If you’re looking for a low-impact, effective workout that only requires your body and an exercise mat, Pilates could be for you. There are several types of Pilates available, including in-person or group classes in a studio on specialized equipment like the Pilates Reformer, or simpler mat Pilates that can be done in the comfort of your living room or home gym. Don’t be intimidated by unfamiliar terminology and movements; even beginners can give Pilates a try and find the exercises challenging yet accessible.
Benefits of trying Pilates
“Pilates exercises combine total-body stretching and strengthening,” says Nicole Simonin, ACE certified personal trainer, health coach, and certified Pilates instructor, “and deepen the mind-body connection through breathing techniques and visualization. Pilates can help reduce stress and fatigue, correct muscle imbalances and poor posture, improve daily activities, and maintain independence as you age.”
She explains that mat Pilates is a great fitness alternative for people who don’t want to do traditional or high-intensity exercises, or who want to add variety and functional movement to their regular training routine. With no jumping or joint-stressing movements, Pilates is a great exercise for people who suffer from arthritis, back pain, incontinence, or other chronic conditions.
Pilates Tips for Beginners
The most important thing to know when beginning a Mat Pilates practice: form is essential, breathing is key, and controlled, purposeful movement is the goal.
We recommend starting slow, simple and steady to learn proper form and find your limits in terms of strength, range, movement, etc. Simonin suggests focusing primarily on engaging and engaging your deep core muscles. Imagine drawing your navel back into your spine and drawing your lower ribs in. Don’t forget to use your breath (especially your exhale!) to deepen this core activation.
“the best [beginner Pilates] “These exercises build the foundation that’s essential for a safe, supportive, and successful Pilates practice,” says Tabatha Russell, master Pilates educator and owner of tabPILATES and Bodyworks Center Inc. in Chicago.
Russell added that when teaching basic exercises in class, it’s important for beginners to practice in different positions, such as standing, sitting, on all fours, lying on their backs and prone.
Trying a new exercise regimen for the first time can be daunting, and you might feel a little frustrated at first as you practice each movement and its specific instructions. Simonin encourages sticking with it as you teach your body how to move in new ways; it takes practice.
Mat Pilates Exercises for Beginners
Here are eight beginner-friendly mat Pilates moves that combine the perfect upper, middle and lower body movements. They may seem simple, but when performed with intention and proper form, they’ll have you burning (often in multiple places) in no time.
Start by doing 10 repetitions of each exercise. If the exercises are unilateral (such as side clams), do 10 repetitions on each side.
Shoulder Bridge
Kaylee Whitman
“It’s a great first exercise because it warms up your spine and engages your hamstrings,” says Randy Stone, owner of NYC Pilates.
- To begin, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Extend your arms straight along your sides.
- Squeeze your glutes and exhale as you lift your hips 4 to 6 inches off the floor.
- Inhale and slowly lower your hips to the floor and repeat once.
Toe tap (marching)
Kaylee Whitman
Here are some great exercises to tone your abs. zero Crunch!
- First, lie on your back.
- Lift your feet off the floor and assume a tabletop position, with your knees over your hips and your lower legs parallel to the floor.
- Extend your arms straight out to the sides of your body.
- Inhale and slowly lower your right foot toward the floor (keeping your leg bent at 90 degrees).
- Tap only your toes lightly on the floor.
- Exhale as you return your right leg to its starting position.
- Repeat with your left foot, alternating between lowering and tapping your feet for a total of 10 repetitions.
Hundred people
Kaylee Whitman
“This is the opening exercise in a traditional Pilates workout,” Stone explains, and it gets the blood flowing while working your core muscles.
- Start by lying on your back and lifting each leg, one at a time, into tabletop position (knees over hips, shins parallel to both the floor and ceiling).
- Lift your arms a few inches off the floor and extend them straight along your sides.
- Keeping your core active, exhale and lift your head and shoulder blades off the floor.
- Keeping your feet and torso still and stable, begin to move your arms up and down at a fast but controlled pace, limiting movements to no more than 2 inches.
- Breathe in for a count of 5 and out for a count of 5. Repeat this 10 times.
Rollback, Rollup
Kaylee Whitman
This is another classic Pilates exercise that helps build core strength, says Stone. Beginners should start with just rolling back to keep the range of motion small (you don’t need to roll all the way to the floor right away), and then work your way up from there.
- Begin sitting on your mat with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Extend your arms in front of you, parallel to the floor at shoulder height.
- As you exhale, slowly roll your torso halfway, vertebrae by vertebrae, to the floor, remembering to use your abdominal muscles rather than your hip flexors for stability and control.
- As you inhale, slowly raise your torso back up to a sitting position.
swimming
Kaylee Whitman
“This is a great exercise for strengthening the deep abdominal stabilizers that run up and down your spine,” says Stone, with a nice bonus: it also works your glutes and hamstrings.
- Start in a prone position.
- Extend your arms straight above your head.
- Engage your core, squeeze your glutes, and press your cheeks into your chest.
- Lift your chest and feet a few inches off the floor (similar to Superman position).
- As you inhale and exhale, kick your legs up and flap your arms up and down at the same time, creating a “swimming” motion at a moderate pace.
- Do this for 10-20 seconds, rest, and then repeat.
Wall squats
Kaylee Whitman
“This exercise improves posture awareness and engages the pelvic floor, hips, and front and back legs,” says Stone.
- First, stand and lean your back against a wall.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, about one foot away from the wall.
- Extend your arms straight out in front of you at shoulder height, parallel to the floor.
- Inhale and lower yourself 6 to 12 inches, using your back against the wall and your feet on the floor for support.
- Continue holding this isometric squat for 10 seconds while breathing in and out deeply.
- Slide up the wall and back to your starting position.
Cat and cow
Kaylee Whitman
This is a great movement to stretch your entire back and neck.
- Start in an all-fours position on the mat.
- Inhale, and as you exhale, tuck your chin toward your chest, round your spine to your side, and tuck your tailbone under your pelvis.
- Inhale again and tilt your nose and tailbone toward the ceiling, arch your spine, and expand your abdomen, lowering it toward the floor.
- Repeat this combo 10 times in a smooth motion, synchronized with your breath.
Horizontal clam
Kaylee Whitman
This exercise targets the glutes and lower back.
- Lie on your right side with your legs bent and stacked.
- Place one arm under your head and neck for support.
- Keeping your ankles together and your hips facing forward, lift your top knee about 6 inches and then slowly lower it. Focus on using only your glutes (not your back) to contract and lift your right leg (i.e., open up the clamshell).
- Repeat this 10 times, then turn to the other side and repeat this 10 times while lying on your left side.
