This One Pilates Move Melts Belly Fat Faster Than Cardio
Pilates Pila – If you’ve been grinding through endless cardio sessions hoping to lose that stubborn melts belly fat, it might be time to shift your strategy. According to leading fitness trainers and recent wellness research, there’s one surprisingly simple Pilates move that melts belly fat faster than cardio and it can be done right at home in under five minutes a day.
The move is called The Pilates Hundred, and it’s taking over the fitness world once again in 2025. Once considered just a warm-up exercise, it’s now being recognized for what it really is: a deep core sculptor that ignites your metabolism, tones your abs, and triggers fat-burning across your entire midsection.
Thousands of people are replacing their 30-minute jogs with 3 rounds of this core-targeted Pilates move and the results are speaking for themselves.
The Pilates Hundred is a foundational move in classical Pilates. But don’t let the simplicity fool you when done correctly, it activates your transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, and obliques all at once while improving circulation and endurance.
To perform The Hundred, you lie on your back, raise your legs to a tabletop or extended position, lift your shoulders off the mat, and pump your arms up and down rapidly while maintaining strong core engagement. The “hundred” refers to the number of pumps (five inhalations and five exhalations for ten rounds).
It’s an intense abdominal endurance challenge and the controlled breathing component enhances fat oxidation in a way most cardio workouts can’t.
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Traditional cardio burns calories during the activity. But Pilates, especially moves like The Hundred, creates afterburn an elevated post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) effect that keeps your body burning fat long after the workout ends.
This specific move also strengthens the deep core muscles that flatten the stomach and pull everything inward. Unlike high-impact workouts that can spike cortisol (the stress hormone linked to belly fat), Pilates calms the nervous system while still delivering serious metabolic benefits.
You’re not just burning fat you’re training your body to stay lean, strong, and stress-resistant.
Top trainers and physiologists are now recommending The Hundred as a daily fat-burning tool, especially for those with joint issues, hormonal imbalances, or time constraints. Its low-impact nature makes it safe for nearly all fitness levels, while its results rival traditional gym routines.
Some even compare its effects to HIIT without the impact or exhaustion.
In a 2025 small-group study from the European Journal of Functional Training, participants who performed The Hundred daily for four weeks showed an average 2.5% reduction in abdominal fat, compared to just 1.1% in the cardio-only group.
The best part? You don’t need equipment, space, or prior experience. You can do this Pilates move on a yoga mat, in your bedroom, or even during a break at work. All you need is consistency.
Start with just one set of 100 pumps. If your neck or legs fatigue, lower them while keeping your core engaged. As you get stronger, increase your leg height or add ankle weights for extra resistance.
You can pair The Hundred with a quick 10-minute Pilates flow for the ultimate fat-burning and muscle-toning combo.
A woman from Austin posted her 30-day transformation showing a visibly tighter waist and defined upper abs. Another user reported losing 2 inches off her midsection without changing her diet—just from adding The Hundred daily.
This isn’t a miracle move but it is one of the most efficient tools in the Pilates toolkit. Done right, it activates your core at a level few other exercises can reach.
If you’re bored of cardio, not seeing results, or just need a quick, effective way to target belly fat, The Pilates Hundred might be the missing piece.
Remember, consistency beats intensity. Commit to five minutes a day for the next three weeks and track how you feel.
Sometimes, one move really can make all the difference
