A Pilates instructor says this one exercise will improve your core strength and spinal health

Build strength and stability with this simple bodyweight movement

A woman is on all-four on a yoga mat, with her hands and knees on the ground. Her eyes are shut. Behind her we see a dining table and chair. To her side are three leafy plants.
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If you’re trying to build core strength, you need to do more than just sit-ups. While this move is great for strengthening your abs (the front torso muscles responsible for the six pack shape) they don't target the whole core area.

The core includes muscles found along the side of your abdomen, around your pelvis and even in the lower back. To target all these muscles, you’ll need to expand your movements beyond traditional abs exercises like crunches.

Annabel Luke, founder of Pilates By Bel, suggests trying one exercise she often incorporates into her workouts for core strength: the Pilates hover.

"You do a hover from a four-point kneeling position; hover your knees off the ground and tap them back down," Luke explains.

Though simple, it will engage a wide range of core muscles, while challenging your stability.

How to do the Pilates hover

How to do a knee hover with a physio - YouTube How to do a knee hover with a physio - YouTube
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  1. Start in a tabletop position, with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
  2. Engage your core muscles by drawing your belly button in toward your spine
  3. Tuck your toes under and as you inhale, gently lift your knees a couple of inches off the floor, keeping your core tight and back straight.
  4. Hold for a few seconds, then tap your knees back down, repeating for eight to 12 reps.

The benefits of the Pilates hover

Your core muscles are partly responsible for executing everyday movements, like standing and walking. They also provide support for your spine, so strengthening them could make daily tasks easier and help with back pain. Luke confirms that this move is great for improving core strength and stability, but he says it will do more than just that.

"This is also a weight-bearing exercise and your shoulders, arms and quads are activated to help your knees lift," she says.

If you want more routines like this one, try this Pilates for beginners routine, or see our round-up of the best Pilates YouTube classes.

Alice Porter
Freelancer Writer

Alice Porter is a freelance journalist covering lifestyle topics including health, fitness and wellness. She is particularly interested in women's health, strength training and fitness trends and writes for publications including Stylist Magazine, Refinery29, The Independent and Glamour Magazine. Like many other people, Alice's personal interest in combining HIIT training with strength work quickly turned into a CrossFit obsession and she trains at a box in south London. When she's not throwing weights around or attempting handstand push-ups, you can probably find her on long walks in nature, buried in a book or hopping on a flight to just about anywhere it will take her.

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