Ab Workouts: The Seal

The Seal! Not always Pilates...

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Muscles Worked

Abdominal Muscles

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The seal is most often used in Pilates, but who cares? It's fun and effective, so why not try it? In this exercise, the ab muscles are used to propel or create momentum for the rolling action. It's also a great lower back massage!

Start by sitting "indian style" with your arms between your knees and your hands grabbing the underside of your ankles (whatever keeps your hands from moving during the exercise). Keep the soles of your feet plastered together!

Now, roll yourself onto your back, maintaining that famous C-curve (pilates term) of the back. In other words, just try to keep your back curved throughout the motion.

Rock yourself back and forth for several repetitions and make sure to keep yourself straight. What I mean is, always keep your chin and feet the same distance apart without swaying to either side.

As your ab muscles create the momentum for the rocking motion, at the sime time you'll have a nice, gratifying lower back stimulation.

Step 1: Sit upright, connect the soles of your feet and hold onto your ankles.
Step 2: Roll yourself backwards and forwards, using your ab muscles to maintain momentum
Step 3: Keep going, and get a lower back massage while you're at it!

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