My favorite Pilates instructor just shared this 5-minute weighted core workout
As a reminder, a strong core encompasses much more than visible abs. Your core is the link between your upper and lower body, and is crucial for maintaining balance and improving athletic performance. Your core muscles also protect your lower back from injury, reduce back pain, and give you better balance and stability as you perform everyday tasks.
Pilates has a strong emphasis on strengthening the deep core muscles, including the transverse abdominis (the "corset" muscle that wraps around your trunk), the multifidus (the tiny muscles that support your spine), and the pelvic floor.
Sabri is a qualified Pilates instructor and offers modifications. However, if you're new to exercise or returning to exercise after an injury or pregnancy, it's always a good idea to consult with a doctor or personal trainer before starting a new workout routine.
The workout is designed to be tagged onto the end of a longer strength workout or cardio session, as a finisher to blast your core. There are five exercises in total, which you'll do for 50 seconds, followed by a 10-second rest to reset.
Here are the exercises:
The right weight for you will be challenging by the final few reps, but never impossible.
As a reminder, the right weight for you will be challenging by the final few reps, but never impossible. If you find you're arching your back during sit-ups or peeling off the floor during leg extensions, it might be that your core isn't quite strong enough yet, and the weight you've selected is too heavy.
Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips.
You'll still get a great workout doing these exercises with a lighter set of weights, or no weights at all, so don't be tempted to reach for the heavier dumbbells too soon. Moving with incorrect form puts you at risk of injury, so if in doubt, just use your bodyweight.
Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Tom's Guide
10 minutes ago
- Tom's Guide
I tested over 9 methods to fall asleep quickly at night — these are the 3 that work every time for me
As the Sleep Features Editor for Tom's Guide, my job is to research, test and learn about new ways to improve our sleep. And as you can imagine, I'm not complaining. In fact, my sleep has never been better because I've found what works for me. But everyone is different. What sends some people snoozing keeps me awake and alert and vice versa. So the only way to figure out how to fall asleep fast is trial and error. (Obviously good sleep hygiene helps, too, as does choosing the best mattress for your sleep needs.) To help you on your way, I've compiled a list of nine fall asleep fast methods I've tried and picked out the three that work best for me. I'll also be choosing three that I warn against even trying, to save you some time on your quest for better sleep. Let's dive in. Sealy Posturepedic® Elite Hybrid: What's the point of getting a new mattress if it's going to almost immediately lose its shape and stop being as effective? All of the technology in Sealy Posturepedic® is rigorously tested to exceed industry standards. The DuraFlex coil edge helps your mattress keep its shape and deliver years of quality sleep. Nine methods might sound excessive, but trust me, if I'm lying awake for over 30 minutes, I need a solution. Normal sleep latency (the time it takes to fall asleep) sits between 10 and 20 minutes depending on the person. If you're way above that or way below it, it might be cause for concern, but a little deviation is normal night-to-night. These are the methods I've used to try to cut my sleep latency down to just 10 minutes: As you probably figured out while reading about those methods, some did not work for me. But these are the three I swear by and use most nights... Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. I was a little skeptical when I tried cognitive shuffling for the first time. How effective could imagining random objects be? Turns out, very. And that's because the method was developed by scientist, Dr. Luc P. Beaudoin, based on the way our brain works as we naturally fall asleep. We all know the feeling right before we drop off where our thoughts stop making sense, and cognitive shuffling aims to replicate that feeling. By thinking of random objects and visualizing them, then quickly moving on to another that's unrelated, you'll scramble your thoughts. Eventually, the area of your brain that tries to determine meaning and rationality from your thoughts will 'switch off', which is a signifier that it's safe and appropriate to fall asleep. When I gave this method a go, I was asleep within 10 minutes. Initially, I found it a little difficult to think of completely unrelated objects so quickly, so I decided to work through the alphabet, thinking of as many objects beginning with 'A' as possible, before moving on to 'B' and so forth. It's easy, simple and requires no advanced tech. Why not try it tonight? I'm well-versed in earplugs for sleep. Living in a city center and sleeping next to a snoring husband means without them, I can say goodbye to uninterrupted sleep. However, I hadn't tried the combination of a blackout sleep mask and earplugs. When I first tried both, I initially felt a little vulnerable. With my husband next to me, I was fine. But I'd be hesitant to try this method if was home alone, simply because of how unaware you are of your surroundings. The sleep mask I used was a padded, silk mask that wrapped all around my head, covering my ears too. Not one bit of light seeped through and I was extremely comfortable. The complete sensory deprivation was a bizarre sensation that I had to become used to, but I quickly relaxed into it and fell asleep fast. Now, whenever I'm struggling to sleep, my sleep mask and earplugs are the first thing I reach for. Not only do they help me drift off quickly, they also help me stay asleep throughout the night. A nighttime routine might not sound like fun, but it can actually be very beneficial for your sleep. Maintaining positive habits before bed and indicating to your mind and body that it's time to wind down can make falling asleep fast, easier. I love my wind-down routine, and a key element of it is a warm, relaxing bath almost every night. The warm water relaxes my body and releases any tension from my muscles, and after adding a few drops of lavender essential oil, the scented steam helps my mind relax, too. But there's also a more scientific reason why this method is so effective. In the evening, our core body temperature drops which help us fall asleep fast and stay asleep throughout the night. And while a warm bath might sound like the opposite thing you should be doing to drop your body temperature, it's actually very effective. The process of moving from a warm bathroom to a cooler bedroom leads to the drop in temperature. This, combined with my relaxed state of mind, means I drop off to sleep almost instantly after crawling under the covers. I mentioned earlier that some of the hacks I tried didn't work. These are three I'd suggest you avoid if you're serious about getting good sleep. What I first thought was just a silly trend, I now think mouth taping is a dangerous one worth avoiding altogether. Mouth tape companies are advertising this 'method' as an easy way to improve both your sleep and your health. The adhesive tape simply sticks over your mouth making it impossible to open and breathe through your mouth. When I tried it, I immediately felt my panic and stress levels increase. If you have any kind of congestion you'll quite quickly realize you can't breathe properly. That's just one of the dangers. Another major danger is the risk of vomiting. As you can imagine, this was not conducive to relaxing and falling asleep quickly. My advice? Don't bother trying it. During a recent heatwave, I was desperate for a method that would help me cool down at night and fall asleep. That's when I stumbled across the Egyptian sleep method. It seemed simple enough, requiring only a damp towel. After soaking my towel in cold water, I wrung it out and left it to dry a little until it was just damp. I then removed my usual lightweight blanket and used the damp towel instead. It felt cold and slimy against my skin, making me squirm. I eventually got used to the feeling but every time I moved I felt this slimy, wet texture that woke me up again. Aside from this, introducing anything wet to your bed is generally not a good idea. Materials like memory foam and latex can absorb water, damaging it and occasionally leading to mattress mold growth. While I did cool down, it wasn't worth the hassle and I certainly didn't fall asleep fast! If you're struggling in the heat, take a look at our tips on how to sleep better in summer. Now there's nothing inherently harmful or dangerous about this sleep method, but I'd advise you to give it a miss anyway. Most of us rub our feet together or wriggle around in bed before we fall asleep, it's a natural response to getting comfortable. And this 'method' adds nothing more. If anything, actively thinking about rubbing my feet together was too stimulating for me to fall asleep quickly. There's also very little science backing up this method. I'd generally advise to skip it and try a hack that's more likely to work.
Tom's Guide
2 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
New study says the 'one-set rule' could help you build more muscle in the gym (while doing less) — here's how
If you're anything like me, gym motivation comes and goes, and sometimes, no matter what conversation you have with yourself, it just isn't happening. Well, I might have found a fix. From now on, whenever you're debating whether or not to do that workout or lift those barbells or dumbbells, think this: just one set. That's it, just one set. New research published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise has made a fascinating discovery, and it's that a single-set routine could save time and still build muscle, even when transitioning from higher-volume workouts. Here's everything you need to know about the 'one-set rule,' and why it works, according to researchers. Researchers took 42 young men and women who were already resistance-trained, and assigned them to one of two groups: the first group trained to failure on all exercises, while the other worked at a submaximal effort, meaning they had roughly two reps 'in reserve' for the same exercises. All participants performed one set of nine different exercises focusing on all major muscle groups each session. They did this twice per week for eight weeks. Researchers then measured muscle thickness in the biceps and triceps brachii and quadriceps, and looked at muscular strength, power and endurance markers. The results showed that both groups benefitted from 'appreciable gains in most of the assessed outcomes," and several measures of hypertrophy (muscle growth) favored the all-out effort group. However, increases in strength and local muscular endurance were similar between groups. The next time you head to the gym, you could perform just one set of each exercise twice per week and still benefit. The study concluded that single-set routines can be time-efficient and still promote modest muscular adaptations, although this was an assessment on trained individuals only. That said, even if participants had transitioned from higher-volume programs, it was still effective. Training toward failure and prioritizing intensity rather than volume (high sets or reps) is where muscle adaptations can occur. Even just one set per exercise can help you build muscle and power, so long as you work with intensity close to failure. However, results didn't show the same for strength or local muscle endurance in this case. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The next time you head to the gym, you could perform just one set of each exercise twice per week and still benefit. Training to failure in this case favored slightly better muscle growth, but both groups still benefited significantly overall, and strength outcomes were similar. Remember, the experiment targeted the whole body and main muscle groups, but by keeping it minimal, sessions were still short and time-efficient. Just think of intensity and ensure you're lifting toward failure rather than keeping reps in reserve. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
Tom's Guide
7 hours ago
- Tom's Guide
No, not pull-ups — these 3 simple moves will improve your posture and ease upper back stiffness
If you often find yourself slouching or feeling stiffness in your upper back, you're not alone. A common area where tension builds is the middle part of your spine, called the thoracic spine, which runs from your shoulders down to your ribs. Mobility coach and personal trainer Anthony Green, known as Coach Green on socials, has shared three simple moves that can help strengthen your upper back and improve flexibility in this area. These exercises are easy to do at home with no special equipment and are designed to help correct posture and reduce stiffness. Although these exercises are low maintenance, you'll want to use one of the best yoga mats to protect your hips and joints while you perform these floor-based moves. The video we've shared above comes from Coach Green's TikTok account, where he demonstrates each move in real time. If you can't access the video or would prefer written cues to follow along, we've included step-by-step descriptions of each exercise below. For this move, grab a large towel, scarf, or a loose t-shirt to hold with both hands in front of you. These three moves focus on muscles and joints in your upper back that often work quietly in the background. Strengthening these muscles and improving how the middle of your spine moves can make standing tall, breathing deeply, and feeling more comfortable in your day-to-day life easier. You will get the most out of this routine if you pay attention to posture cues while you perform it. Keep your chin tucked slightly, shoulder blades drawing gently together, and your lower back relaxed so the movement comes from your upper back. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Progress is simple. You can increase the hold time at the top of each rep, add light weights such as small water bottles, or slow the lowering phase to make your muscles work harder. Equally, if you are brand new to strength or mobility work, you can shorten the range of motion and build it up over time. Consistency will make the biggest difference. Think of these moves like brushing your teeth, a small habit that quietly pays off over time. If you like the feel of what these mobility moves do for your upper body, you should aim to do this sequence three or four times a week. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.
