Pilates is great if you want to improve your mobility, posture and core strength
But as you age, Rebecca Daodun, Pilates instructor and founder of Pilates Prescription, says another type of workout is also needed.
Daodun recently qualified as a strength trainer, alongside her Pilates practice, because she realized that weight training is important if you want to age well.
“Perimenopause can start as young as 35 and we may not even have symptoms but our estrogen levels and hormones are fluctuating, while we're also losing muscle mass and bone density,” says Daodun.
“Strength training—lifting something heavy—is one of the only ways to counter that.”
Daodun has found that combining strength training with Pilates is the ideal approach.
Pilates helps you build and maintain strength through your core and the smaller stabilizing muscles, while lifting weights targets larger muscle groups like your glutes (buttocks), legs and shoulders.
“Pilates is going to stop you getting injured, but strength training is going to build your bones and muscles,” she says.
Below, Daodun has shared four dumbbell exercises for beginners. They can complement your Pilates training by helping you build full-body strength.
Four beginner dumbbell exercises to complement Pilates
1. Weighted Pilates bridge
Reps: 8-12
- Lie on your back with knees bent and your feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
- Place a dumbbell across your hips and hold it in place.
- Press through your feet to raise your hips, engaging your core and squeezing your glutes.
- Pause briefly, while keeping the dumbbell stable and avoiding over arching your lower back.
- Slowly lower your hips.
2. Dumbbell squat
Reps: 8-12
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells by your sides.
- Push your hips back, bend your knees and pause when your thighs are parallel to the floor or lower.
- Keep your chest upright and core engaged.
- Drive through your feet to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top.
3. Dumbbell forward lunge
Reps: 8-12
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding dumbbells by your sides.
- Step one foot forward, lower your back knee toward the floor, keeping your front knee at a 90° angle over your ankle.
- Push through your front foot to return to standing and repeat on the other side.
4. Dumbbell floor press
Reps: 8-12
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Hold dumbbells with your elbows bent at 90° and your upper arms on the floor roughly 45° from your torso, palms facing forward.
- Press the dumbbells over your chest.
- Lower and repeat.