No crunches or planks — I use this dynamic Pilates exercise to build deep core strength, while also working on my shoulder and hip mobility

A woman holding a yoga mat with strong abs.

Move over crunches, there’s a Pilates exercise that gets far more rewards in the same amount of time. I’m a fitness editor and have practiced Pilates for the past decade. It’s helped keep me injury-free as I’ve trained for six marathons, as well as rebuild my core following the birth of my son two years ago.

One exercise that is a centerpiece of any abdominal sequence is the Pilates double leg stretch — read on to find out how to do it, plus the progressions to try once you’ve mastered the move.