The Hundred

The Hundred is a Pilates mat exercise that has been around for a long time. You'll be instructed to do it at the start of practically every Pilates class you take. The exercise is named after the 100 beats of your arms made while holding your legs extended and your head and shoulders off the mat.

The hundred is quite beneficial to your diaphragm. The way you breathe has an impact on how effectively your muscles function. While different breathing techniques are appropriate for different types of exercise, studies have shown that proper Pilates breathing techniques allow the diaphragm (the dome-shaped sheet of muscle and tendon that separates the chest from the abdomen) to activate and strengthen its core stabilizing muscles. Using the same breathing methods in everyday lifting tasks helps you become more aware of how your body moves, lowering your chance of back injury.

How to do:

• Inhale. Curl your upper spine up off the floor to the base of your shoulder blades by bringing your head up with your chin down and activating your abdominal muscles. Keep the shoulders lowered down and the back engaged. Take a look down into the abs' scoop. Stay still and take a deep breath.
• Exhale. Deepen your abs pull and stretch your arms and legs at the same moment. Stretch your legs toward the point in front of you where the wall and ceiling meet. You can raise them if necessary, or reduce them for more sophisticated tasks. Only drop your legs as low as you can without shivering or lifting your lower spine off the mat. Extend your arms straight and low, just a few inches above the floor, and reach towards the far wall with your fingers.
• Hold your position. Take five brief inhalations and five short exhalations (like sniffing in and puffing out). Move your arms in a controlled up and down motion while doing so—a modest yet dynamic pumping of the arms. Make sure your shoulders and neck are relaxed. All of the work should be done by the abdominal muscles.
• Perform a 10-full-breath cycle. Five brief in-breaths and five short out-breaths make up each cycle. In time with your breath, your arms pump up and down. Maintain a scooped abdominal position, a flat back, and a downward-gazing head as an extension of your spine. It's crucial to take deep breaths. Breathe deeply into your sides and back. If you're not used to it, practice lateral breathing.
• Finish by bringing your knees in toward your chest while keeping your spine curved. Roll your upper spine and head down to the floor while holding your knees. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly.