Welcome to Day 5 of Fitness Blender’s Free 2 Week Challenge! (note: there is no day 6 or 7, jump straight to day 8)

Today, we are focusing on your core in this Pilates routine. This "no repeats" workout should feel great after all your hard work over the past four days.  

**Workout Highlights**
• 32 minutes, 3/5 difficulty
• 45 seconds on // 15 seconds off
• Equipment: exercise mat
• Warm-up and cool-down included
• Two water breaks
• Scroll down for modifications

This 32-minute workout has a 4-minute warm-up and a cool-down of the same length at the end. The body of the workout is about 20 minutes with no repeated exercises. The warm-up consists of exercises to help you engage your deep abdominal muscles and prepare them for this Pilates routine. The cool-down has some great stretches for your body, but feel free to do your own stretches if you prefer. 

If you have been doing Pilates with me for a while, you will notice an exercise we haven't done before: the Saw! This exercise is excellent for simultaneously targeting your core and stretching your hammies and spine! If the Saw is new to you, here is a breakdown of the exercise: 

Begin by lying on your back, inhale to prepare, then exhale and roll yourself up to a tall sitting position with your arms out in front of you. Keep length in your spine as you twist your trunk to the left, then reach your right hand towards the outside of your left foot. Keep both sit bones anchored in the mat. Return to the tall sitting position, then slowly roll your spine down one vertebra at a time. Repeat and twist to the right. Since this is a Pilates-based routine, I want to mention the rib-to-hip connection. That means engaging your abdominals to bring your ribs closer to your hips or pelvis without rounding forward or arching your spine backward. Keep your spine straight, chest up, and rib cage down. When the ribs and hips are "connected," you are in a neutral spine position. 

Here are some suggestions for modifications:
• Half Roll Downs - keep your hands on the back of your thighs
• Hundreds - three options for leg position:
     • Tabletop
​​​​​​​     • Knees straight, toes up to the ceiling
​​​​​​​     • Legs straight on the 45-degree angle
• Side Plank - if keeping your leg lifted is too challenging, you can place your toes on the ground
• Teasers - three options:
​​​​​​​     • Knees bent, keep feet on the floor
​​​​​​​     • Lift bent knees off the floor (think boat pose in yoga)
​​​​​​​     • Full Teaser with straight legs

WORKOUT 
Warm-Up (4 ish minutes)
35 seconds each
​​​​​​​• Cat/Camel
​​​​​​​• Bear Knee Lifts
​​​​​​​• Half Roll Downs
​​​​​​​• Deadbugs - R Arm/L Leg
​​​​​​​• Deadbugs - L Arm/R Leg
​​​​​​​• Bridges
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​• Plank/Runner's Lunge

Workout (20 minutes)
45 seconds on // 15 seconds off
​​​​​​​• Oblique Ankle Touches
​​​​​​​• Single Leg Stretch Crunch - R
​​​​​​​• Single Leg Stretch Crunch - L
​​​​​​​• Hundreds

*Water Break*
​​​​​​​• Scissors
​​​​​​​• Bicycles
​​​​​​​• Saw
​​​​​​​• Quadruped Knee To Elbow (KTE) - R arm, L leg
​​​​​​​• Quadruped KTE - L arm, R leg
​​​​​​​• Side Plank/Leg Lifts - R
​​​​​​​• Side Plank/KTE - R
​​​​​​​• Side Plank/Leg Pulse/Waist Wrap - R
​​​​​​​• Side Plank/Leg Lifts - L
​​​​​​​• Side Plank/KTE - L
​​​​​​​• Side Plank/Leg Pulses/Waist Wrap - L

*Water Break*
​​​​​​​• Side Hip IR/Abduction - L
​​​​​​​• Sidelying Fire Hydrants - L
​​​​​​​• Sidelying Hip IR to Abduction - R
​​​​​​​• Sidelying Fire Hydrants - R
​​​​​​​• Teasers

Cool-Down (4 minutes)
35 seconds each
​​​​​​​• Hamstrings - R
​​​​​​​• Hamstrings - L
​​​​​​​• Piriformis - R
​​​​​​​• Piriformis - L
​​​​​​​• Hip Flexors - R
​​​​​​​• Hip Flexors - L
​​​​​​​• Alternating Mermaid

I hope you enjoyed Day 5 of this challenge. Thanks for working out with me! 

Happy Exercising!