Try the Pilates Hundred to Builds Deep Core Strength and Reduce Lower Back Pain
Situps are a timeless abs exercise. You probably remember doing them long before you ever picked up a pair of dumbbells or stepped foot in a gym. But even the classics can get a little boring after a while. When that happens, it's worth swapping in a new exercise that challenges your core in a completely different way. Enter the Pilates hundred, a deceptively tough alternative.
"The Pilates hundred is an isometric abdominal exercise-similar to a hollow hold-when the abdominals are challenged for approximately one to two minutes depending upon the speed and breath pattern," says Catherine Fair, a Pilates instructor at Life Time Westchester. "It's one of the best exercises to deeply engage the transverse abdominis."
The transverse abdominis is the deepest layer of your core. A shredded set of abs is nice, but training it goes beyond aesthetics, as it plays a key role in spinal stability, posture, and protecting the lower back. The Pilates hundred also targets the rectus abdominis, obliques, and other supporting muscles like the hip flexors and deep stabilizers in your spine as you hold the position and control your breathing.
How to Do the Pilates Hundred
- Lie on your back with your legs in a tabletop position with knees bent at 90 degrees or fully extended at a 45-degree angle.
- Keep your arms long by your sides, and lift your head, neck, and shoulders slightly off the floor.
- Engage your core and raise your arms a few inches off the floor. Pump your arms up and down in small, controlled movements while keeping the upper body steady.
- Inhale for 5 arm pumps and exhale for 5 arm pumps, continuing this breathing pattern until you reach 100 total pumps.
Modifications and Progressions
"In Pilates, we say, 'There are a hundred ways to do the hundred!'" Fair shares. "For those with neck injuries, the head can be kept flat on the mat. For low back strain or injury, the feet can remain on the mat.
To make the move more challenging, consider trying it on a Pilates reformer, where your hands press into straps attached to springs for constant resistance. You can also increase the difficulty by narrowing your base of support and balancing on a smaller surface, like a Pilates chair or BOSU. Dropping your legs closer to about 15 degrees also significantly increases the load on your core, forcing your abs to work harder to maintain position and control.
What Are the Benefits?
The Pilates hundred builds core strength by challenging the deepest abdominals against the "load" created by extended legs and a lifted head and shoulders. Holding that position forces a sustained contraction through the midsection, especially in the transverse abdominis. Strengthening the deep core plays a major role in stabilizing and protecting your spine during everyday movement and heavy lifts alike. It can also help reduce and prevent lower back pain.
The intentional breathwork also helps set this core move apart. Inhaling for five counts and exhaling for five counts with each set of 10 pumps keeps constant tension on the core while reinforcing control. Keeping a steady pace helps build muscular endurance, sharpen focus, and keep oxygen flowing.
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This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Apr 27, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 12:29 PM.