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Pilates has become extremely popular, especially after Miley Cyrus’ toned arms took social media by storm at this year’s Grammy Awards. After Miley’s performance, flowers At the awards ceremony, many women signed up for Pilates classes for the first time. This class is a pop star’s favorite exercise.
Traditional Pilates is taught on a reformer, a machine with springs and bands that provide resistance to the exercises, but the cost of the machine and the level of training instructors must undergo make Reformer Pilates financially prohibitive. It could be a large amount.
But if you’re worried about expensive classes or sweating it out with strangers, don’t worry. You can get strong arms like Miley from the comfort of your own home.
Pilates originates from Joseph Pilates, a reformer founder who coined the term “contrology”, which is the main focus of Pilates. Control theory involves movements that target specific muscle groups and train those groups to failure.
Although Pilates was originally intended to be performed using a reformer machine, it is now widely practiced without the use of a reformer machine, requiring only a yoga mat. I’ve been doing mat Pilates for a few years now, and I can confirm that you can get great results without a reformer (or a $200/month class subscription). Since I’m something of a seasoned mat Pilates warrior (I’ll add this title to my resume), I’ve learned how to maximize my at-home Pilates experience.
best pilates creator
Lily Sabri
I’ve been obsessed with Lily’s videos for years now. Partly because of her positive attitude and her fun music, but mostly because I’ve seen and felt a difference in her own core strength since watching her workouts. What I like about Lily’s videos is that many of them are short and target specific muscle groups like the lower abs, thighs, and buttocks.
I keep coming back to her deep core activation workouts because of the high intensity in a short amount of time. The way I see it, if you can easily scroll through TikTok for an hour with her, you should be able to easily do her 5-minute workout with a charismatic instructor and catchy music (and it is!).
Move with Nicole
If you’re looking for a mat Pilates class that closely resembles an in-person class format, Nicole is the one for you. Nicole offers videos tailored to all levels of Pilates enthusiasts, from beginner to master. Her soothing voice and gentle encouragement are sure to provide the motivation you need to get through your workout.
Renee Mowat
Pilates can be difficult, but Renee’s witty commentary and sense of humor make even the toughest mat Pilates workouts seem like they’re over in no time. Renee’s videos also earn you bonus girlfriend points. This is because laughing at her jokes while holding her plank activates her muscles more, so you’ll see the results of her workout faster. I tend to watch her long Pilates videos on YouTube, but there are also many people who don’t have the time or are looking for some Pilates type training inspiration to add to their current gym routine. Probably.
If you’re looking for Pilates workout inspiration but aren’t an avid YouTube user, we highly recommend Pilates influencers on TikTok.
Device
light dumbbells
Although Pilates is not traditionally performed with weights, some classes are taught with light hand weights, and I have found that using mat Pilates training can be more effective.
3- to 5-pound dumbbells can be added to many exercises to tone your abs and arms, such as crunches, side arm raises, and triceps kickbacks and extensions. Adding small dumbbells can greatly increase the effectiveness of strength-building exercises, so it’s a good idea to incorporate weights into your workouts if possible.
resistance bands
Resistance bands are similar to dumbbells in that they are often performed without Pilates, but I feel they can take your workout to the next level. I think it’s especially great for home training where you can move at your own pace. Rubber resistance bands are great for both arm and leg exercises, but I prefer cloth bands because they don’t pinch the skin or roll up easily.
One of my favorite sets is from Lululemon, but I recently found a seemingly comparable set on Amazon for a fraction of the price.
yoga mat
I’m very picky about the yoga mat I use, but honestly, any yoga mat will work for mat Pilates. My favorite brand of yoga mats is Gaiam, and while you can’t go wrong with any mat, I prefer a dry-grip yoga mat for Pilates because the texture of the mat prevents slipping. Lululemon also makes very good yoga mats, but they are more expensive. However, the quality and durability of the mat makes the price more reasonable.
From introducing some of my favorite creators to recommending the best equipment for mat Pilates at home, I hope these tips inspire you to give mat Pilates a try. You’ll love Mat Pilates.
