Targets: Abdominals
Equipment: Exercise mat
Level: Beginner
The hundred is a quintessential Pilates mat exercise performed at the beginning of most Pilates classes. The exercise is named after the 100 pumps your arms make while holding your legs, head, and shoulders off the mat. Joseph Pilates introduced the hundred as the first exercise of the mat work series in his book "Return to Life Through Contrology."
Watch Now: How to Do the Classic Pilates Hundred Like a Pro
Benefits of the Pilates Hundred
The Hundred is a dynamic warmup for the abdominals and lungs that requires you to coordinate your breath with the movement while being strong and graceful. The Hundred recruits your abdominal muscles, including the laterals, and develops scapular and trunk stabilization. It is challenging, but the Hundred has modifications if you have back or neck issues.
Step-by-Step Guide to the Pilates Hundred
Lie on your back and raise your legs to a 45-degree angle if your core strength can maintain the hold, or bend your knees to a 90-degree angle with your knees over your hips in a tabletop position with shins and ankles parallel to the floor.
- Inhale.
- Exhale. Bring your head up with your chin down and, using your abdominal muscles, curl your upper spine up off the floor to the base of your shoulder blades. Keep the shoulders sliding down and engaged in the back. Gaze down into the scoop of the abs. Stay here and inhale.
- Exhale. At the same time, deepen the pull of the abs and extend your arms and legs. Reach your legs toward where the wall and ceiling meet in front of you. You can adjust them higher if need be, or lower for more advanced work. Your legs should only be as low as you can go without shaking and without the lower spine pulling off the mat. Extend your arms straight and low, just a few inches off the floor, with the fingertips reaching for the far wall.
- Hold your position. Take five short breaths in and five short breaths out (like sniffing in and puffing out). While doing so, move your arms in a controlled up-and-down manner—a small but dynamic pumping of the arms. Be sure to keep your shoulders and neck relaxed. It is the abdominal muscles that should be doing all the work.
- Do a cycle of 10 full breaths. Each cycle is five short in-breaths and then five short out-breaths. The arms pump up and down—about a 6- to 8-inch pump—in unison with your breath. Keep your abs scooped, back flat on the floor, and head an extension of your spine, gazing down. Breathing big is important. Breathe into your back and sides. If this is unfamiliar to you, practice your lateral breathing.
- To finish, keep your spine curved as you bring your knees in toward your chest. Grasp your knees, and roll your upper spine and head down to the floor. Take a deep breath in and out.
Pilates Hundred: Common Mistakes
Chin Pointed Up
With your head raised off the mat, you might find your chin pointed at the ceiling. This increases the tension in your neck. Instead, it should be tucked down toward your chest but still leave enough room that you could be cradling an egg between your chin and your chest.
Legs Too Low
Don't allow your legs to go too low and cause your back to arch. If that happens you're using your back muscles instead of your abs.
Pilates Hundred: Modifications and Variations
Need a Modification?
People with upper back and neck issues can do the Pilates Hundred with legs extended or tabletop but the head down on the mat.
- In the least challenging modification, you can keep your head and feet on the mat (with bent knees). Once you master that position, you can raise one leg into a tabletop position while keeping the other foot on the mat. Switch your legs halfway through the Pilates Hundred.
- To modify the Hundred, keep your legs in tabletop. This will be less challenging than doing it with extended legs. In this position, your back is on the floor, legs raised, and knees until your thighs are perpendicular to the floor. Your lower legs form a flat level "tabletop" while your thighs are the table legs. You can also do the Pilates Hundred with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, lifting only the upper body.
Up for a Challenge?
To make the Pilates Hundred more challenging, lower your legs, but not past where you can control the movement. A 45-degree angle is enough. Don't let your spine peel off the floor as you lower your legs.
Safety and Precautions
If you feel neck strain, return your head to the mat and do the Pilates Hundred with your head on the mat. If you have a pelvic floor problem, avoid the Hundred as it places downward pressure on the pelvic floor.
Try the Pilates Hundred
Incorporate this move and similar ones into one of these popular workouts: