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Pilates is known to improve strength and tone while helping to maintain a healthy posture, it’s the perfect workout for every type of body, young and old. So when we find a Pilates workout that promises defined abs and a tighter core we simply must share. 

Kirsten King, owner of Fluidform Pilates and creator of the at-home program Fluidform at Home, is the master at programming exercises that are short, sharp and successful at targeting the areas that are often hard to tone; and, thankfully, you don’t need to leave your home to get results.

This ab workout features controlled planking, a focus on mindful breathing and easy-to-follow cues to help you achieve each of the exercises in the correct way. It’s not about fast, uncontrolled and incorrect crunches, instead it’s all about nailing the correct technique to target those hard-to-tone stomach muscles. All you need is a Triadball and you’ll be feeling the burn tomorrow.

The workout is part of the Fluidform at Home online program, so if you want more head to fluidformpilates.com.au to sign up for the Pilates program that’s got a celebrity following.

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“I don’t exercise because I hate the gym.”

Sounds like something you’d say? Then try this cardio workout to get fit at home — no gym or equipment needed.

Want more 5-move workouts? Go here for every entry in the series

The cardio circuit in this video has five moves, and for each move there’s an easy exercise option and a hard exercise option — choose the one that suits your fitness ability.

After you’ve warmed up do each exercise for 40 seconds, take a 20-second break, then move onto the next one. Once you’ve finished all five, take a 60-second break (if needed), then repeat the whole circuit at least four times. Download an interval timer app on your phone to keep track on the timing.

Exercise 1

Easy: Toe taps — step. Standing with your feet about hip-width apart, reach down with your right hand as you pull up with your left foot. Drop your foot to the ground, then repeat on the other side. Follow that pattern for the whole set.

Hard: Toe taps. A similar set-up as above, but with a higher tempo. Try to hold the same pace through the whole 40-second interval, but if needed, drop back to the easier version of the exercise.

Exercise 2

Easy: Alternating lunge. Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart. Imagine you’re standing with each foot on parallel train tracks — take a big step forward, keeping your front foot on that train track (not in front of your other foot, as if you’re walking a tightrope). Lower yourself until your back knee is almost touching the floor. Keep your chest up and your weight on the front foot as you drive off the floor. Alternate legs throughout the set.

Hard: Jumping lunge. Keep your weight on the front foot and jump from leg to leg, using your arms to gain momentum. If this gets tough, drop back to the alternating lunge rather than stopping.

Exercise 3

Easy: Jumping jack. This is an exercise classic. Two pointers: First, work at a tempo you can maintain the whole 40 seconds, and try not to slow down (and definitely don’t stop). Second, keep the movements sharp — no sloppy jacks! If the jumping jack is a bit too high impact to you, keep the arm movement but step out to the side instead of jumping, one foot at a time.

Hard: Star jump with squat. Add a squat into the movement. By the end of this set, your legs should buuuuurn.

Exercise 4

Easy: Seal jack — step side-to-side. Start standing upright and step out to the side with your left leg, bending your right knee as you do. Step back in and stand upright, then repeat on the other side. As you step in and out, your arms open and close in front of you — keep them straight and level with your shoulders.

Hard: Seal jack. This is similar to a traditional jumping jack, but your arms come in front of you instead of overhead. Keep your arms straight and level with your shoulders to hold the tension in them, and make each movement short and sharp. (No sloppy seal jacks!)

Exercise 5

Easy: Low-impact burpee. Start in a standing position and squat down, bring your hands to the floor and step each of your feet back until you’re in a high push-up position. (You can also jump both feet back together, for slightly added difficulty.) Depending on your ability level, add in a push-up here — do it from your knees to make it easier, if you need to. Step each of your feet back in between your hands (or jump them back together), then stand up. That’s one burpee.

Hard: Burpee. Aah, the dreaded burpee. Start in a standing position and squat down, bring your hands to the floor and jumping back with your feet at the same time. You’re now in a high push-up position — the perfect place to do a push-up. (You can lower your knees to the floor to make the push-up easier, if need be.) Reverse the movement pattern to come back to standing — that’s one burpee. Count how many you do in the first 40-second set, then try to beat it each set.

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Most health talk focusses on weight loss, but for some people – particularly young men – it’s maintaining or gaining weight that is the challenge.

So if you want to stop feeling scrawny and add muscle, what can you do?

Obviously, you need to train smart — but all those workouts may be wasted if they’re not supported by what you eat.

Simone Austin, advanced sports dietitian and author of Eat Like An Athlete, shares her nutrition strategies for gaining weight the healthy way.

RELATED: How to eat like an athlete (even if you’re not one)

Remember carbs and fat

The words “muscle gain” and “protein” tend to go hand in hand, but Austin says that if you want to gain weight, you can’t forget about the two other macronutrients: carbohydrate and fat.

“Sometimes these people are restricting their carbohydrate intake and thinking all they need is protein, but they need carbohydrates and good fats too,” she says.

“That will give you the extra calories you need to run your metabolism and do your training, then you can use most of the protein [you consume] to replace cells and hormones, create new muscle mass and run your immune system.”

The focus should be on high-quality carbs like whole grains, grainy breads and brown pasta, as well as oily fish, nuts, seeds, avocado and dairy foods for fats.

RELATED: Bulking 101: The best way to gain mass this winter

Eat more

For a lot of skinny people, Austin says the challenge is to remember to eat more.

“Some people are not that fussed about food – they just eat to survive – and if they’re hungry and doing something else, they might just ignore it and continue what they’re doing,” she says.

“But you need extra calories to run your metabolism and do your exercise and training.”

If you struggle to eat much, Austin says you should be focusing your efforts on foods that are energy-dense.

“For them it might mean nuts, seeds, avocado, eggs, cheese and tuna,” she says.

“Add extra virgin olive oil to your vegetables and salads and [make sure you] eat every few hours.”

You want to make sure you eat within the hour prior to exercising, then have some protein and carbohydrates straight after your workout.

“That will replace the calories you lost in exercise, so you can spare the extra ones to grow muscle,” Austin explains.

When it comes to protein, Austin says you want around 20-30g of protein per meal, as well as quality carbohydrates and fats.

“Two eggs would have 12 grams, two slices of toast would give you another four grams, then you might have a glass of milk or some fetta cheese with it,” she explains.

RELATED: To build muscle, the weight you lift matters less than you think

Eat clean

If you’re naturally skinny, it might feel like you have a licence to eat as many chips, burgers or chocolates as you like, but Austin says this is so-called “dirty bulk” is misguided.

“That food isn’t very nourishing,” she says.

“For one, it’s not good for your gut bacteria, and therefore not good for your mood. It’s also not good in terms of risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer because poor fats increase our cholesterol level.”

Austin says it’s important people don’t mistake being skinny for being healthy.

“You can be thin and have high blood pressure and high cholesterol,” she says.

“Weight is not necessarily a measure of your health – skinner doesn’t mean better.”

RELATED: Why it’s almost impossible to lose fat and gain muscle at the same time

Be patient

Weight gain can be a slow process, so give yourself plenty of time to reach your goals — and acknowledge that naturally slender fellas are never going to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“It can be very hard for someone to put on weight, just as it can be hard for others to take weight off,” Austin says.

It’s important to take a balanced and relaxed approach to weight gain, trying to enjoy the process of eating wholesome, hearty foods and building strength and fitness.

At the same time, using some meditation techniques or taking time out from busy schedules can actually help too.

“When people are stressed or anxious, it can increase the burning of calories, and that’s not good either,” Austin points out.

READ NEXT: The fastest ways to lose weight, build muscle and get fit

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