It’s never too early to contemplate strengthening and toning your abdominals, or abs, for swimsuit season. Tight abs not only help you look your best, but strengthening your core muscles also supports your back, leading to better posture, balance, coordination, flexibility, and alignment. Pilates-based ab work also lowers stress levels and releases endorphins—good news since feeling good is the first step toward looking good.

How It Works

To get you started, here’s an abs exercise that really works the deep abdominal muscles of your core area using a Pilates-based movement. It’s known as the Half Roll Back.

“Pilates is the strongest technique for strengthening the core because it triggers the pelvic floor muscles—deep in the core region you don’t see,” says Bonnie Herbert, a personal trainer certified by the American Council on Exercise. The key, she says, is exhaling and inhaling deeply to help trigger those deep abdominal muscles to contract.

You’ll target your entire abs region and the pelvic floor muscles located in the pelvic region, between the hips, which support the internal organs and bladder control. Childbirth, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, obesity, and surgery (hysterectomy in women, prostectomy in men) can damage the pelvic floor, so these are important muscles to strengthen.

Work It

Start by sitting on the floor with your legs together and your knees bent. Place your feet flat on the floor pointed forward. With your back as straight as possible, keep your head and neck in a neutral position as you hold a stability ball straight out in front of you.

The Movement

Inhale to lengthen and prepare the spine while contracting your core muscles. Exhale and roll your pelvis back, creating a C-curve shape through your spine by using your abs. Inhale and hold for 3 to 5 seconds. Tuck your chin to your chest and exhale while rolling forward to bring your head down to touch your knees. Inhale and return to the starting position. Repeat this sequence 8 to 10 times, resting for 5 seconds between sets. As you get stronger, you can roll back farther.