Pilates At Home To Lose Weight

All the straps, springs, and moving parts of a typical Reformer class make Pilates seem almost scary compared to those yoga classes full of flickering candles, blocks, and cozy blankets. Plus, fancy machines mean Pilates can be pretty pricey—upwards of $40 per class at some studios! Add in the svelte celebrity fans applauding the workout, and we don’t blame you for thinking it all seems a little intimidating—and out of your budget. But did you know you can do pilates at home?

Before you pass up on Pilates, we have some good news: You don’t need any extra equipment to reap the physical and mental benefits—all you need is a mat! Mat-based Pilates is a gentle, low-impact, yet serious strength workout that research shows can help ease low back pain, reduce body fat, improve flexibility, and even support mental well-being . In fact, mat Pilates can be even more effective than using a reformer since you’re using your own bodyweight to strengthen your muscles and stabilize your joints, says Taylor Phillips, a senior Pilates instructor at Equinox.

Here, Phillips demonstrates a 20-minute Pilates mat workout—no gym or weird apparatus needed. Whether you’re new to Pilates or you’re an experienced pro, you can follow along, taking modifications or more advanced positions where noted.

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Stand with feet parallel, hip-distance apart. Inhale, then exhale while extending arms up and reaching through upper back. Inhale, then exhale and slowly roll down toward the floor one vertebrae at a time. Sit back as if sitting in a chair before reaching up and lifting heels. Return to standing.

Walk hands out to plank position. Engage your abs to draw right knee into chest. Extend leg back, pointing toes to the ceiling and engaging glutes and hamstrings. Repeat for 5 reps. Then, bring right knee to left shoulder in the same manner for 5 reps. Finally, bring right knee to right shoulder in the same manner for 5 reps. Repeat entire series on the other leg. To modify, lower knees to floor and limit leg range of motion.

Kneel on the floor with knees directly under hips, feet touching. Hinge upper body back about 45 degrees, engaging abs, glutes, and feet while maintaining a straight line from head to knees. Return to the starting position. For more challenge, sustain the hinge position and lower and lift your arms 10 times.

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From kneeling, lower left hand to the ground and extend opposite right out, holding right hand behind head. Lift right leg to hip height, then lower for 10 reps. Then hold leg at hip height and rotate leg in small circles for 10 reps. To modify, lie on side instead of kneeling.

Lie faceup. Curl up to raise shoulders slightly and engage abdominals to support lower back. Extend arms by ears and raise legs to a 45-degree angle from the floor. Circle arms around and hug knees into chest. To modify, keep legs at a 90-degree angle and rest head. For more challenge, add leg beats, scissoring legs on top of each other for 5 beats with each extension.

Lie facecup. Curl head and neck up to raise shoulders slightly off the ground. Lift left leg 1 inch above the mat and extend right leg to ceiling, bringing your hands to your ankle. Double-pull your right leg, then switch legs. Maintain hip stability throughout the exercise. To modify, softly bend knees and keep head down. For more challenge, reach arms by ears throughout, keeping hands out.

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Lie faceup, arms at sides. Curl head, neck, and shoulders up, and extend legs to a sustainable level (where abs stay engaged but lower back is not lifting from the mat). Begin pumping arms up and down, breathing in for 5 counts and exhaling for 5 counts, totaling 10 breath cycles. To modify, bend knees at a 90-degree angle (as shown).

Lie on right side, supporting body with right hand. Engage core and rotate hips to lift legs as high as possible from floor to engage obliques. Return to starting position with control.

Lie facedown. Place hands underneath shoulders. Engage core and lift head slightly. Raise your chest up and extend arms forward as you lift legs 1 inch above the mat. Bend elbows so arms form a “W” shape, hold, then lower everything down to the mat.

Pilates Exercises At Home

Lying on your left side, bring legs slightly in front of your hips to create a kickstand. Lift right leg to hip height and kick forward and back, maintaining upper body stability and pointing toes. Repeat for 10 reps. Then pause at hip height, point foot, and rotate in small circles (about the size of a tennis ball), circling 15 to 20 times in each direction.

Lie faceup. Extend arms to ceiling, lifting head and engaging core to roll up smoothly. Reach forward with hands reaching toward toes while still drawing your waist back to create length along your spine and maintaining a feeling of drawing your abs in. Slowly roll back down.

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Get Fit And Lose Weight: 2 Pilates Exercises You Can Do At Home, Without Equipment

Greatist Greatist helps you find what’s good for you. Not like “eat your vegetables, they’re good for you.” More like “here are some choices you can realistically make, stick with, and feel really good about.” Because in the end, you don’t have to choose between being happy and being healthy; they’re really the same thing.If you depend only on hardcore cardio sessions for weight loss, then give Pilates a try and feel the difference. The best part? You can do them at home.

We’re pretty sure you’ve heard this one before but here’s breaking it to you: this is one of the most common weight loss myths. That’s why the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of weight loss is running or some HIIT module.

In fact, Ruchika Rai, a Mumbai-based women’s fitness and health coach as well as the founder of the combat yogini programme says that the slower you move, concentrating your muscles while exercising, the better weight loss results you will get. 

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Maybe that’s why from A-list stars like Alia Bhatt and Sara Ali Khan to the leading fitness coaches in India, everyone absolutely loves this fitness routine.

In fact, according to a study published in The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness , Pilates is one of the best fitness routines that will not only work on your weight loss goals effectively but it will also keep you away from joint injuries.

Another study published in the Journal of Exercise Nutrition & Biochemistry , claims that 8-week of Pilates shows major improvement in obese people. 

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Well, warm-up is also important in Pilates. This one will not just work on your upper body and arms but it will involve your core and legs too.

– Stand straight and raise your arms upwards. Now bend down, crawl with your palm and go in a push-up position. Now do the push-up. Do five repetitions, crawl back up, stand straight, and relax.

We all know the benefits of swimming. Sadly, we don’t have access to a pool right now but to do this Pilates move we don’t really need one. Swimming move is actually the magic pill that will give your chiseled back and a well-toned butt.

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– Lie down on the floor (your chest touching the floor). Now lift your hands, upper chest, and legs. Now, move your arms the way you move them when freestyle swimming, and flutter your legs without touching them on the ground. Count till 20 and then relax.

This pose is a fat killer, especially in your abdomen area. The best part is that it works on the entire muscle group at once. But if you have lower back issues then we would not recommend you to go for it.

– Lie down on the floor (your back touching the floor). Now, you have to make a ‘V’ by lifting your legs up and simultaneously, lifting your upper body. When your body has formed the ‘V’, just hold that pose for five seconds and relax. Now repeat again! Do 10 such repetitions four times.

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No more love handle blunder if you do this Pilates move daily. It works wonderfully well on your core and oblique giving you the flat tummy you always desire.

– Go in a high plank position. Now the way you move your legs in jumping jacks you need to move them here in a similar fashion. So basically, your legs will move sideward and then they will come back in. To start with doing at least 25 reps and four sets of plank jacks.

Well, it looks similar to the cobra pose that’s done in yoga but there is a minor difference that helps you stretch more and burn calories.

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– Lie down on the floor (with your chest touching the ground). Now lift your upper body with the help of your hands and extend backward (as much as you can). Your legs will stay wide apart and touch the