Say goodbye to crunches - this easy abs exercise is a favourite for building 'deep core control and pelvic stability', Pilates instructors say
The toe taps exercise comes straight from Pilates - you won't be sweating it out, but you'll certainly feel it working
Sometimes, it's good to get something for little (to no) effort. In fitness, that rarely happens. So, you can imagine that I cracked a small smile when I started adding toe taps to my core exercise routine and saw the benefits.
These are done lying on the floor on your back, making them the perfect finisher to a strength or bodyweight Pilates workout. As a runner and keen walker, I always underestimate the importance of core strength, but it's certainly worth prioritising - especially when it's this easy.
"Toe taps to the floor, done from a tabletop position, are absolutely a worthwhile core exercise as the move builds deep core control and stability," agrees Rebecca Dadoun, a Pilates instructor and the founder of Pilates Prescription.
How to do the toe taps exercise
- Lie down on the floor - on a thicker yoga mat if it's more comfortable for you.
- Lift your legs up into a tabletop position, which is 90 degrees in the air.
- Keeping your spine and pelvis neutral, drop one leg towards the floor by moving gently at the hip, tapping the floor with your big toe.
- Maintaining control, bring your foot up to the starting position and repeat.
- "Move in sync with your breath by exhaling as you lower the leg down and inhaling as you draw the knee back up above the hip," says Rebecca.
A common mistake to avoid: While this exercise looks very easy, it's important to do it right to reap the benefits. "Only lower the leg as far as you can while maintaining stability," says the instructor. "The goal is not to touch the floor at all costs. If your lower back begins to lift or your pelvis shifts, reduce the range of motion."
Can you make toe taps harder?
If you're a pro on the yoga mat and you want to make your toe taps harder on your core, there are a few ways you can progress the exercise. "Try lowering both legs at the same time instead of one, or add extra resistance using a resistance band or Pilates ball," says Rebecca.
"Introducing instability, such as placing a ball under the pelvis, will further challenge your core control and balance. You can also increase the intensity by lifting the head and shoulders into an abdominal curl, or by holding light hand weights and raising the arms during the movement," she explains.
Other variations of the movement, like the dead bug exercise, are also more challenging and make hard work of your coordination and stability.
What are the benefits of the toe taps exercise?
- Boost deep core strength: There is a muscle deep in the core called the transverse abdominis. It wraps around the pelvic floor. This exercise forces these two often under-worked muscles into action as they have to stabilise the pelvis and spine while your legs move.
- Improves spine stability: Along with the deep core muscles and the pelvic floor, as you press your lower back into the ground and try to maintain a neutral position during the toe taps, you're also working all the tiny muscles that stabilise the spine.
- Good for beginners: If you've just started doing Pilates workouts at home, you'll find toe taps a great exercise. They feel easy enough to do with limited core strength (as we say, no planks here), but you'll still feel 'the burn'.
- Helps you relax: Rebecca emphasises the importance of breathing through this exercise, and breathing from deep within (rather than from the chest) triggers our 'rest and digest' function.
