Pilates "belly flatteners"

All the fitness magazines are featuring Pilates exercises, and I decided to share my favorite "belly flattening" exercise, the Roll-up.


The key to learning the Roll-up is to start with one knee slightly bent. Then as you get stronger begin to straighten that leg, until you can complete the exercise with both legs straight.

If that doesn't help, try putting a folded towel in the small of your back for a little assistance, again removing it when you gain strength.

The key to making the Roll-up effective is to keep your heels on the ground and "peel" your vertabrae up from the floor one at a time.

I knew I had healed from my C-section when I could do the Roll-up again.

Models are typically not in their 40's. Give a girl a break. :)