Your core is the foundation on which every exercise builds upon. We asked a few of our Pilates experts for some pro tips for the core:

Pro tip from Aero Joe Pilates: You Need More than Crunches to Build Core Strength

Our "core muscles" include all the musculature that supports the spine. Many of our deepest, internal core muscles function primarily as the stabilizers of our torso. To really work our deep core muscles we need to perform movements that challenge our balance, taking us off our center of gravity and back again. Pilates uses dynamic movements, such as flowing from a front plank to a side plank, to build "Powerhouse" strength.

For at-home practice, try a traditional front plank (or for beginners - an "all-4's" set up) with "bird dog" variations: lifting one limb or opposing limbs from the mat to decrease the body's surface area of support. Good news! You can perform these bodyweight conditioning exercises almost anywhere! So the next time you have 10 minutes, get on the floor with the kiddos or puppy or bring a mat to work for quick self-care breaks. Play with different variations on the below. Your core will thank you!

Paige McClees with the PM Method put together an extremely tough core sequence for you to do at home, now or after the passport ends.

This challenging core sequence emphasizes spinal stability and endurance while dynamically moving the arms and legs away from your center. The further away you move the arms or legs, the greater the challenge on the abdominal muscles.

To modify: 1) lower your head, neck and shoulder down to the ground or pillow and focus on the press of the ball into the knees with the arms to engage abs 2) keep knees and arms flexed while moving them to reduce the lever arm 3) move just one arm or one leg away from the body instead of arms and legs together 4) shorten your range of motion and take breaks between the parts of the series

To advance: lower the arms and leg closer to the ground as your reach, increase range of motion, or take fewer breaks and perform series 2-3x through

If you do not have a ball, you can use a pillow, pilates ring, yoga block, etc to press between your hands and knees.

Areas to focus on:

maintain pressure through the tailbone and back of ribs without tucking your pelvis under (think neutral spine)
draw your stomach down and away from your shirt throughout the motion
avoid splaying your ribs or arching your back when legs and arms move away from the body
have fun and listen to your body ....good music always helps!