As a runner, I think that having a strong core is just as important as having strong legs for running. Your core is like a corset for your body; it keeps you stable when you run, walk, and lift. You can strengthen your body without any impact by doing Pilates. You’ll focus on aligning your whole body, strengthening your core, and fixing any muscle imbalances with small, controlled movements.
I’ve been doing Pilates for ten years. It helped me finish five marathons and rebuild my core after having a baby two years ago. The side lying double leg lift is one of my favorite exercises for really working my obliques and the muscles in my inner and outer thighs. Keep reading to learn more.
If you’re getting back into exercise after a long break or you’re a total beginner, you’re healing from an injury, or you’re pregnant or just had a baby, it’s always best to get personalized advice from a qualified professional.
What is the workout, and how do you do it?
The Pilates side lying double leg lift looks a lot easier than it is, but it’s a great way to work your deep core internal and external obliques, and thighs. You only need your body weight for this exercise, but you might want to lie down on one of the best yoga mats to make it more comfortable.
- You can lie on your side with your lower arm supporting your head or stretch your arm out in line with your body and rest your head on it. Put your other arm in front of your body.
- Stack your hips and shoulders on top of each other, and move your legs a little bit in front of your hips to keep your balance.
- To tighten your core, think about bracing it as if you were about to be punched. Then, zip up and in your deep core and pelvic floor muscles.
- Squeeze your inner thighs together and lift both legs up toward the ceiling. Use your obliques which are the muscles that run along the sides of your abs, to control the movement.
- Stop at the top, then carefully bring both legs back down to the mat.
- Your hips should stay in line with each other during the whole exercise. Don’t rock back or arch your back. Try to do 6 to 10 reps on each side, and finish all of your reps before moving on to the other side.
What are the good things?
Strong obliques
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Your obliques, not your hips, should do the leg lift here. Even if you can only lift your legs a few inches off the ground, make sure to move from your core. Your deep core muscles, the transverse abdominis, will be working hard to keep your body stable as you move. When both legs lift, you’ll be firing into the inner and outer obliques.
Focusing on the deep muscles in the lower back
This exercise also works the quadratus lumborum which is a deep muscle in the lower back that keeps your spine and pelvis stable. If you sit at a desk a lot, this is a good muscle to work on because a weak QL muscle is the main cause of deep lower back and lateral hip pain.
What to read next: a womans abs on display
This is the easy Pilates move I do to shape all the muscles in my core and abs without doing sit ups or crunches.
I do this easy Pilates move to strengthen my core, lower back, glutes, and shoulders while also working on my stability and posture. Forget about crunches, planks, and sit-ups.
No sit ups or planks: This 5 minute Pilates routine works on your deep core to make it stronger and more stable.
Working on the thighs
Those little leg lifts are working the adductors and abductors, which are the muscles on the inside and outside of your thighs. As you lift, the top leg will use the glute medius and TFL muscles to lift against gravity. At the same time, the adductors in the bottom leg will be working to keep it off the ground. This can help make your hips more stable, which lowers your risk of knee strain during exercise and helps you move with better balance overall.
Focusing on lateral stability
If you’re a runner like me, you’ll spend a lot of time moving in a straight line back and forth. This exercise works in the frontal plane which helps you learn how to stay stable on the sides. This is important for improving balance and lowering the risk of injury.
What are the steps?
You can make this exercise harder by adding more equipment or making it less stable once you get the hang of it:
- You can easily make the exercise harder by adding weights, a resistance band, or a Pilates ball. Put the best ankle weights you have around your ankles to make your legs work harder. You can also put a mini band around your thighs or ankles and push against it as you lift. This will make the glute medius work harder while you lift. You could also put a Pilates ball between your ankles and squeeze it as you lift. This can help get the muscles in your pelvic floor and inner thighs moving.
- Raise your arm to the ceiling. The less support you have from the floor, the harder your core has to work to keep your body stable. Instead of putting your top hand on the floor in front of you, raise it up to the ceiling or put it on your top hip instead.
