Pilates is a popular and effective way to improve flexibility and strengthen your core. But it’s a commitment and expensive, especially if you have never even tried the workouts. However, you can get a sense of what it feels like at home with nothing more than a mat.
Pilates exercises can ease low back pain, improve posture, strength, lower blood pressure and reduced arthritis pain. But it isn’t considered a cardiovascular workout and is best combined with other workouts like weight lifting, running or walking, said Benjamin Gordon, a professor of applied physiology and kinesiology at the University of Florida.
Most experts agree that it’s best to start with a certified instructor who can ensure you’re doing the moves correctly and won’t get hurt.
“For beginners, it’s especially important to understand the movements are all about control, versus using momentum,” said Ashley Goodwin, an exercise scientist at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research.
But if you are curious about the basics, it is possible to try Pilates out at home without any equipment. Focus on form, not speed.
Overview
Time: 10 minutes
Intensity: Low
Rounds: Do two rounds all the way through with a 30 second rest between.
What you’ll need
• No gear necessary
Adjust for you
Change the number of rounds to fit your ability.
The One-Leg Circle
Targets: Obliques and hips
Repetitions: One minute on each side
This is one of the safer moves you can do at home, according to Allison MacKenzie, an exercise science instructor at the University of Connecticut. Start by lying on your back with your arms at your sides, knees bent and feet on the floor. As you exhale, lift one knee toward you so that your shin is parallel to the floor. Keeping your knee bent, start slowly making small circles. If your hip bones feel uncomfortable, make the circles smaller.
Modify it: Increase the challenge by making slightly larger circles or by straightening the lifted leg toward the ceiling. Over time, you can also try straightening the other leg so it’s flat on the floor.
The Pilates 100
Targets: Deep abdominal muscles, arms and legs
Repetitions: Repeat with each leg 10 times, until you reach 100 pulses
This is a classic Pilates movement, but stop if you feel back or neck pain. Start by lying on your back with your arms at your sides, knees bent and feet on the floor. As you exhale, lift one leg, either with the knee bent or straight. Then pulse your arms up and down a few inches. Inhale for five pulses and exhale for five pulses. Switch legs.
Modify it: If that doesn’t feel doable, simply leave both feet on the floor. Or, make it more challenging by lifting both legs together and holding them there for all 100 arm pulses. Or lift your head and shoulders off the mat and straighten your legs.
The Swimming Exercise
Targets: Shoulders, glutes, core and lower back
Repetitions: Three sets, 10 on each side
Start on your hands and knees. Your hands should be under your shoulders and your knees under your hips, with your back flat and your core engaged. As you exhale, stretch one arm forward and parallel with the floor, keeping your core stable. Inhale as you place your hand back under your shoulder. Next, exhale as you extend one leg out behind you, parallel to the floor, and inhale as you return your knee to the ground.
Modify it: Make it more challenging by lifting both your arm and your opposite leg at the same time, similar to a bird dog.
The Cat Stretch
Targets: Spine mobility
Repetitions: 20 repetitions
For this stretch, often used in both Pilates and yoga, start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Slowly tuck your chin toward your chest and inhale as you round your upper back. Untuck your chin and exhale as you look forward while letting your spine ease down toward the floor.
