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Fit&Well reports that Pilates instructor and strength coach Rebecca Daodun does four core exercises each week: weighted side bends, standing cross-body knee drives, the Hundred and back extensions. Her explanation is that core training can include controlling movement in several directions, rather than focusing only on abdominal curls.
Pilates instructor and strength coach Rebecca Daodun says she includes four exercises in her weekly routine to work the core: a weighted side bend, a standing cross-body knee drive, the Pilates Hundred and a back extension. In a report by Fit&Well, Daodun describes the selection as a way to challenge the trunk in different positions and directions, rather than relying only on crunches.
The exercises target different movement demands, according to Daodun. A weighted side bend trains the trunk to bend sideways against resistance, while a standing cross-body knee drive combines a balance challenge with bringing the opposite arm and knee toward each other. Fit&Well lists eight to 12 repetitions for each of these moves.
The Hundred, a classical Pilates exercise, keeps the torso curled while the arms pump and the legs stay raised. The report suggests two to three sets of 30 arm pumps, with the legs bent or extended depending on the challenge. Daodun also includes back extensions, which raise the chest and arms from a face-down position; the listed range is eight to 12 repetitions.
Fit&Well’s instructions emphasize controlled movement and stable positioning. For the side bend, the report advises keeping the ribs stacked over the pelvis. During the knee drive, the standing leg and pelvis should remain steady. For the Hundred, it recommends rhythmic breathing, a relaxed neck and keeping the lower back against the floor. The back extension instructions call for a long neck and grounded pelvis.
Core Training Beyond Crunches
The report’s central point is that core strength involves more than the front abdominal muscles. Daodun says the trunk also needs to bend and rotate, resist movement, transfer force between the upper and lower body, and help keep the body stable while the limbs move. The four exercises reflect several of those demands through side bending, cross-body movement, sustained abdominal effort and back extension.
For readers choosing exercises, the distinction offers a practical way to think about variety: a routine can include movements that challenge balance and trunk control alongside familiar abdominal curls. The article does not present the four moves as a guaranteed route to visible abs or as a complete training plan. It reports Daodun’s personal weekly selection and her reasoning for including it.
Why Daodun Varies Movement
Fit&Well frames Daodun’s routine as an alternative to relying on sit-ups and crunches alone. The source acknowledges that those exercises can strengthen abdominal muscles, while noting that they focus on repeated spinal flexion and do not, by themselves, cover every function of the core.
Daodun does not describe crunches as inherently bad. Instead, she says they “have their place” and argues that the trunk has a broader role. Her four selections put that idea into practice by including movements in different planes and positions, as well as work for the back of the trunk.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say that crunches are a bad core exercise—they have their place—but our core has a much bigger job than simply flexing the spine forwards.”
— Rebecca Daodun, Pilates instructor and strength coach, as quoted by Fit&Well
Limits of the Reported Routine
The Fit&Well report presents Daodun’s personal weekly exercise choices; it does not specify how many times per week she performs each move, how she combines them into a session, or what weights she uses. It also does not provide a comparison with other routines or evidence that these four exercises produce a particular result for all readers. The headline refers to building strong abs, but the source focuses on core exercise selection and does not report measured strength outcomes.
Adapting the Four Exercises
The source gives basic repetition guidance and several ways to adjust the challenge. For the Hundred, Daodun says readers can bend their knees or bring their legs closer to the body; extending and lowering the legs increases the demand. The report does not set out a progression schedule or individualized guidance, so readers would need to adapt the movements to their ability and follow qualified instruction where needed.
Key Questions
Which four exercises does Rebecca Daodun do each week?
Fit&Well reports that Daodun includes a weighted side bend, standing cross-body knee drive, the Hundred and a back extension.
Does Daodun say crunches are bad?
No. She says crunches “have their place,” while explaining that the core has functions beyond bending the spine forward.
How many repetitions does the report suggest?
Fit&Well lists eight to 12 repetitions for the side bend, knee drive and back extension. For the Hundred, it lists two to three sets of 30 arm pumps.
How can the Hundred be made easier?
Daodun says the exercise can be modified by bending the knees or bringing the legs closer to the body. The report also advises controlled breathing and keeping the neck relaxed.
Source: rss
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