The best beginner workouts are the ones that prioritise good form, simple exercises and actually have you enjoying what you’re doing. And this is especially true when it comes to Pilates.
Pilates is a great option for someone who wants a workout that is simple, effective, and most importantly, can be done anywhere without any equipment. And if you’ve never tried Pilates before, here’s your official invitation to start.
This low-impact full body workout targets your core and stability, while also working on flexibility, posture, and overall strength, explains Abby Smith, co-founder of one of Melbourne’s most stylish and popular Pilates studios, Club AM:PM. The workout offers different variations for all levels, and is a great collection of movements for beginners.
“Ahhh, Pilates, the magical dance of controlled movements, graceful stretches and dynamic moves. It’s not just about stretching. It’s a powerhouse of a workout! It tones muscles you didn’t even know you had, strengthening your body while improving flexibility and posture. Think of it as a full-body symphony, with every move orchestrated to strengthen your core, stabilise your joints, and leave you feeling that sweet sweet endorphin rush,” says Smith.
To get the most out of any of these moves (read: all the gains), focus on going slow—you’ll activate your muscles more that way—and engaging your abs by drawing your belly button toward your spine. Sounds simple right? Well, trust that those two little tweaks are enough to next-level any of these exercises.
“When you’re moving and grooving through your Pilates exercises, it’s crucial to listen to your body and choose the options provided by your instructor that align with how you’re feeling and what you’re capable of on the day. Think quality over quantity and if you wobble a bit, no worries, just channel your inner superhero and find your balance again. Core is key and so is breathing. Think of the breathing cues as serving suggestions – as long as you’re breathing, we’re happy.”
Luckily, Smith is here to walk us through a 20-minute, mat-based Pilates workout that you—or your sister, or even your grandmother—can do from the comfort of your living room floor.
Instagram: AM:PM
What to know before starting Pilates
It’s important to come into a Pilates workout with an awareness of how much you can push your body, Smith says. “When you’re moving and grooving through your Pilates exercises, it’s crucial to listen to your body and choose the options provided by your instructor that align with how you’re feeling and what you’re capable of on the day.”
Scaling a move back, or holding certain poses for a shorter amount of time as you get used to the workout is perfectly fine. “Think quality over quantity and if you wobble a bit, no worries, just channel your inner superhero and find your balance again. Core is key and so is breathing. Think of the breathing cues as serving suggestions – as long as you’re breathing, we’re happy.”
Grab a mat and press play on the 20-minute beginner Pilates workout here. Keep scrolling for demonstrations of each move and easy-to-follow workout instructions.
20-minute beginner low-impact Pilates workout
Warm up: Thread the needle stretch
How to:
1. Start on all fours, with you hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Reach your right arm up to the sky ask you take a deep breath in, and swoop that hand back down and under the opposite arm so that your right shoulder touches the floor.
3. To get more out of the stretch, bring your toes together and sway your hips to the right. As you do, push your hand down, and rotate your left side chest into the sky. Repeat on the other side.
Roll backs
Why it’s effective: Perfect for building abdominal strength and working on healthy movement for your spine.
How to:
1. Start seated facing the front of the mat, with knees bent, legs parallel to one another, and feet flat on the floor.
2. Sit tall and gently wrap hands around backs of thighs, with arms slightly bent.
3. Inhale, tuck tailbone or pelvis (so the back isn’t perfectly flat), engage core and slowly roll back towards the floor until arms extend out straight in front (without hunching your shoulders).
4. Exhale and slowly pull yourself back up to the starting position with slightly bent arms.
Crunch
Why it’s effective: Crunches isolate your upper abdominals and are a highly effective way to target and tone your abs.
How to:
1. Lie on your back with knees bent at a 90-degree angle, feet flat on the floor, and lower back down on the mat (think belly button to spine).
2. Place your fingertips lightly behind your ears, with elbows bent and pointing out to the side.
3. Brace your core as you lift only your head and shoulder blades from the ground, exhaling as you rise. Keep your chin tucked, but not touching your chest (imagine holding an apple under your chin).
4. Inhale as your lower back down to the starting position. That’s one rep.
Toe taps
How to:
1. Lie on your back and raise your legs to a 90-degree angle (tabletop position).
2. With your hands behind your head, lift your upper body into a crunch.
3. Lower one leg at a time while still bent, tapping your toe to the ground before lifting back up. Alternate the leg and repeat.
Glute bridge
Why it’s effective: This exercise challenges the stability of your pelvis and legs, while also actively working the backs of the legs and glutes.
How to:
1. Lie flat with knees bent, legs parallel to one another and feet flat on the mat. Extend arms forward by each side so fingers are pointed towards heels.
2. Bracing core, press palms into the floor to lift hips off the mat and into a bridge position. Squeeze glutes at the top.
Side lying tabletop
1. Lying on your left side with your forearm down, line up your left elbow and bottom along the back edge of the mat.
2. Bring your knees in front of your hips and shins parallel to the front edge of the mat.
3. Lift your chest all the way up and away from the mat. Then slowly lift your top leg, keeping it parallel to the lower leg and keeping your hips square. Bring it back down 90% of the way.
Side lying leg extension
How to:
1. Lie on right side with knees bent in a half-fetal position (thighs and knees straight out in front of hips, shins parallel to the side of the mat).
2. Align hips, ribs, and shoulders as though back is against a wall. Either cradle head in the bottom arm or rest head on the bottom right hand. (The top arm can help to stabilise the torso by pressing into the floor, or for more of a core challenge, place your top left arm on your hip).
3. Bend left knee to hover parallel over the bottom bent knee.
4. Extend the leg back out again.
Bird dog
Why it’s effective: This move is a great way to challenge your balance and stability by limiting your supporting points of contact.
How to:
1. Set up on the mat or floor on all fours, tabletop position, shoulders stacked over hands, knees lined up under hips, and spine resting in a neutral position. This is the starting position.
2. Take a deep inhale and reach right leg straight back while extending left arm straight forward.
3. Pause briefly, then exhale and bend the same leg and arm so the knee and the elbow move toward your core.
4. Inhale to return right leg and left arm to their extended positions.
5. Finally, exhale and gently move back to the starting position on all fours.
Tricep dip
How to:
1. Start on all fours with your left leg straight out, parallel to the floor.
2. Slowly bend your elbows, lowering your chin and chest to the mat, as your straighten and point your left leg to the ceiling.
3. Bring your chest back up as your straighten your arms and lower your leg to the ground. Repeat on the other side.
Spinal extension
Why it’s effective: This move engages the back muscles and entire posterior chain.
How to:
1. Lie facedown on a mat or the floor with legs pressed together and extended, arms extended down by sides, palms facing up.
2. Inhale as you simultaneously lift torso and lower body off the mat, pushing pelvis up toward the ribs with glutes engaged.
3. Focus on extending the legs out as long as possible as opposed to lifting as high as possible.
4. Pause, then release back down to the floor.
Plank
Why it’s effective: A forearm plank is similar to a high plank (where arms are extended), but the shorter distance to the floor activates the core even more.
How to:
1. Start on all fours, and press forearms into the floor with palms splayed and fingertips reaching toward the front of the room.
2. Carefully step feet back, one at a time. Maintain a straight line from the top of head through heels, gazing down just above the fingertips.
3. Tighten abs, quads, and glutes. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, inhaling and exhaling the entire time with control.
More:
- Kayla Itsines’ Endometriosis-Friendly Workout
- Tiff Hall’s 6 Postpartum Exercises To Help You Tone And Lift
- The Best Reformer Pilates Classes in Australia
