards the sky and feet flat on the ground. Arms down by your sides, with your palms facing the ground, come up into a static crunch with your chin held toward your chest and shoulders slightly elevated. Exercise Execution:
  1. Whilst maintaining a static crunch, and your feet on the ground, simultaneously reach your left arm and twist your torso towards your left foot to engage and contract your left obliques
  2. Return to your starting position
  3. Simultaneously reach your right arm and twist your torso towards your right foot to engage and contract your right obliques
  4. Repeat this movement from left to right for the required sets and repetitions
Breathing:
  1. Inhale to prepare. Engage your abdominals and force an exhalation through pursed lips as you reach and twist your torso towards your left foot
  2. Inhale as you bring yourself back to centre
  3. Exhale again you repeat this movement on the right hand side
Reps: Start out with 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions to failure and increase if desired. Advancements: Turn your Oblique Toe Tap into a fluid progressive movement by not allowing for a rest between left and right side adding FIRE to your abdominals and a little sweat to your brow! For a more of a full abdominals workout, elevate your legs into tabletop position to activate your transverse abdominals and lower abs! KX Tip:  To add KX intensity to the exercise, let’s add a Pilates ring between our ankles! Holding your legs extended towards the sky at a 45-degree angle, hold your Pilates ring between your ankles, and squeeze the ring together each time you twist and reach your torso from side to side, adding a challenge to both your stability and inner things. A REAL lower body workout! More pilates moves of the week… Pilates Move Of The Week: Tighten Up Your Booty With The Bridge Pilates Move Of The Week: Get Those Abs Rock Solid With The Shoulder Stand Pilates Move Of The Week: Lose Those Love Handles With The Corkscrew

Have you tried the oblique tow tap? Tell us below…

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

By Aaron Smith

Pilates Expert

Aaron Smith is The Carousel’s resident pilates expert and Founder/Owner of Australia’s first high performance pilates group, KX Pilates. In 2009 he returned from living abroad with a vision to bring a new way of fitness training to Australia. “I loved the style and concept behind dynamic pilates, but I could see some areas for improvement, where I could add my own touch. I returned to Australia in 2009 and opened my first studio, in Melbourne, in 2010″, Smith said. Smith is now an award winning entrepreneur and franchisor, with 17 KX studios across Melbourne and Sydney, re-branding as the ‘KX Group’ and expanding the service offer to include; high performance pilates, assisted yoga, barre and international fitness retreats. Smith holds a Bachelor of Science (double major in exercise physiology/pharmacology), trained in advanced STOTT reformer pilates and is a KX Pilates Master Trainer.

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