There are some Pilates exercises that have become so recognisable they're basically the face of the whole method. The Criss-Cross - also known as the bicycle - is one of them. It's the move that pops up in every mat class, every online tutorial, every 'beginners guide to Pilates'. Most of us file it away as a core-strengthener and move on. But that undersells it. A lot.
I've tried enough Pilates exercises to know that the moves you often think you know the most are often the ones doing the most work - and criss-cross is a prime example. As someone who spends long hours hunched over a laptop, I'm always drawn to moves that promise more than they first let on. And when I started digging a little deeper into what criss-cross is actually doing, it turns out there's a lot more happening beneath the surface than your average ab exercise.
