A Cadillac Pilates instructor says this low-impact home workout is ideal for anyone new to Pilates

Once the sole preserve of the studio, the Pilates reformer has found its way into homes, with mini Pilates boards, full-spec reformers and everything in between available to buy.

But the Cadillac Pilates machine, another piece of equipment patented in the early 1950s by Joseph Pilates, looks set to stay (mostly) in the studio due to its size.

The apparatus resembles a four-poster bed with adjustable springs, bars and straps. Because the attachments can provide assistance, as well as the resistance you’d expect from a reformer bed, it’s especially well suited to rehabilitation (I first encountered it when rehabbing a torn ACL) and Pilates newcomers.

“The combination of support and resistance it provides is exactly what makes it so effective and approachable for people new to Pilates or coming back from an injury,” says Daisy Zhang, founder and instructor of Mind Pilates, which has two locations in New York City.

If you can’t get to NYC, or another studio with Cadillac Pilates, Zhang has designed a five-move workout just for you that recreates most of its benefits using just a mat and a resistance band.

“Each move in this routine is the mat version of an exercise I teach on the Cadillac or reformer, chosen to train the same qualities at home,” Zhang says.

It’s a reminder, Zhang adds, that you don’t always need access to expensive equipment or classes to benefit from this form of exercise.

“I love Pilates because it’s not just about physical fitness,” Zhang says. “It helps you connect deeply with your body, breath and mind. It brings strength, clarity and confidence from the inside out, and I love seeing that transformation in my clients too.”

How to do this Pilates workout for beginners

Perform the first four moves (labeled 1A to 1D) one after the other to complete one round.

Beginners can start with a single round, building up to two or three rounds in total as your strength improves and the movements start to feel more familiar.

Finish the workout with one set of the standing roll-down.

“Move through the four exercises slowly and keep the emphasis on control and alignment. If a movement feels unstable, use a wall or chair for support,” Zhang advises.

“Aim for two to three sessions a week on non-consecutive days. Consistency over a few weeks matters more than intensity in any one session,” Zhang says.

1A. Pelvic bridge

Rounds: 1-3 Reps: 8-10

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart, and your arms resting by your sides.
• Press through your heels and lift your hips, peeling your spine off the mat one vertebra at a time.
• Hold at the top for the count of two, then roll back down slowly for three counts.

Tip: Focus on peeling the spine off the mat rather than thrusting your hips up.

Zhang says: “On the Cadillac, you’d perform this move by pressing through the feet against spring resistance while peeling the spine up one vertebra at a time. It builds the glutes and spinal mobility that translates to better posture and less back pain.”

1B. Bodyweight squat

Rounds: 1-3 Reps: 10

• Stand with your feet hip- to shoulder-width apart, toes turned very slightly out.
• Sit your hips back and down as if lowering into a chair, keeping your chest lifted and your knees tracking in-line with your toes.
• Press through your whole foot to stand back up.

Tip: Without the machine’s support, go slow and keep your knees in-line with your toes rather than letting them collapse inward.

Zhang says: “Footwork on the Cadillac builds the lower-body strength you use to get out of a chair, climb stairs, and walk. On the machine, the carriage keeps your spine supported. On the mat you supply that control yourself.”

1C. Step-back lunge

Rounds: 1-3 Reps: 8 each side

• Stand tall with a wall or sturdy chair within reach.
• Step one foot back, placing the ball of your foot on the floor.
• Bend both knees to lower until both knees are bent to 90˚.
• Press through your front foot to rise.

Tip: Use a wall or chair for balance support whenever you need it.

Zhang says: “The standing leg press on the Cadillac trains balance, hip stability and single-leg strength, which are crucial for fall prevention and everyday steadiness.”

1D. Banded row

Rounds: 1-3 Reps: 8-10

• Sit tall on the mat with your legs extended in front of you and a resistance band looped around your feet, holding the other end in both hands. (Depending on the type of band you have, you may need to raise your leg, as in the video.)
• Pull the band toward your ribcage, moving your elbows out to the sides.
• Extend your arms with control to return to the starting position.

Tip: Power the movement with your back muscles, not your arms.

Zhang says: “Rowing movements on the Cadillac open the chest and strengthen the upper back, retraining the rounded shoulders and forward-head posture that comes from sitting and looking at phones all day.”

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2. Standing roll-down

Sets: 1 Reps: 5-8

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your arms relaxed.
• Inhale to lengthen your spine, lifting the crown of your head.
• Exhale as you slowly round forward, dropping one vertebra at a time and letting your arms hang heavy.
• Pause at the bottom for two full breaths, then roll back up to standing, stacking your spine from the base up.

Tip: Let your head and arms be heavy and move from the spine. This is the cool-down, so take your time.

Zhang says: “Breathing efficiency and spinal mobility are two of the first things that decline as we age, so it’s important to practice both regularly. On the Cadillac, you’d hold a spring-loaded bar and let your breath guide a slow, articulated roll-down and up. On the mat you keep the same spinal articulation and breath pattern, just without the bar.”