How could this be? How could Pilates, the king of core conditioning, be bulking up my clients’ belt size? What was I doing as a teacher to widen their waistbands? Desperate to solve this problem, I looked at the mechanics of the core and how I could create strength without increasing diameter. I was giddy to have solved the mystery of why my clients were gaining girth, but I dug deeper to find the tools to help my clients lose inches around their waist, to uncover the secret to creating a small, sleek and super strong midsection. There is a common Pilates cue that goes, “Exhale and squeeze your abdominals as if you’re wringing water out of a washcloth.” I ruminated on this and realized that the most effective way to wring out a cloth is not to merely squeeze it, but to twist it. Twisting makes the center of the washcloth long, tight and narrow. So why not try the same thing on the core? Spinal rotation promoted greater flexibility, developed definition in the oblique muscles and quickly shrunk my clients’ waistlines! 5 Twisting Moves For A Slimmer Waistline Photo by Katrina Wittkamp Exhale and “wring out” the waist, slowly drawing the knees back to center. Repeat on other side. Do two sets of 10 (5x each side), resting between each set. Take a quick inhale as you scissor the legs the other direction, and exhale again as you twist the other way. Repeat this alternating motion 10x, then rest and repeat. Repeat 10x (five alternating rotations). Rest and repeat. Keep the pelvis still and the feet stacked (separate the feet if unstable). Do 5-8 reps per side. Rest and repeat. Inhale, straighten the legs and return the torso to center. Do eight reps on each side, then rest and repeat.
