Pop Pilates Workout For Beginners

Here are 5 simple but effective Pilates workouts that you can try out at home!

Internet sensation and certified Pilates instructor, Cassey Ho, breaks down some crazy-effective moves that are easy enough for beginners but will get your heart pumping no matter what your fitness level.

Move at a steady pace and keep your tummy tight and sucked in to maintain a strong core throughout the workout. :)

1. Elevated Corkscrew

Rest on your elbows, tighten your abs, straighten your back, and lift your legs at an angle. To make this move easier keep the legs bent at 90 degrees. Move your legs in a clockwise direction. Then, go counterclockwise. Keep your heels squeezed together. You should feel this move working your lower abs.

Try 5 each way

2. The #4 Leg Lift

Lie flat with your low back pressed into the mat, head down, belly button sucked in toward the spine. Cross one leg over the other like you're making a #4 and then lower and lift your legs.

Try 6 on each leg.

3. Pointed Kicks

Get into Pilates Stance (head, neck, and shoulders up off your mat, back straight), tighten your abs, and lift your legs so that your right foot is pointed out straight in front of you and the left leg is bent at a 90-degree angle. Switch back and forth, alternating lifting each leg into the air, until you've done 20 kicks.

4. Teaser with Circle Arms

Sitting on your tailbone with arms straight out in front of you, squeeze your abs and lift your chest. Keep your shins parallel to the mat and toes pointed. Circle your arms in a clockwise direction. Then go counterclockwise. Repeat this 20 times in each direction while holding the rest of your body still.

5. Scissor Crunch

Place your hands behind your head, elbows out. Press your low back into the mat and lift the right leg up while keeping the left leg parallel to mat. Holding your upper body in Pilates Stance, switch your legs up and down 20 times. This will burn your core like crazy!

Eight Healthiest Fruits You Should Be Eating

Blueberries, oranges, bananas, apples, kiwis, grapes, strawberries, and papayas -- take your pick and take a bite, because these fruits are superfoods for your health!

Turns out an apple a day (and an orange, kiwi, and banana) can keep the doctor away =)

1. Blueberries

Blueberries are rich in antioxidants, which help fight cancer and prevent macular degeneration. Like cranberries, they contain compounds that can protect against urinary tract infections.

2. Oranges

A single orange gives you almost a full day's vitamin C, plus potassium. The opaque membrane around each wedge has hesperidin, which may lower cholesterol. Even the scent is calming, according to research.

 

3. Apples

Eat the skin for a high dose of fiber -- both soluble (the type that helps lower cholesterol) and insoluble (it keeps you regular). In addition to meeting 15 percent of your daily fiber needs, an apple is crammed with antioxidants.

4. Bananas

High in potassium and low in sodium, bananas help lower your risk of high blood pressure and stroke. Bonus: Protease inhibitors that can prevent stomach ulcers.

5. Kiwis

Ounce for ounce, kiwis contain more than twice as much vitamin C as oranges, plus they may lower the risk of cataracts and could even protect DNA from damage.

6. Red and Purple Grapes

Red wine isn't the only source of resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant that could help fight heart disease. You get nearly as much resveratrol in a cup of dark-colored grapes as you do in a five-ounce glass of merlot.

7. Strawberries

A daily handful helps control type 2 diabetes and stave off heart disease and inflammation. Strawberries are also an excellent source of vitamin C and other antioxidants.

8. Papayas

It's the final fruit...aaaaand it's papayas! These contain papain, a substance that helps improve your digestion. Papayas also provide a lot of vitamin C and are a good source of folate.