A strong core takes the pressure off your spine and hip joints, which can increase stability and balance. It can also help to reduce arthritic pain and prevent further joint damage.
That's one of the reasons why Pilates is such a great way to exercise. It has a focus on core training, with a collection of exercises that scale from beginner-friendly to requiring Olympian core strength, and a step-by-step series of progressions that will get you from point A to point B. It's an excellent way to gradually build strength in your abs and hips, which are both part of your core. And you don’t need expensive equipment to do it either.
In this 15-minute circuit by Mira Hassan, who runs the YouTube channel Flow with Mira (one of the best Pilates YouTube channels), you will do 10 floor-based moves all using your own bodyweight. Throughout the session, Hassan encourages you to focus on your breath as she describes how to do each exercise with good form, and which muscles you are working.
"In this 15-minute gentle Pilates routine, I will guide you through a series of exercises that focus on strengthening and toning your abs and hips, perfect for anyone wanting a slower and more gentle Pilates workout," Pilates instructor Hassan told her 148,000 YouTube subscribers.
Hassan, who grew up as a dancer and has been teaching Pilates since 2006, added: "These low-impact exercises can also help relieve back pain. Combine it with another workout or use it as a standalone workout. A small daily practice can build balance, strength, flexibility, and find freedom within your body."
All you need to get started with this 10-move Pilates workout is a mat. It can be worth picking up a Perform each exercise slowly to engage the proper stabilizing muscles and avoid injury.
How to do this Flow with Mira workout
Why are a strong core and hips important?
Adding these exercises to your fitness routine can strengthen your core and hips, but why is that important?
The core muscles protect the body and stabilize the spine and pelvis, and they also power movement. While many people assume the core is just the abs, it also includes the pelvic floor muscles, the internal and external obliques that run down the sides of your torso, and all the other surrounding muscles including the erector spinae and multifidus muscles in your back, and the smaller, deeper ones in your trunk.
If you have a weak core, it can mean that the hip flexors or glutes have to compensate and take extra strain, which over time can result in an anterior tilt of the pelvis, causing an arch in the lower back and pulling the pelvis off balance. This pelvic tilt can also lead to back, knee and hip pain or injury. Training the core and hips can counteract this, and improve balance and posture, and build stability and flexibility. This in turn can reduce the risk of injury and falls.
Maintaining strength and flexibility in the core and hips is also essential for preventing and managing hip osteoporosis, a common condition as we age.
