If you’re new to Pilates this is a great full body beginner’s pilates workout to get you started. If you’ve been practising for a while this routine is still enough of a challenge to work your whole body.
Practising Pilates regularly will get you a strong, toned body without needing a gym or equipment. If you’re short on time then Pilates is perfect for fitting into your day. You don’t need to do a long hard workout at all – just find a short amount of time to practice consistently and you’ll really see a difference.
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Four Point Kneeling Single Leg Extension
This is a great move for a full body beginner’s pilates workout. Starting in all fours with hands directly under shoulder and knees under hips, engage the core and keep the spine in neural. Inhale, and on the exhalation slide the right knee along the mat and extend the leg.
As you inhale return the leg to the start position. Repeat for a count of 10. Repeat on the other side once you’ve completed all the exercises for four-point kneeling.
Single Leg Circles
Keeping the right leg extended begin to draw small circles with your toe for a count of 10. Then reverse the circles for a count of 10.
Superman Variation
Returning to the start position on all fours take and in breath and extend the right leg and left arm along the mat. Exhale to lift into ‘superman’ with the core engaged and spine in neutral.
Lift and lower opposite arm and leg with the lift on the out breath. Repeat for a count of 10.
When you’ve finished this set return to the beginning and repeat all exercises on the other side.
Rolldown Variation
Sit on the mat with your knees bent and arms extended. Lift through the crown of your head and extend you spine. As you inhale begin to round the spine, tucking the tailbone under and lower down until you feel a strong engagement in the abdominals.
Hold it here for a moment and take a couple of breaths. As you exhale begin to lift back up and extend the spine. Do this three times seeing if you can go a little deeper each time.
Single Arm lifts
This time as you lower down extend the right arm, return it and then extend the left. Repeat three times on both sides and return to the start position.
Double Arm Lifts
As you lower back this time try extending both arms to the ceiling for a count of three. This is more challenging so ensure you core is engaged throughout and your tummy doesn’t start to round.
Rotation
As you lower back this time take a twist to the right keep the arms wide. Bring the arms back to centre and rotate to the left before lifting back up to start.
Repeat three times and see if you can rotate a little deeper each time.
Single Leg Circle
Lying on the mat with your knees bent bring your arms in to a v-shape and press them into the floor. Engage your core and keep you spine in neutral or imprinted as you extend your right leg toward the ceiling.
Exhale and begin to draw a wide circle with your leg. Pausing when you return to breath in. Repeat 3 times then reverse 3 times. Swap to the other side and repeat.
Dead Bug
Bring your knees into a table top position with your knees at a 90 degree angle above your hips. Extend the arms upwards.
As you exhale touch the right toe down to the mat as you extend the left arm backwards to a 45 degree angle.
Inhale and return to centre. Make sure the lower back doesn’t arch off the mat when you extend the arm and leg. This is as strong abdominal exercise so ensure the core is engaged throughout. Repeat 10 times then switch to the other side.
Curl Ups
Take the feet back down to the mat and the hands behind the head. As you exhale peel the head and shoulders off the mat shortening the distance between the bottom of your ribs and your pubic bone.
Inhale slowly lower back down and repeat this 10 times.
Oblique Twists
This time as you exhale lift opposite knee to elbow as you work the obliques.
Don’t worry about getting the knee to the elbow as you want to keep the knee at a 90 degree angle. Instead see if you can get a bigger twist when you lift up off the mat. Repeat 10 times.
Bridge Lifts
Extend the arms to the ceiling. Take an inhalation and begin to tuck your pelvis under. Exhale to lift. Lift and lower for a count of 10 squeezing the glutes as you lift.
Bridge Arm Raises
This time as you lift hold the hips high. Begin to lower the arms over the head and then return the m back. Repeat 10 times. This add a little more instability so make sure you keep working the glutes to hold the pelvis stable.
Bridge March
As you send the hips high transfer the weight to the left leg and lift your right knee towards you.
As you return your foot to the mat lift the left leg. As you lower the left lift the right and hold it there for a couple of breaths.
Repeat three times on each side.
Side Lying
Coming into a side lying position prop yourself up on your elbow lifting out of the mat using your side abdominals.
Keep the hips stacked and the core engaged.
Lift the top leg and relax the foot so you are lifting from the ankle. Lift and lower (not all the way to the other leg) for a count of 10.
Draw small circles with the ankle for 10 then reverse for 10.
Inner Thigh Leg Lifts
Bring the top foot over the supporting leg and rest it on the mat. Lift the bottom leg and take tiny lifts for 10 repetitions. This small lift will really work the inner thigh.
Finish by drawing small U shapes with the ankle 10 times.
I hope you enjoyed this full body beginner’s pilates workout. Leave me a comment and let me know how you got on.
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