Pilates is a great way to build core strength and stability, helping you feel stronger and more confident in everyday movement. By working the deep core, back and muscles around the pelvis, it can help improve posture, stability and spinal support.

“Whether that’s lifting a box, bending down to tie your laces, or simply surviving a day at your desk, it’s important to do some restorative work for body and mind,” says Pilates instructor Andrew Griffiths, a fitness expert and nutritionist at Net World Sports.

“The breathwork element of Pilates can also help with stress and anxiety,” he adds.

If you’ve never tried Pilates, this short routine created for beginners by Griffiths is a great place to start. You don’t need any experience—just some space on the floor and 10 minutes.

The 10-minute Pilates core workout

1. Pelvic tilt

Sets: 1 Reps: 8-10

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, your feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Rest your arms by your sides.
• Inhale to prepare. Exhale, gently tilt your pelvis so your lower back moves toward the floor.
• Inhale to return to a neutral spine.

“The goal is to be aware of your pelvis orientation, and how to activate the muscles that control it,” says Griffiths. “Small and controlled is the aim. The movement comes from the pelvis, not the legs.”

2. The hundred

Sets: 1 Pulses: 40 Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your legs raised and knees bent at 90° over your hips and your shins parallel to the floor.
• Raise your head and shoulders and look towards your knees. If this feels too challenging, keep your head and shoulders on the floor.
• Hover your arms off the floor by your sides, palms facing down.
• Pulse your arms up and down in small, quick pulses.
• Inhale for five pulses, exhale for five.

Make it easier: Keep your feet on the floor.

“The target is to build up to 100 pulses, but if that feels too challenging as a beginner then 40 or 50 is a perfectly good place to start,” says Griffiths.

3. Dead bug

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your arms reaching up over your shoulders and your knees bent at 90° over your hips and your shins parallel to the floor.
• Inhale to prepare. Exhale as you lower your right arm back overhead and extend your left leg forward.
• Keep your lower back connected to the floor throughout.
• Breathe in as you return to the starting position, and repeat on the other side.

“Take it slow—this one rewards control, not pace,” says Griffiths.

4. Glute bridge

Set: 2 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 30sec

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, your feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor. Rest your arms by your sides.
• Inhale to prepare. Exhale as you raise your hips and spine until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top but avoid over arching your lower back.
• Inhale to roll your spine slowly back to your starting position.

5. Bird dog

Sets: 2 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 30sec

• Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders over your hands and your hips over your knees.
• Inhale to prepare. Exhale and reach your right arm forwards and your left leg back.
• Keep your hips level and your back flat.
• Hold for a breath, then return to the starting position, slowly and with control.
• Repeat on the other side.

Griffiths says to maintain stability, “picture a glass of water balanced on your lower back that you’re trying not to spill”.

6. Child’s pose

Sets: 1 Hold: 30-60sec

• Start on your hands and knees then widen your knees out slightly.
• Send your hips back toward your heels and reach your arms out in front.
• Rest your forehead on the floor if that’s comfortable.
• Breathe deeply into your lower back and hips.

Aim to do these exercises three times a week, with a day off between sessions.

“That’s often enough to build real strength and the motor control these moves rely on, while still leaving room to recover,” says Griffiths. “Once the routine starts to feel easy, take it as your cue to progress the programme.”

How these exercises help build core strength and stability

Core strength and stability: “The hundred, dead bug and bird dog work the core and the muscles that help stabilize the spine,” says Griffiths.

Posture and the lower back: “Glute bridge and bird dog strengthen your glutes and the muscles that support your back,” says Griffiths. Strengthening these muscles can help support controlled movement and posture.

Spending prolonged periods sitting can mean your glute muscles become weak, so these exercises help strengthen them. Building strength in your glutes can help reduce the strain and load on your lower back.

Mobility: “Pelvic tilts and child’s pose give the spine and hips a gentle bit of movement,” says Griffiths.

Control and body awareness: “Pilates teaches you to move slowly and intentionally, and to tie your breath to the movement,” he says. “That habit bleeds into almost everything else you do physically.”

Scroll through Pilates content on social platforms and you’ll find instructors executing impressive-looking moves that require expert-level core strength and control.

While it’s tempting to try and replicate them at home, you’re unlikely to be able to do them with the precision they require.

“The biggest mistake I see is beginners choosing more advanced [exercise] variations before establishing a strong foundation,” says Marina Enright, certified instructor and founder of Amare Pilates.

This can have serious implications.

“It means you may compensate with the wrong muscle groups, creating unnecessary tension in areas like the neck, shoulders and lower back,” says Enright.

“Over time, this can reinforce poor movement patterns and potentially lead to discomfort or injury.”

Getting the basics right is a necessary part of the practice, and rushing ahead to more advanced moves can actually slow things down in the long term.

Below, Enright shares three key pointers on how beginners can get the most out of Pilates.

1. Focus on quality over quantity

Pilates isn’t about blasting through as many repetitions of a move as possible, Enright says.

“Slow, controlled movements with proper alignment are more beneficial than rushing through repetitions. Always focus on quality over quantity.”

She says participants should focus on engaging the right muscles, rather than trying to do the hardest variation of a move.

2. Pay attention to your breath

Whether you’re practicing Pilates at home or in a class, your breath should be a focus throughout.

“Coordinating your breath with movement can help improve core engagement, control, and overall body awareness,” Enright explains.

“No matter how advanced we get with Pilates, we should always pay attention to the breath.”

3. Don’t be afraid to modify

Most Pilates instructors will give modifications to make a move easier or harder.

Enright encourages beginners to take the easier modifications to learn the fundamentals of each move.

“Modifications aren't a sign of weakness,” she emphasizes.

“They're an important part of building strength safely and effectively.”

If you’re working towards a specific goal or recovering from an injury, Enright also recommends working with a certified Pilates instructor.

“Having an instructor who can provide hands-on guidance, correct alignment and offer personalized modifications can make a significant difference,” she says.

Pilates is a fantastic way to move your body, especially if you don’t feel confident lifting heavy weights or doing high-impact cardio and are looking for a low-impact option.

Modern Pilates is a varied discipline, though, and some classes may be more suitable for younger bodies.

So I turned to Claire Seager, 51, a Pilates teacher and founder of Pilatify, which is designed with women over the age of 50 in mind, to ask what benefits Pilates can offer older women.

“Pilates brings the whole body into balance and once we’ve worked one set of muscles, we will stretch them,” Seager says. “Modern life, and age, often brings us into a head-forward and stooped posture, and Pilates aims to counteract this.

“It is low impact, keeps you strong, improves your balance and reduces stress,” she adds.

Below, she’s shared her top five beginner-friendly Pilates moves for women in their 60s and 70s. “The exercises I’ve chosen offer the perfect blend of strength, flexibility and posture correction,” Seager says.

The best Pilates moves for women in their 60s and 70s

1. Rocking cat and cow

Reps: 10

• Get on your hands and knees, pull your tummy in and up, and round your spine.
• Draw your pubic bone to your nose, rounding your back. This is cat.
• Keep that shape and move your butt to lightly touch your heels.
• Rock forward again so your shoulders are back above your hands.
• Arch your back, lifting your tailbone, head and chest. This is cow.

Make it easier: Omit the rocking motion and move between cat position and cow position.

2. Reverse tabletop

Reps: 10

• Sit on the floor with your legs together and extended, your hands on the floor slightly behind your butt, with your fingers facing forward and your chest open.
• Lift your butt so your body is in a straight line from head to feet.
• Lower slowly.

Make it easier: Start with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Then lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.

3. Knee circles

Reps: 10 in each direction on each side

• Get on your hands and knees.
• Keeping your pelvis as still as possible, lift your left leg behind you, keeping your knee bent to 90°.
• Move your left leg out to the side then back to the start, drawing an imaginary circle with your knee.
• Once you have completed the reps on one direction, complete another set of reps in the opposite direction.
• Then repeat on the other side.

Make it easier: If you find your pelvis moves as you circle your knee, just lift and lower your knee.

4. Triceps push-up

Reps: 10

• Start in a plank position with your hands underneath your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
• Bend your elbows to lower your body, keeping your elbows tucked in by your sides and your head in line with your spine.
• Push through your hands to extend your arms and return to the starting position.

Make it easier: Keep your knees on the floor underneath your hips.

5. Thread the needle

Reps: 10 each side

• Get on your hands and knees, extend your right leg behind you and lift it to hip height.
• Move your right hand underneath your torso and thread it between your left hand and left knee, twisting your torso to the left and lowering the right side of your face.
• Reverse the movement and raise your right arm, twisting your torso to the right.
• Perform all the reps on one side, then switch sides.

Make it easier: Keep both knees on the floor.

Training your deep core muscles—the ones that wrap around your spine in your torso—can help with everything from your balance to your posture and spinal health.

One of the best ways to target these muscles is through Pilates, a practice that involves moving your limbs with control in sync with your breath.

“It builds foundational stability from the inside out,” says Madison DiSalvo, Pilates instructor at STRONG Pilates Commack.

DiSalvo recommends starting with these four moves that require you to hold your mid-body still while your limbs are moving. Here’s how to do them.

1. Dead bug

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each side

• Lie on your back.
• Reach your arms straight up, bend your knees, and lift your legs so your calves are parallel to the floor. Your spine should be in a neutral position.
• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale and lower your right arm above your head and extend and lower your left leg, stopping just before your back arches.
• Inhale as you return to the starting position, then perform with the opposite limbs, switching sides with each rep.

The trick here is to keep your torso, lower back, and pelvis completely still, resisting the pull created by the movement of your arms and legs. This will activate your transverse abdominis, a corset-like muscle that sits below your ribs.

2. Bird dog

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each side

• Get on your hands and knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders, your knees under your hips, and your spine in a neutral position.
• Exhale as you reach your right arm forward and extend and lift your left leg behind you to hip height, without letting your hips tilt or your lower back arch.
• Lower with control on an inhale, then perform with the opposite limbs, switching sides with each rep.

As with the dead bug, this move creates a cross-body rotational torque, which your deep-lying core muscles have to resist.

The dead bug exercise is more challenging for your deep core muscles, but the bird dog will test out your balance and coordination.

3. Bear plank

Sets: 3-5 Time: 20-30sec

• Get on your hands and knees, with your toes tucked and your hands underneath your shoulders.
• Inhale to prepare.
• Exhale, draw your navel to your spine, and lift your knees one inch off the mat.
• Hold this position for time.

As you lift, keep your back flat and your neck elongated. Try to activate your pelvic floor as you execute the move.

4. Plank leg lift

Sets: 2-3 Time: 10-12 each side

• Get on your hands and knees, then step your feet back so your body is in a straight line from head to heels, with your hands directly underneath your shoulders.
• Keeping your pelvis level and your back in a neutral position, exhale as you lift your right leg, squeezing your right glute.
• Lower on an inhale, then repeat with your left leg without shifting your weight from side to side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Make sure your lower back doesn’t arch as you lift your leg.

Spending hours at your desk and hunching over your phone can hurt your posture—but the right kind of exercises can undo some of the damage.

Boston-based Pilates instructor Julie Erickson, founder of Endurance Pilates and Yoga, suggests practicing this three-move sequence.

Done regularly, it can restore mobility and strengthen your back, making it easier to sit and stand upright.

1. Roll up / roll down

Reps: 8-10

• Sit with your legs straight and your arms reaching forward.
• Inhale, then tuck your tailbone under and slowly roll your torso down to the floor.
• Reach your arms overhead so they’re lying on the floor, then point them up to the ceiling.
• Exhale, engage your core, and curl your head and chest up until you’re sitting up.
• Inhale and roll forward over your legs, then come back up to sitting.

Make it easier: Roll down only halfway, or tuck your feet under a strap or the couch.

2. Swan prep

Reps: 5

• Lie face down with your palms flat on the mat next to your ribcage and your elbows bent at about 90°.
• Press into your hands and lift your chest off the mat, drawing your shoulders back.
• Look forward and elongate your neck.
• Slowly lower back down.

Make it harder: Use your back muscles to lift your chest further off the mat, straightening your arms if you can.

3. Spine twist

Reps: 5 each side

• Sit with your legs straight and arms out to the sides. Your shoulders should be dropped down away from your ears and your elbows slightly lifted.
• Inhale, then elongate your spine and rotate your ribcage to the right without moving your hips or lower back.
• Exhale, then try to rotate a little further.
• Return to the centre and repeat on the other side.

Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.

Georgia Testa has always enjoyed working out, but it became central to her recovery after health issues.

The Pilates instructor and Studio 281 founder had skin cancer in 2018, when she was just 22. Three years later, she had a complicated C-section birth.

“It took me around three years [after the birth] to feel as though I had properly rebuilt myself,” she tells Fit&Well.

Pilates was central to her postpartum recovery: “It taught me to slow down, reconnect with my body and rebuild strength from the foundations rather than trying to rush back to where I’d been before.”

Now, the instructor says she feels stronger than ever, but her definition of fitness has changed.

“It’s much less about pushing myself as hard as possible and more about building a body that is strong, capable and healthy for the long term.”

To maintain that strength, she works out for a minimum of three times a week, for 20 to 45 minutes each time.

“Three proper sessions a week is my non-negotiable. If I manage five [sessions], that’s a brilliant week, but I deliberately don't tell myself that I have to train five or six times,” she says.

Here’s what an average week looks like for her.

Georgia Testa's workout diary

Monday
A walk or treadmill session

Tuesday
Hyrox or a functional fitness session

Wednesday
30 minutes of boxing

Thursday
Strength training

Friday
Rest day

Saturday
Hyrox training

Sunday
Rest day

Georgia Testa’s tips for developing an exercise routine

1. Routine over motivation

“I don't rely on motivation because it naturally comes and goes,” says Testa.

“For me, routine is much more powerful. If I've decided Tuesday at 8.30 am is when I train, I try to treat that commitment in the same way I would a work meeting.”

2. Make exercise part of your social life

Testa says that community is a factor that keeps her coming back to work out day after day.

“Training with people you genuinely enjoy being around makes exercise something you look forward to rather than another thing on your to-do list,” she says.

“That's a huge part of what we try to create at Studio 281.”

3. Identify why exercise is important to you

Testa says her daughter is a driving force behind her fitness.

“I want to have the energy to keep up with her and I want her to grow up seeing that looking after yourself is important,” she says.

“I also want her to grow up seeing exercise as a normal, positive part of life.”

She adds that this means her priorities have shifted to building strength and promoting longevity.

“I want to be strong, mobile and capable for as long as possible and strength training plays a huge part in that.”

4. Variety keeps things interesting

Testa says that varying her routine helps her maintain consistent progress and keeps things interesting.

“Some days I want the energy of a class and to train alongside other people and other days I want to put my headphones on, go for a run or set myself a challenge,” she says.

“Fitness doesn’t have to look exactly the same every day.

“Pilates will always be a huge part of my training—both Reformer and mat—but I also love strength training, running and functional fitness, particularly Hyrox-style sessions.”

5. Build up slowly and sustainably

“People often decide they're going to completely overhaul their lives and suddenly train five or six times a week,” says Testa.

“It might work for a fortnight, but if it isn't realistic, eventually something gives and you feel like you've failed.”

She advises beginners to commit to two or three achievable sessions a week and build up from there.

“Twenty or thirty minutes absolutely counts. Find movement you enjoy, ideally find people you enjoy doing it with, and focus on consistency rather than perfection,” she says.

If you’ve never come across the magic circle, you’re not alone—I hadn’t heard of it until Nikkii Behrens introduced me to it last week.

“The magic circle—also called a Pilates ring—is a lightweight resistance tool designed to add gentle but effective resistance to Pilates exercises,” says the founder of Rare Street Pilates.

Unlike traditional gym weights, it's not designed to provide a high amount of resistance. Instead, it trains your body to move with control and precision.

“Think of it this way: dumbbells train your muscles to produce more force, while the circle trains your body to use that strength with greater control, balance and efficiency.”

Behrens tells Fit&Well that both weights and precision equipment like the Pilates ring should be part of a well-rounded fitness routine, but the latter will help with posture, movement quality and core stability.

Here are three exercises that will teach you the basics of how to use the ring. If you’re new to exercise, scale back the workout times as needed and rest for longer between moves.

The workout

1. Dead bug crunch

Rounds: 2-3 Time: 60sec Rest: 20-30sec

Works: Deep core and stability.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with the magic circle held between your knees and your arms folded behind your head.
• Raise your legs, keeping your knees bent, so that your shins are parallel with the ceiling.
• Lift your head and shoulders toward your knees, squeezing the circle at the top of the movement. Repeat this crunch three times, then hold.
• While in your crunch position, gently squeeze the circle and extend your legs.
• Extend and bend your legs three times, then lower your head and shoulders back to the starting position.

“This is one of my favourite exercises for building deep core strength,” says Behrens.

“By pressing into the circle, you activate your inner thighs, pelvic floor and deep abdominal muscles while teaching your spine to stay stable as your arms and legs move. It’s functional core training that translates into better posture and reduced back pain.”

2. Squat and press

Rounds: 2-3 Time: 60sec Rest: 20-30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with a wide stance and your toes slightly turned out.
• Hold the circle overhead or extended in front of your chest. Squeeze the circle and release.
• Bend your knees and hinge at your hips until your thighs are parallel with the floor. Squeeze the circle and release.
• Return to the starting position, then repeat.

“This exercise strengthens your legs, glutes, shoulders and postural muscles all at once,” says Behrens.

3. Side-lying leg lift series

Rounds: 2-3 Time: 30sec per side Rest: 20-30sec

Works: Glutes and hip stability.

How to do it:

• Lie on your right side, supported by your right forearm.
• Place the circle between your ankles (or just above them) and fully extend your legs.
• Squeeze the circle, lifting both legs off the floor so you are balanced on your right hip.
• Swing your legs forward and back three times.
• Extend your left arm toward the ceiling.
• Squeeze the circle and lift your legs up and down, lowering your left arm to meet your shin as it rises. Repeat three times.
• Lower both legs to the floor and take the circle from between your ankles.
• Place the circle in front of your torso and press down on it with the palm of your top hand (avoid grasping).
• Lift and lower the top leg while maintaining gentle pressure on the circle, pressing down as you raise your leg and releasing pressure as you lower. Repeat this six times.
• Hold the final leg raise while you press down on the circle in short pulses, pushing it down by an inch then releasing seven times.
• Lower both legs and repeat the series on the other side.

Behrens says you should focus on keeping your pelvis completely still during the movement.

If you find the full series too difficult, stick to the first part (swinging the legs back and forward). When you're confident with this movement, try doing the other steps, one at a time.

“Using the magic circle increases muscle activation around the outer hips and glutes while challenging control rather than momentum,” adds the teacher.

Lifting weights is a brilliant way to build muscle. But when you’re starting out, you might be surprised by how much progress you can make with just your bodyweight.

“Barre is one of my favourite ways to build strength because it uses your own bodyweight for resistance,” explains Lotty Campbell Bird, instructor and founder of Collective Fitness.

“You don’t need to use dumbbells, resistance bands or any specialist equipment to still get a challenging workout in.”

Barre is inspired by the principles of ballet—borrowing certain positions—and designed to challenge the muscles in a similar way. However, in practice, it’s actually more similar to Pilates.

“Despite its name, you don’t even need a ballet barre,” says Campbell Bird.

“At home, you can simply use a sturdy chair, kitchen worktop or wall if you need a little support with balance.”

If you’ve never tried this style of movement before, the instructor explains that it might be quite different to other workouts you’ve done in the past.

“The key to barre is moving with control, rather than relying on momentum, which makes these small movements surprisingly effective,” she says.

Below is a full-body, equipment-free barre workout. Complete the routine once through for a 15 to 20-minute workout. Or, repeat it two or three times if you want a longer session.

1. Curtsy lunge

Reps: 8-10 each side

• Stand tall with your heels together and toes slightly turned out, creating a small v shape with your feet.
• Keeping both feet turned out, step your right foot diagonally behind your left leg.
• Bend both knees as though you’re curtsying, while keeping your front heel grounded and your back heel slightly lifted. Keep your chest up, spine straight and your weight primarily over your front leg.
• Press through your front foot to straighten both legs and return to standing.
• Complete all repetitions on one leg, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: “Keep the movement controlled and think about driving through your front heel to really engage your glutes.”

2. Wide second plié

Reps: 12-15, followed by 10 pulses

• Stand with your feet wider than hip-width apart and turn your toes slightly outwards.
• Bend your knees and lower your body, keeping your spine straight and your knees tracking in line with your big toes.
• Straighten your legs to return to the starting position, then repeat.
• For an extra burn, finish with small-range pulses at the bottom of the movement, moving an inch up and an inch down.

Trainer tip: “Imagine you’re sliding your back down an invisible wall, keeping your chest lifted and your shoulders relaxed.”

3. All fours single-leg work

Reps: 10 straight leg lifts followed by 10 bent knee lifts, each side

• Start on your hands and knees with your hands underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips.
• Extend your right leg straight behind you, keeping your hips square to the floor. Lift your leg to hip height, then lower it slowly.
• For the second part of the movement, bend your knee and lift your heel toward the ceiling, then slowly lower.
• Repeat 10 times, then switch sides

Trainer tip: “Keep your core engaged and your hips as still as possible. The more controlled the movement, the harder your glutes will work.”

4. Slow-motion mountain climbers

Reps: 10 each side, followed by a 30sec hold each side

• Begin in a high plank with your hands and toes on the floor, arms straight, and your body forming one long line from your head to your heels.
• Keeping your core engaged and hips as still as possible, slowly draw your right knee toward your chest, then extend your leg back to the starting position.
• Repeat on your left side, moving slowly and with control as you alternate sides.
• After completing your repetitions, hold the final position with one knee drawn towards your chest, then repeat on the other side.

Trainer tip: “Think about moving in slow motion rather than rushing through the exercise. Keep your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your hips level throughout to make your core work harder.”

5. Tabletop toe taps

Reps: 10 each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and legs elevated, so that your shins are parallel to the ceiling.
• Engage your core and gently draw your lower back against the floor, keeping your pelvis stable.
• Slowly lower your right foot, tapping your toe on the floor, then return it to your starting position.
• Repeat with your left foot, and continue alternating.

6. Alternating leg extensions

Reps: 8-10 each side, followed by a 20-30sec hold

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and legs elevated, so your shins are parallel to the ceiling.
• Engage your core and gently draw your lower back against the floor, keeping your pelvis stable.
• Straighten one leg away from you, keeping it hovering above the floor, then draw it back to your starting position
• Switch sides and repeat, keeping the movement slow and controlled.
• For an extra challenge, extend both legs away from you and hold for up to 30 seconds, only lowering them as far as you can while maintaining floor contact with your lower back.

Trainer tip: “The lower you extend your legs, the harder your core has to work, so only go as low as you can while maintaining control.”

If you can’t fit a full workout into your day, that doesn’t mean you have to forget about movement altogether.

In fact, exercise snacks—short bursts of movement throughout the day—are a great way to improve your overall health, particularly if you spend a lot of time sitting down.

Try this five-minute routine from Pilates instructor and Barre coach Vanessa Michielon to help you activate your core, shoulders and glutes.

How to do this “exercise snack” five-minute Pilates workout

The short workout is essentially made up of four exercise positions. We break down the moves below.

1. Plank knee drives

“This is a great way to prepare the whole body for the sequence ahead, activating your core, shoulders and hip flexors while warming up the body through a dynamic, weight-bearing movement,” says Michielon.

“The cross-body action also challenges coordination and control through the trunk.”

How to do it:

Reps: 5 each side

• Start in a high plank with your hands and toes on the floor and your body in one long line.
• Slowly drive your right knee toward your right shoulder, then toward your left shoulder, creating a gentle rotation through the hip.
• Extend your right leg back and bring your foot down into the plank position.
• Alternate sides, keeping your shoulders stable and your pelvis as level as possible.

How to modify this movement:

“For a more gentle variation you can start from an all four position and always keep one knee on the ground when the other leg moves,” Michielon suggests.

2. Kneeling forearm foldover with leg extension

“This is a brilliant combination for your deep core, glutes and shoulders, challenging you to stabilize the trunk while the leg moves through different directions, mobilizing the hip,” Michielon explains.

“The repeated knee drive adds a dynamic core challenge, while the long leg extension strengthens your glutes and posterior chain,” she adds.

How to do it:

Reps: 10 each side

• Start on your forearms and knees, with your elbows underneath your shoulders and your spine straight.
• Turn the fingertips of your left hand toward your right elbow.
• Lift your right forearm off the ground and place your right palm flat in a press-up position toward the right side of your mat.
• Extend your right leg behind you, then draw your right knee toward your right shoulder.
• From here, extend your leg back and up.
• Keeping your right leg straight, slowly lower it and tap the floor.
• Lift your right leg back up and draw the knee toward the shoulder to begin the next repetition.
• Complete 10 repetitions, then repeat on the opposite side.

How to modify this movement:

Stick to the first part of the movement only, simply drawing the knee in and out.

3. Kneeling side kick

“This strengthens your mid glutes and outer hips, and stretches your hamstrings and hip flexors, while your supporting shoulder and core work continuously to stabilize your body,” says Michielon.

“The combination of controlled kicks, pulses and bicycles challenges muscular endurance and hip stability while also improving coordination.”

How to do it:

Reps: 8 sweeps followed by 10 small pulses and 8 bicycles, each side

• Start on your forearms and knees, with your elbows underneath your shoulders and your spine straight.
• Keep your left forearm on the floor and turn your hips to face the right.
• Lift your right arm toward the ceiling or place it on your right hip.
• Extend your right leg in line with your hip height.
• Keeping your pelvis stable, sweep your leg forward and back with control.
• After completing eight repetitions, perform 10 smaller pulses back and forth.
• Next, bicycle your leg eight times by bending your knee into your body, then stretching it back out again, repeating this in a circular motion.

How to modify this movement:

For a more supported version, lay your left hip on the floor and keep your left knee bent.

4. Side plank with rotation

“This is a powerful full-body movement that combines core and shoulder stability with rotational strength,” Michielon explains.

“It particularly challenges the obliques and lateral core while the shoulder and glutes work to keep you stable.

“The rotation also encourages mobility through the upper back while maintaining control through the pelvis.”

How to do it:

Reps: 8 followed by an 8-second hold, each side

• Move into a side plank with your left hand underneath your left shoulder and your legs extended.
• Lift your hips, creating one long line through your body.
• Reach your right arm up.
• Rotate through your chest, threading your right arm underneath your body while keeping your hips still.
• Return to the starting position, opening your chest toward the ceiling.
• Finish with a side plank hold or balance, then repeat on the other side.

How to modify this movement:

For a more gentle version for the wrists, keep your left forearm down instead of extending the bottom arm.

A strong core is essential if you want to continue moving easily as you age.

“Your core includes the muscles that support your spine and pelvis, and help you stay steady as you move,” explains Pilates instructor Nicolle Lopez-Ellis.

“After 50, that strength matters in everyday life: when you’re getting up from a chair, carrying groceries, walking with confidence, or reaching for something without losing your balance.”

Lopez-Ellis is the founder of NuPilates in New Jersey, where she helps people build well-rounded strength.

She says that the best way to build your core is to start with easy movements like the ones below and gradually make them harder.

For beginners, she suggests doing this routine two to three times a week, moving slowly through each exercise.

“You’re building strength for the movements you do every day, and that’s worth far more than racing through a workout.”

1. Bird dog

Benefit: Bird dog challenges balance and coordination as well as core strength. The important part is keeping your hips and shoulders level—lifting your arm or leg higher does not make the exercise better.

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 6-8 each side

How to do it:

• Start on your hands and knees, with your hands beneath your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips.
• Gently engage your core and look down at the floor so your neck stays in line with your spine.
• Extend your right leg behind and your left arm forward at the same time.
• Pause for a moment without twisting your hips or arching your back.
• Return to the start with control, then switch sides.

2. Glute bridge

Benefit: A bridge strengthens the hips while calling on the core to keep the pelvis stable.

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 8-12

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, about hip-width apart.
• Exhale and gently engage your core.
• Press through your feet and lift your hips until your shoulders, hips, and knees form a diagonal line.
• Pause briefly without arching your lower back, then lower.

3. Dead bug

Benefit: The dead bug teaches you to move your limbs without letting your lower back arch or your torso shift. It looks simple, but doing it slowly takes real control.

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 6-8 per side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent above your hips, shins parallel to the floor, and both arms reaching toward the ceiling.
• Take a breath in. As you exhale, gently engage your core.
• Slowly extend your right leg and lower your right heel toward the floor, while reaching your left arm behind your head. Keep the movement small enough that your back stays comfortable and your torso stays still.
• Bring your arm and leg back to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.

Looking after your joints pays off in your later years; keep them strong and mobile now, and you’ll be able to move with ease when you’re older.

An efficient routine like this one from Sundrop Pilates instructor Hannah Lawrence will help your joints stay happy.

Doing the 10-minute session will not just maintain your mobility—it will improve your ability to move and hold certain positions, too.

“The idea is that sitting cross-legged and reaching toward your toes will start to feel more comfortable and natural,” says Lawrence.

She suggests moving slowly through the exercises and making sure each one feels like a stretch, but doesn’t cause any pain.

1. Pelvic curl/bridge

Reps: 6-8

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
• Exhale, tuck your tailbone, and peel your spine off the mat one vertebra at a time, until your knees, hips and shoulders are aligned.
• Inhale, then exhale and slowly roll back down.

2. Cat-cow

Reps: 10

• Come to your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
• Inhale, lift your chest and drop your belly.
• Exhale, round your back and draw your navel in.
• Move slowly, feeling each segment of the back move.

3. Mermaid side bend

Time: 1min each side

• Sit with your knees bent, positioning your left leg in front and right leg out to the side.
• Place your left hand on the floor for balance.
• Reach your right arm up and over your head and bend your torso to the left, while keeping your buttocks on the floor.
• Rise and repeat.
• After one minute, switch sides.

4. Single-leg forward fold

Time: 30-60sec each side

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended wide.
• Bend your right leg and bring your right foot to rest on the inside of your left thigh.
• Hinge forward from the hips and reach toward the toes of your left foot.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds then switch sides.

5. Single-leg hamstring stretch

Hold: 1 minute each side

• Lie on your back.
• Extend one leg up toward the ceiling.
• Hold your leg behind your thigh or calf and gently try to straighten the knee, while pulling it toward your face.
• Point and flex the foot a few times if it feels good.

6. Pilates roll down

Reps: 3-4

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
• Tuck your chin toward your chest, then slowly roll down through the spine.
• Pause at the bottom, then roll back up.
• If your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees more.

7. Supine knee rocks

Reps: 5 each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the mat.
• Let both knees fall to one side, then raise them back to the center.
• Let them fall to the other side.
• Keep your shoulders pressed into the mat.

When you think about building core strength, what are the first exercises that come to mind? If it's sit-ups and crunches then stay with us.

These moves can help you build strength in your abdominal muscles. However, the core is made up of other muscles too—the pelvis, obliques and lower back, to name a few—but crunches and sit-ups isolate the abdominals, rather than working the core as a whole.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say that crunches are a bad core exercise—they have their place—but our core has a much bigger job than simply flexing the spine forwards,” explains Pilates instructor and strength coach Rebecca Daodun.

“In real life, our trunk needs to bend, rotate, resist movement, transfer force between our upper and lower body and keep us stable while our arms and legs are moving,” she continues.

Below, Daodun has shared four moves that she does each week to strengthen her entire core.

“I like including exercises that challenge the core in different planes and in different positions, rather than relying solely on crunches,” Daodun adds.

Four core exercises to try instead of crunches

1. Weighted side bend

“This challenges the core through lateral flexion [side bending] with the weight adding resistance,” explains Daodun. “The obliques are working to control both the movement down and, importantly, the return to upright.”

“I love this move because we tend to think of core training as everything happening at the front of the body, when actually our trunk needs to be strong in every direction,” she adds.

How to do it:

Reps: 8-12

• Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in one hand by your side.
• Keep your ribs stacked over your pelvis and your shoulders relaxed.
• Bend your torso toward your side holding the weight.
• Pull yourself back to an upright position.

Trainer tip: Use your core muscles on the opposite side of your weight to move through your waist not your hips.

2. Standing cross-body knee drive

“This is a much more integrated core exercise,” says Daodun. “You’re balancing on one leg while bringing the opposite knee and arm towards each other, so the obliques are involved in the cross-body movement while the rest of the trunk and pelvis have to stabilize you.”

“It combines core strength with balance, coordination and hip control—all things we need outside the gym too,” she explains.

How to do it:

Reps: 8-12

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in your left arm.
• Raise the dumbbell overhead and hold your other arm out to the side for balance.
• Drive your right knee up and across your body while bringing your left elbow down and across your body toward it.
• Return to the starting position with control

Trainer tip: Keep your standing leg and pelvis stable to avoid wobbling or rotating excessively.

3. The Hundred

“This is a classical Pilates movement,” says Daodun. “Rather than repeatedly curling up and down as you would in a crunch, you maintain the abdominal curl while the arms pump and the legs are held away from the body.”

“That creates sustained abdominal work and asks the trunk to remain controlled while the limbs are moving,” she continues, adding: “The further the legs move away from you, the greater the demand, so it can also be modified very easily by bending the knees or bringing the legs closer.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 30 pumps

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, then raise your head and shoulders into a gentle abdominal curl.
• Extend your arms straight by your sides and raise your legs into tabletop position with your knees over your hips and your knees bent to a 90° angle.
• For an extra challenge, straighten your legs—the lower and straighter your legs, the more challenging this move will be.
• Begin pumping your arms up and down in small, controlled movements while keeping your abdominal curl.

Trainer tip: Breathe rhythmically throughout the movement, keeping your lower back against the floor and your neck relaxed.

4. Back extension

“I always include extensions when talking about a strong core because the core isn’t just your abs,” Daodun says.

“The muscles along the back of the trunk, including the spinal extensors, are part of the system that supports and controls the spine,” she continues.

“Back extensions strengthen the posterior side of the body and balance all the flexion we tend to focus on when we think about traditional ab exercises.”

How to do it:

Reps: 8-12

• Lie on your front with your legs extended behind you.
• Place your arms on the floor by your head with your elbows bent to 90° in line with your chest.
• Keep your neck long and your pelvis grounded.
• Gently raise your chest, upper torso and arms by engaging your back.
• Stretch your arms in front of you overhead and then return them to 90° by your sides.
• Lower your body and your arms and repeat.

Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.

It's a common misconception that elite trainers live in a constant state of muscle fatigue.

Just ask Rebecca Kennedy, a Peloton trainer based in New York.

“I don't want to wake up super sore, tired, or injured,” she says. “I want my training to help me feel strong and capable in my everyday life.”

The instructor leads Peloton's new HiLit+ training plan, which is a seven-week course focusing on high-intensity, low-impact exercise.

In her day-to-day life, she prioritizes regular movement and has a varied routine that helps her stay strong and mobile.

“My minimum dose is at least two to three heavy lifting sessions per week, a Pilates session, some mobility training and some form of daily cardio,” she says.

“When I have busier weeks, I may shorten workouts or pull back on intensity, especially if I'm traveling, but what I value most is consistency over time more than having a perfect week.”

Rebecca Kennedy's weekly workout routine

Kennedy's training is all about improving how she moves and feels.

“I want my training to support longevity and performance—to feel good today and 30 years from now,” she says. “To me, movement is joy and gives me freedom.”

She likes to exercise mid-morning or in the afternoon, when she feels the most alert.

“But honestly, I'll do it whenever I can. My schedule constantly changes, so I just need to block off whatever time I can make it happen.”

Monday
45-60min strength training, including a warm-up before and time to stretch after.

Tuesday
60min outdoor walk with a weighted vest, typically with her dogs on the trails.

Wednesday
45min strength training.
15-20min on the stairmill.

Thursday
45-60min Pilates.

Friday
45-60min strength training.

Saturday
Hiking or another outdoor activity like pickleball.

Sunday
Rest.

Rebecca Kennedy’s top two tips for developing an exercise routine

1. Focus on how exercise makes you feel

Kennedy says she doesn’t rely on motivation alone to work out.

“I absolutely do not wait to feel it [motivation]; otherwise I would be wildly inconsistent with my workouts,” she explains.

Instead, she focuses on remembering how much better she feels after exercise.

“I'm highly motivated by feeling well and I know movement and music always make me feel well. That's what I need.”

2. Be realistic

Kennedy says it's best to start with a truly manageable routine.

“Build a routine you can actually repeat. Don’t start with something overwhelming or hard to manage because your body and mind need time to adapt.”

She suggests starting with a simple goal of two strength training sessions per week and 5,000 steps a day.

“Find movement you enjoy and give yourself four to six weeks of that before adding on more,” she advises.

“This builds confidence and gives your body time to adapt to the new demands being placed on it. Consistency is the skill you're developing in this initial routine-building phase.”

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.”

Shop Pilates bands

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.”

Building a strong core, according to certified Pilates instructor Brittni Johnson, takes discipline.

The discipline to perform each rep with control and exemplary form. Simply doing more reps, faster, rarely helps.

“Your core keeps you steady while your arms and legs move,” says the BetterMe instructor. “When I think about a strong core, I think about how well you can control your body, not how many crunches you can do.”

Pilates, Johnson explains, is great at training exactly that. “You’re moving slowly and with intention, paying attention to your breathing and alignment instead of rushing through reps.”

Here, the experienced teacher outlines a five-move routine that will challenge the abdominal muscles from multiple directions, training the core to support and stabilize the spine on and off the mat.

“The priority should always be form over volume. If your ribs start flaring, your lower back takes over, or you need momentum to finish a repetition, that’s your signal to reduce the range or take a break,” she says.

The goal is to finish feeling “connected through your center”, not exhausted from doing as many repetitions as possible.

“That’s one of the biggest advantages of Pilates-style core training: you’re building strength you can actually use to stabilize and control your body outside of the workout.”

How to do the workout

Johnson recommends performing eight to 12 controlled repetitions of each exercise in the routine below.

Alternatively, especially if you’re prone to rushing, she suggests using a time-based approach of between 30-45 seconds per exercise, and completing two rounds in total.

This workout can be performed with just your bodyweight.

But if you’d like to add variety or increase the challenge, Johnson says introducing a Pilates ring for moves like the dead bug, can make the hips and core work harder.

“These small props are an easy way to progress the routine without making it high impact,” she says.

1. The hundred

• Lie on your back with your knees raised and bent to 90°, and held directly above your hips.
• Gently press your lower back into the mat to engage your core.
• Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the mat.
• Lift your arms so they are horizontal, and lift and lower them in small, controlled movements.
• Inhale for five pumps and exhale for five, working toward 100 pumps while maintaining control through your center.
• To progress, you can also extend both legs and hold them at a 45˚ angle, as in the video.

Johnson says: “The hundred is a great way to start because the sustained position asks your abdominals to stabilize your trunk while your arms and breathing add another layer of demand. If you feel your lower back arching, keep your feet on the floor or bring your knees closer toward your chest.”

2. Single-leg stretch

• Lie on your back and gently press your lower back into the floor to engage your core.
• Lift your head and shoulders just off the floor and bring both knees toward your chest.
• Extend your right leg so it is horizontal and hug your left knee into your chest.
• Swap positions of the legs so your left leg is extended and horizontal and you are hugging your right knee into your chest.
• Continue alternating sides, moving smoothly and with control.

Johnson says: “The challenge is keeping your pelvis and torso quiet as the legs move. Think about maintaining the same relationship between your ribs and pelvis throughout every repetition. The farther and lower the extended leg travels from your body, the greater the demand on your abs, so beginners can keep the leg higher.”

3. Dead bug

• Lie on your back with your knees bent to 90° and held directly over your hips, and your arms extended straight up.
• Gently press your lower back into the floor to engage your core.
• Slowly extend and lower your left leg and lower your right arm behind your head, until both limbs are just above the floor.
• Return to the start, then repeat on the other side.

Johnson says: “This is a simple but very effective way to train the core to resist extension. Your goal is to move your limbs without allowing your ribs to flare or your lower back to excessively arch. I would rather see someone use a smaller range with excellent control than reach all the way to the floor and lose their alignment.”

4. Seated saw

• Sit tall with your legs extended, your feet a little wider than hip-width apart and your feet flexed so your toes point straight up.
• Extend your arms out to the sides.
• Slowly rotate your torso to the left, reaching your right hand toward the outside of your left foot.
• Return to the start, then repeat on the other side.

Johnson says: “The saw adds controlled rotation, which is an important part of a complete core routine. It challenges the obliques while encouraging mobility through the thoracic spine and rib cage. Keep both sides of the pelvis grounded so the rotation comes through the trunk rather than simply shifting the hips.”

5. Criss-cross

• Lie on your back with your hands lightly touching the back of your head and your elbows pointing out to the sides.
• Lift your legs and bend your knees to 90°, so they are directly above your hips.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your head and shoulders, then rotate your rib cage so one shoulder moves toward the opposite knee as the other leg extends away.
• Return through your center and switch sides, moving slowly rather than rushing from elbow to knee.
• Make it easier by keeping your extended leg higher or leaving one foot on the floor.
• Make it harder by extending your leg lower while maintaining the same control through your pelvis and lower back.

Johnson says: “Criss-cross targets the obliques while asking the deeper core muscles to stabilize the pelvis as your legs move. The key is to create the rotation through your torso, not by pulling your elbow across your body. Keep your pelvis as still as possible and think about rotating your ribs around a stable center.”

Heavyweight, all-out workouts aren’t the only way to build strength.

Sometimes going slow, using just your bodyweight and drawing on principles from Pilates can be just as effective.

“In Pilates, we build strength through control, stability and time under tension rather than lifting heavy or using high impact,” says trainer Brittni Johnson of fitness app BetterMe.

When you slow an exercise down, your muscles have to work throughout more of the movement while your core stabilizes your spine and pelvis.

“That combination is what makes a relatively simple sequence feel surprisingly demanding,” she tells Fit&Well, but that doesn’t mean it’s low effort.

“Pilates can create a significant muscular challenge because you’re asking the body to produce movement while maintaining alignment and stability.

“The goal isn’t to move as much as possible, it's to make every repetition count.”

How to do the workout

Drawing on these Pilates principles, Johnson has created this five-move workout designed to train the body in the way it has to function in day-to-day life.

“It involves extending the hips, stabilizing the trunk, supporting your bodyweight through the upper body, and controlling your hips independently of the pelvis,” says Johnson.

Taken together, you will build real-world strength at a slow and steady pace.

To make the most of this five-move circuit, Johnson suggests repeating it two to three times per session.

“Move slowly enough that every repetition stays controlled,” she says.

“If your form starts to change, that’s your cue to stop the set rather than chase more reps.”

As your strength improves, Johnson suggests making the exercises more challenging by slowing down the lowering phase further, adding pauses or introducing light resistance.

“At home, tools such as a resistance band or Pilates ring can add another layer of challenge while keeping the movements controlled,” she adds.

1. Glute bridge

Reps: 10-12

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor hip-width apart.
• Exhale as you press through your feet and lift your hips, keeping your ribs connected rather than letting them flare out.
• Pause at the top, squeeze your glutes, then lower slowly.

Johnson says: “Bridges strengthen the glutes and hamstrings while asking the abdominals to control the pelvis. It's a simple way to train the entire back of the body without impact.”

2. Double toe tap

Reps: 8-10

• Lie on your back and lift your legs into tabletop, so your knees are directly above your hips and bent to 90˚.
• Gently press your lower back into the floor to engage your core.
• Slowly lower both feet toward the floor, moving from your hips and maintaining the 90° bend in your knees, only lowering as far as you can without your lower back arching or your ribs lifting.
• Lift your legs back to the starting position with control.

Modification: If double toe taps aggravate your lower back, you can also modify this move to single-leg toe taps, lowering one foot at a time and alternating sides.

Johnson says: “This is where the deep core really has to work. Your legs are moving, but the goal is to keep your trunk and pelvis quiet. That ability to move the limbs without losing spinal stability carries over into every activity from walking and running to lifting.”

3. Side-lying leg lift

Reps: 10-12 each side

• Lie on your side with your lower leg bent and top leg straight.
• Keeping your pelvis stable, lift your top leg, moving your foot to between hip and shoulder height but being conservative with your range of motion.
• Pause, then lower it slowly without letting your waist or hips roll backward.

Variation: In the demonstration, the model is resting a light weighted bar on the top of her leg to add resistance.

Johnson says: “Leg lifts target the muscles around the outer hip that help stabilize the pelvis and support the lower back. Strong hip stabilizers support balance and control whenever we’re standing or moving on one leg.”

4. Kneeling push-up

Reps: 8-10

• Start on your hands and knees, then walk your hands slightly forward so you create a long line from your knees through your hips to your shoulders.
• Engage your core so your lower back doesn’t collapse as you move.
• Bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the floor.
• Push through your hands to extend your arms and press back up.

Johnson says: “Pilates is sometimes thought of as primarily a core and lower-body workout, but upper-body strength matters too. This variation works the chest, shoulders and triceps while the core stabilizes the body throughout the movement.”

5. Side plank

Time: 20-30sec each side

• Lie on your side, propped up on your forearm with your elbow directly beneath your shoulder.
• You can start with the bottom knee bent for support or extend both legs for more of a challenge.
• Engage your core.
• Press through your forearm and lift your hips, creating one long line through the body.
• Hold this position for time.

Johnson says: “Side planks neatly tie this routine together because your shoulder, obliques, hips and glutes all have to contribute at once. It's especially useful for building lateral core strength, which helps the body resist unwanted side-to-side movement.”

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Traditional strength training is great for keeping your legs strong as you age. But practicing Pilates alongside this will help maintain your mobility and stability.

“Pilates is a highly effective method for developing lower-body strength, as it focuses on controlled movements, resistance and proper muscle engagement,” says Nicolle Lopez-Lamberty, a Pilates instructor and the founder of NuPilates.

Pilates is particularly effective for maintaining healthy knees and hips, as many of the exercises target deep stabilizing muscles surrounding the joints.

I asked Lopez-Lamberty which exercises she would pick when working with someone new to Pilates.

She chose the five moves below, which are equipment-free, scalable and target all the major muscle groups in the lower body.

“Together, these movements strengthen the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and hip stabilizers, creating a strong foundation for everyday movement while also improving balance, stability, mobility and core strength,” she says.

The exercises

1. Glute bridge
2. Side-lying leg lift
3. Quadruped leg lift
4. Hamstring curl
5. Squat

Lopez-Lamberty has also provided advanced variations for each move to try once the exercise begins to feel easy.

“As you progress to the more advanced variations, challenge yourself by minimizing rest between repetitions and taking 30 to 60 seconds of recovery between each set,” says Lopez-Lamberty.

1. Glute bridge

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Place your arms next to your body with your palms facing down.
• Engage your core by gently drawing your belly button toward your spine without tipping your pelvis.
• Press through your heels and squeeze your glutes to lift your hips. Lift until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line.
• Pause at the top for a second or two, while maintaining core engagement.
• Slowly lower your hips back to the mat.

Form tips:

• Avoid arching your lower back as you lift your hips.
• Breathe steadily throughout, inhaling as you rise and exhaling as you lower.

Progression: Perform a single-leg glute bridge while extending your arms toward the ceiling.

2. Side-lying leg lift

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your side with one leg on top of the other.
• Support your head with one hand while placing your opposite hand on the floor in front of you.
• Bend both knees to approximately 90°.
• Keep your feet together and engage your core.
• Lift your top knee, opening from your hip.
• Pause briefly when your knee is lifted and squeeze your working glute.
• Slowly lower your knee.
• Complete all repetitions on one side, then switch sides.

Modification: If you have any neck or shoulder issues, lower your head and rest it on your arm.

Progression: Perform the same exercise with both legs straight.

3. Quadruped leg lift

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Begin on your hands and knees with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly under your hips.
• Keep your spine in a neutral position and engage your core.
• Extend one leg straight behind you.
• Exhale as you lift your extended leg to hip height, squeezing your glute at the top of the movement.
• Inhale and slowly lower your leg without touching the floor.
• Complete all repetitions on one side before switching legs.

Form tip: Keep your hips square to the floor throughout the movement.

Progression: Perform the move with your knee bent at 90°.

4. Hamstring curl

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each side Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie face down on the mat with your legs extended.
• Place your hands under your forehead for support, keeping your neck straight.
• Engage your core and gently press your hips into the mat.
• Exhale as you bend one knee and bring your heel toward your glute, keeping your thighs pressed into the mat.
• Pause briefly and squeeze your hamstring muscle, at the back of your thigh.
• Inhale as you slowly extend your leg back down.
• Complete all repetitions on one leg before switching sides.

Progression: Perform double-leg hamstring curls.

5. Squat

Sets: 3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your feet a little wider than hip-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
• Engage your core and keep your chest lifted with your shoulders relaxed.
• Inhale as you bend your knees and hips, as if sitting into a chair.
• Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as low as you can while maintaining good form.
• Exhale and press through your heels to return to standing.
• Squeeze your glutes as you stand, then repeat.

Form tip: Keep your weight evenly distributed through your heels and midfoot.

Progression: Perform a heel-lift squat, raising your heels either when you’re at the lowest point in the squat, or throughout the movement. This will challenge your balance, ankle mobility and lower-body strength.

If you can’t sit cross-legged, you probably have some tight muscles limiting your movement.

“Instead of forcing the position, focus on improving hip mobility through slow, controlled Pilates movements,” suggests Nicolle Lopez-Lamberty, a Pilates instructor and the founder of NuPilates.

She recommends doing these five beginner-friendly exercises to stretch and strengthen your hip flexors, glutes, inner thighs and deep hip stabilizers.

“With consistent practice, you’ll notice it’s easier to sit cross-legged, along with improvements in everyday movements like walking, climbing stairs and getting up from the floor,” she says.

The exercises

“While performing these hip-opening exercises two to three times per week will help improve mobility, practicing them daily is the most effective way to increase flexibility and restore healthy movement,” says Lopez-Lamberty.

1. Supine figure four
2. Butterfly
3. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch
4. Happy baby
5. High-knee psoas hold

1. Supine figure four

Sets: 2-3 Hold: 30-60sec each side

Muscles targeted: Glutes and external hip rotators

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent.
• Cross your left ankle over your right thigh and interlace your fingers under your right thigh below your knee.
• Gently pull your right leg toward your chest until you feel a stretch in your left hip.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, then release and repeat on the other side.

Regression: Keep your foot on the floor if pulling your leg toward your chest is too intense.

2. Butterfly stretch

Sets: 2-4 Hold: 30-60sec

Muscles targeted: Inner thighs and groin.

How to do it:

• Sit on the mat with your back straight and the soles of your feet pressed together.
• Relax your legs and allow your knees to fall to the sides. Notice where you begin to feel a stretch in your inner thighs.
• Hold your ankles and keep your back straight.
• Gently lean forward from your hips if comfortable and hold the position for 30 to 60 seconds.

Regression: Sit on a yoga block to elevate your hips to make the stretch less intense.

3. Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch

Sets: 2-4 Hold: 30-60sec each side

Muscles targeted: Hip flexors

How to do it:

• Kneel on the floor.
• Place your left foot on the floor in front, with your left knee bent at 90°.
• Extend your right leg behind you, keeping your knee and shin on the floor.
• Keep your back straight and shift your weight forward so it is over your left leg.
• Tuck your pelvis slightly to deepen the stretch without arching your back.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and repeat on both sides.

Regression: Use a folded towel or yoga block under your rear knee to reduce pressure on your knee and improve balance.

4. Happy baby

Sets: 2-4 Hold: 30-60sec

Muscles targeted: Hip flexors, inner thighs and lower back.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your legs bent.
• Lift your feet off the floor and bring your knees toward your chest.
• Grasp the outside of your feet or ankles.
• Bring your knees toward your armpits while keeping your lower back on the mat.
• Hold for 30 to 60 seconds while breathing deeply.

Regression: Hold your shins or the back of your thighs instead of your feet.

5. High-knee psoas hold

Sets: 2-3 Hold: 20-30sec each side

Muscles targeted: Psoas, deep core and glutes.

How to do it:

• Stand with a straight back and your feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core and shift your weight onto your left leg.
• Lift your right knee to hip height and interlace your fingers on your shin, just under your knee.
• Keep your pelvis level and hold the pose for 20 to 30 seconds.
• Lower with control and repeat on the other side, alternating with each rep.

Pilates is a very accessible form of movement. It’s low-impact, so it doesn’t put pressure on your joints, and requires very little equipment.

But while a lot of the exercises are beginner-friendly, it’s important to execute each move with the right form.

Doing so can transform how your body responds to the movement, making it more challenging while also lowering your risk of injury.

“Pilates was originally called Contrology, so we want to focus on controlling the body while we're moving,” says Rebecca Daodun, a Pilates instructor and founder of workout app Pilates Prescription.

She explains that executing a Pilates move correctly often requires you to hold one part of the body still while moving another.

To help beginners master this, Daodun gets them to practice something she calls limb dissociation, which involves holding the torso steady while moving the arms and legs.

Below, the instructor has shared two exercises she recommends for all Pilates newcomers.

Two limb dissociation exercises all Pilates beginners should try

1. Clamshell

Reps: 8 each side

• Lie on your side with your legs and feet together, and your knees bent.
• Engage your core and inhale.
• Exhale as you rotate your hip to raise your top knee.
• Inhale as you lower the knee.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Form tips: Only lift your knee as far as you can without rolling your pelvis backwards. You can place your top hand behind your lower back to make sure you're not rolling back.

2. Four-point kneeling leg lift

Reps: 8 each side

• Get on your hands and knees, with your hands directly under your shoulders and knees directly under your hips.
• Draw your belly button in so that you're not arching your lower back.
• Lift and extend your left leg behind you, so that it's in line with your torso.
• Lift your left leg a couple of inches higher, ensuring that you’re not arching your lower back and keeping the rest of your body still.
• Lower your left leg to tap the floor with your left toes.

Pilates is well known for strengthening the core muscles—but instructor Hannah Lawrence says that people underestimate the impact the practice has on other areas.

“While your core is definitely involved, some of the best strength gains I see in beginners actually show up in their glutes and legs,” says Lawrence, who’s the studio manager at Sundrop Pilates in Denver, CO.

She explains that Pilates helps people isolate and activate muscles that they might not be working—like the glutes—and strengthening these areas has a big impact on daily movement.

“Building lower-body strength helps support your hips, knees and lower back. It improves balance and makes everyday things such as climbing stairs, carrying groceries, or going for a long walk feel noticeably easier.”

She shared her three favorite lower-body exercises that she uses with almost every Pilates newcomer.

“They’re simple, need zero equipment, and set up really good movement habits right from the start,” she says.

Three lower-body strengthening Pilates exercises

“If you’re brand new, start with just two rounds and focus on moving slowly with good form,” says Lawrence.

“These moves might look basic, but they’re surprisingly effective when you pay attention to the details.”

1. Shoulder bridge
2. Side-lying leg lift
3. Inner thigh lift

1. Shoulder bridge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12 Rest: 30-45sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat, about hip-width apart. Keep your arms relaxed by your sides.
• Inhale, then exhale and press through your feet.
• Lift your hips off the mat until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Pause, squeeze your glutes, then slowly lower the hips.

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, core and pelvic floor.

“This one is a favorite of mine because it teaches people how to actually use their glutes instead of letting your lower back do all the work,” says Lawrence.

2. Side-lying leg lift

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each side Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side with your right leg on top of your left and your left forearm resting on the mat in front of you.
• Keep your hips level and lift your waist from the mat.
• Engage your core and slowly lift your top leg to about hip height.
• Pause, then slowly lower your leg.
• Finish all your repetitions on one side before switching.

Targets: Gluteus medius and minimus, outer hips and deep core.

“A lot of people don’t realize how weak the muscles on the outside of their hips are,” says Lawrence.

“This move wakes them up and makes a big difference in balance and pelvic stability, which helps with walking, hiking and running.”

3. Inner thigh lift

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 each side Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side with your right knee bent and right foot flat on the floor in front of your left leg. Keep your left leg extended.
• Engage your core and lift your left leg just a few inches off the mat.
• Pause, then slowly lower your leg.
• Complete all repetitions before switching sides.

Targets: Inner thighs (adductors), deep core and pelvic stabilizers.

“The inner thighs often get ignored, but they’re important for keeping your hips stable and your legs aligned,” says Lawrence.

“I like this exercise because it targets [your inner thighs] without stressing the knees, and it keeps your core working the whole time.”

Pilates balls are a small tool that can have a large impact.

They tend to be around nine inches in diameter—the size of a soccer ball—and are soft and malleable.

They also happen to be the favourite piece of equipment of veteran Pilates instructor and Balanced Body educator, Portia Page.

“This deceptively simple piece of equipment is versatile as a modifier, prop or to add challenge,” she tells Fit&Well.

Page, whose Pilates ball of choice is the nine-inch TOGU ball from Balanced Body, explains why Pilates balls work differently to the large inflatable exercise balls often found in gyms.

“Unlike the traditional exercise ball, the TOGU ball is small, lightweight and unstable—yet able to provide some support.

“That instability is exactly what makes it so effective. It helps awaken deep stabilizing muscles while providing support where many people need it most.”

She adds that she favours the TOGU ball specifically because “while standard generic Pilates balls are made of soft, moldable PVC, TOGU balls use a proprietary, latex-free Ruton material, which gives them a softer, tackier and more durable feel.”

Page likes to use the ball to help clients improve their proprioception (your awareness of your body’s position), support their spine and torso during challenging exercises, and to encourage better posture and alignment.

“It is also great to reduce unnecessary tension in the neck, shoulders and hip flexors during certain exercises, plus challenge balance and stability in a safe, progressive way,” she explains.

“In Pilates, we’re always looking for ways to improve awareness and create balanced muscle development, and the TOGU ball provides immediate feedback, helping you find better alignment and connect to the deep stabilizing muscles that support efficient movement.”

The following three exercises are Page’s top choices for how to use your nine-inch Pilates ball. She recommends inflating it to three-quarters full for these movements.

1. Double leg stretch with extension

Why Page recommends it: “This is one of my favorite ways to teach any abdominal exercise because the ball supports thoracic alignment,” says Page.

“You can add thoracic extension while reducing the tendency to grip through the neck and shoulders.

“Many people overuse their hip flexors instead of their abdominal muscles,” adds Page.

“Using the TOGU Ball to support the torso brings the chest up to recruit your abdominal muscles.

“The ball creates feedback for thoracic mobility while helping clients discover true abdominal support. Many notice less neck tension and better core engagement.”

How to do it:

Sets: 4-6 Reps: 4-6 each side Rest: 20-30sec

• Place the TOGU Ball beneath your upper back, toward the base of your shoulder blades.
• Lie back over the ball and bring your knees and elbows to meet over your torso, with your knees bent and your hands either side of your head—this is your starting position.
• Extend your legs so they are at a 45° angle to the floor as you lean back and extend your arms behind you.
• Reverse the movements to return to the starting position.

Targets: Rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, internal and external obliques and deep spinal stabilizers.

2. Swan with rotation in extension and flexion

Why Page recommends it: “Swan develops the often-neglected posterior chain and promotes healthy spinal extension, which balances all the flexion-heavy activities we do throughout the day and helps with posture and alignment,” says Page.

“The TOGU ball provides excellent feedback for challenging and assisting spinal extension. The instability of the ball helps you to find rotation and spinal mobility.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 5-8 Rest: 20-30sec

• Place the TOGU ball beneath your breastbone and lie on your front with your legs extended.
• Bend your elbows and place your fingertips on your forehead or behind your head.
• Gently engage your abdominal muscles to support your spine and lower back. Flex your upper body over the ball. Your chin may touch or rest on the ball if needed.
• Press lightly into the ball as you lengthen your spine from the crown of your head. Lift your head, chest and upper spine into extension, but focus on length before height.
• Rotate to the right, back to the center, then rotate to the left, then back to the center again.
• Lower with control back to the starting position.

Targets: erector spinae, multifidus, gluteals, mid and lower trapezius and posterior shoulder stabilizers

3. Side-lying lateral flexion to side hip lift

Why Page recommends it: “Most people spend very little time training lateral stability and side-body strength,” says Page.

“This series improves balance, pelvic control and movement efficiency while helping clients feel muscles they often don't realize they have.

“The TOGU ball offers support beneath the side body, making lateral flexion more accessible in a larger range of motion and challenges balance by providing an unstable surface.”

How to do it:

Sets: 2 Reps: 6-8 each side Rest: 20-30sec

• Lie on your left side with the TOGU ball under your ribcage, with your arms extended past your head.
• Bend your left knee to 90° and bring your left knee forward so there is a 90° bend at your hip.
• Bend your right knee to 90°, moving your lower leg behind you—this is your starting position.
• Raise your right arm, right leg and head, moving your right arm to towards your right leg, lightly tapping your right knee with the back of your right hand.
• Reverse the movement to return to the starting position.

Targets: obliques, quadratus lumborum, gluteals, hip abductors and deep core stabilizers.

You may not have the literal weight of the world on your shoulders, but there’s a nugget of truth to the saying, because it’s one of the most common places for people to hold stress-related muscle tension.

Your shoulders also take the brunt of working long hours at a desk.

To top it all off, “the shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the body, which also makes it one of the most vulnerable,” says Pilates instructor and Balanced Body educator Portia Page.

“Tight muscles, poor posture, weakness in the upper back, and limited thoracic mobility can all contribute to shoulder soreness.”

If you are experiencing soreness in this area, Page has a threefold approach to tackling it.

She recommends improving the mobility of the joint, strengthening the supporting muscles to help stabilize it, and stretching to release any stored tension.

Page suggests completing the following six exercises to relieve tension in sore shoulders, and to build the strength and mobility you need to prevent recurrence.

Page advises to “stop if pain increases, becomes sharp, or radiates down the arm.”

1. Shoulder roll

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10 each direction Rest: 30sec

Page says: “This simple movement increases circulation, reduces tension, and restores mobility to the upper trapezius, levator scapulae, and muscles surrounding the shoulders.”

How to do it:

• Sit or stand with a straight back and your arms held loosely at your sides.
• Slowly lift both shoulders toward your ears.
• Roll them backward, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Continue the circle by lowering your shoulders down and forward, moving slowly and smoothly.
• Do all your reps, then reverse direction.

Targets:

• Upper trapezius
• Levator scapulae
• Rhomboids
• Deltoids

2. Wall angel

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 Rest: 45sec

Page says: “Wall angels help improve posture, strengthen upper-back muscles, and encourage healthy shoulder and overall upper body movement—an area often neglected when shoulders become sore.”

How to do it:

• Stand with your head, upper back and hips resting against a wall.
• Bend your elbows to 90° and bring your arms out to the sides, with your shoulders and arms against the wall, palms facing forward.
• Slowly slide your hands up the wall overhead, extending your arms, pausing at the top of the movement for a single breath.
• Reverse the movement back to the starting position.

Form tips: Keep your wrists and elbows lightly touching the wall if possible and maintain gentle abdominal activation throughout.

Targets:

• Rhomboids
• Middle and lower trapezius
• Rear deltoids
• Rotator cuff muscles

3. Thread the needle

Sets: 2-3 Hold: 20-30sec each side Rest: 15sec between sides

Page says: “Many shoulder issues originate from stiffness in the upper back and thoracic spine.

“This stretch improves rotation around the stable shoulder and arm while gently opening the posterior shoulder and chest of the moving arm.”

How to do it:

• Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Inhale and rotate your torso to face right, lifting your right arm to vertical.
• Exhale and rotate your torso to face left, threading your right arm between your left hand and left knee to the left side.
• Allow your right shoulder and the side of your head to rest lightly on the floor, breathing deeply and relaxing into the stretch.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

Targets:

• Posterior deltoid
• Rhomboids
• Rotator cuff muscles
• Thoracic spine

4. Scapular retraction and protraction (standing)

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 12-15 Rest: 30sec

Page says: “Strong and mobile shoulders provide a stable foundation for healthy shoulder movement.

“Many people experiencing shoulder soreness have weak or underactive postural muscles, which this exercise aims to correct.”

How to do it:

• Sit or stand with a straight back and your arms extended in front of you at shoulder height.
• Gently draw your shoulder blades together (retraction), moving your arms backward slightly.
• Hold briefly, then separate your shoulder blades like an elevator door opening (protraction), moving your arms forward slightly.

Form tip: Avoid arching your back or shrugging your shoulders.

Targets:

• Rhomboids
• Middle trapezius
• Lower trapezius

5. Scapular retraction and protraction (tabletop)

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 12-15 Rest: 30sec

“This variation loads the upper body, creating a different sensation in the shoulders as the body is in a different alignment with gravity.”

How to do it:

• Get on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Keeping your arms straight and your torso horizontal throughout, bring your shoulder blades towards one another (retraction), lowering your chest slightly.
• Pause, then move your shoulder blades away from each other (protraction) by pushing the floor away, lifting your chest slightly.

Targets:

• Rhomboids
• Middle trapezius
• Lower trapezius

6. Telescope to pinwheel

Sets: 2 Reps: 6-10 each side Rest: 30sec

Page says: “The shoulder doesn’t work alone, thoracic spinal mobility is essential for comfortable shoulder movement.

“This exercise improves rotation and torso flexibility while reducing tension across the front and back of the shoulders.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side with your legs together and your knees bent, and both arms extended in front of you with your palms together.
• Telescope: Engage your core and lower your right shoulder toward the floor, sliding your right palm forward.
• Reverse the movement of your right shoulder, moving it to rest on the floor behind you, sliding your right hand across your body and extending it to the right.
• Pause here, then reverse the movement back to the start.
• Pinwheel: Engage your core and lower your right shoulder toward the floor, sliding your right palm forward.
• Sweep your right arm overhead and to the floor behind you.
• Continue, sweeping your hand past your hip and back to the starting position.
• Alternate between the two movements, completing all reps on one side before switching.

Form tips: Keep your hips stable, rotating from your torso and shoulders. Follow your moving hand with your eyes.

Targets:

• Pectoralis major and minor
• Anterior shoulder
• Thoracic spine
• Upper back musculature

If you think your lower back isn’t strong enough to cope with the rigors of day-to-day life, you’d probably expect us to tell you to strengthen your lower back muscles.

But that fatigue you feel at the end of a long day may come from your core not being up to par.

"The core and lower back don't work independently, they function as a team," says Georgia Testa, Pilates instructor and founder of Studio 281.

"When the deep core muscles are strong, they can provide better support for the spine, reducing the need for the lower back to compensate."

Testa recommends two straightforward exercises to her clients that strengthen the deep core muscles and support the lower back.

"Sometimes the most effective exercises are the simplest,” she says, recommending single-leg extensions and toe taps to strengthen the deep core muscles, and encourage better pelvic and spinal alignment.

“Mastering fundamental movements like these can help improve posture, stability and overall back health over time," she adds.

Both exercises help to improve alignment, reduce strain through the lumbar spine and create a stronger foundation for movement.

Testa says these exercises are particularly useful for people with an excessive anterior pelvic tilt, where the pelvis tips too far forward, increasing stress on the lower back—often referred to as swayback posture.

This posture can also make it harder to engage the deep core effectively.

These exercises aim to strengthen the lower muscles of the core, which encourages the pelvis to shift into a more neutral position.

They rely on the weight of your legs to challenge your core, which has to engage to counterbalance them.

"As your legs move away from your body, your core has to work harder to keep your pelvis stable and stop your back from arching,” explains Testa.

Here’s how to do the two moves that Testa recommends.

1. Single leg extension

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8 each side Rest: 45sec

• Lie on your back with your legs raised, knees directly above your hips and bent to 90°, and your arms by your sides, slightly off the mat.
• Draw your belly button toward your spine to engage your core and lightly connect your lower back with the mat.
• Extend your right leg away from your body so it forms a straight line from your toe to your hip. Keep your left knee bent.
• Return to the starting position and switch sides, extending your left leg while your right remains bent.
• Continue alternating legs with slow, controlled movements.

2. Toe tap

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 6-8 each side Rest: 45sec

• Lie on your back with your legs raised, knees directly above your hips and bent to 90°, and your arms resting on the floor by your sides.
• Engage your core and maintain contact between your lower back and the mat.
• Keeping your knee at 90° throughout, slowly lower one foot, moving from your hip, to lightly tap your toes on the floor.
• Return to the starting position, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep, keeping your pelvis steady throughout.

Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.

While Nikkii Behrens, founder of Rare Pilates and Nikkii Health, is a Pilates instructor, she has many more strings to her bow. She is a qualified nutritionist, yoga teacher, sleep specialist, meditation coach, breathwork practitioner and Reiki master as well.

She says exercise is important to her because it gives her the energy she needs.

“My priority has never been chasing a certain body,” she tells Fit&Well. “I train to move well, have energy and stay healthy for the long term. I want to be able to keep up with life, travel, run businesses, and now chase after my son. Looking good is a bonus, but feeling capable is the real goal.

“I also exercise because it clears my mind—it’s my form of self-care,” she says. Her weekly routine is a mix of mat and reformer Pilates, as well as strength training, mobility work and plenty of holistic recovery, including regular sound baths.

Below she has shared details of what a recent week of workouts and recovery looked like.

Nikkii Behrens weekly workout routine

Monday 8am
Strength x Pilates: full-body focus

Tuesday 9am
Reformer Pilates: obliques, core and upper body

Wednesday 8am
Reformer Pilates: lower body

Thursday 12pm
Long walk with pooch and family

Friday 8am
Yoga x Pilates fusion: stretch and tone

Saturday 9am
Rest day: sound healing

Sunday 9am
Mat Pilates: full body

Nikkii Behrens’ tips for building an effective workout routine

Move every day and choose something you actually enjoy

Behrens sets an intention to do some kind of movement every day.

“Movement is one of the best investments you can make in your future health,” says Behrens. “It improves strength, posture, bone density, cardiovascular health, mental wellbeing and longevity.”

Her weekly workout routine always has Pilates at the foundation “because it builds strength, mobility, stability and body awareness without constantly stressing the body.” She also makes sure she dedicates time to recovery, a weekly functional strength workout and daily walks with her dog.

“That doesn’t mean every session has to be intense—some days it’s a full Pilates workout, other days it’s simply a walk or mobility session. Consistency always beats perfection and you are far more likely to stay consistent if you actually look forward to it,” she says.

Focus on consistency over intensity

Behrens recommends committing to three or four workouts a week for the long term instead of going for it every day for two weeks and then stopping.

“Over the years, I’ve learnt that movement doesn’t have to be all or nothing,” she says. “Even 20-30 minutes counts, and if life gets busy, I simply adapt instead of skipping it altogether.”

She spends between 30 to 50 minutes exercising, because “I don’t believe you need to spend hours exercising. A well-designed, focused session is far more effective than simply working out for longer.”

Behrens says she tries to train first thing as it sets the tone for the day. “It gives me energy and means I’m less likely to skip it once work and life get busy. But ultimately, the best time to exercise is the time you’ll consistently stick to.”

Train for life, not just aesthetics

Motivation is a myth—routine is more reliable, says Behrens. She says scheduling exercise like a meeting makes it more likely you will stick to it.

“I don’t rely on motivation because it’s unreliable. Exercise is scheduled into my day like any other important appointment. Once it’s a habit, you don’t have to negotiate with yourself every morning.”

“The basics still work: move your body regularly, build strength, walk often, recover well, eat nutritious food most of the time and be patient. Sustainable habits will always outperform quick fixes. That’s what creates a body that feels as good as it looks, not just for summer, but for life.”

We can’t stop time, but we can take action to keep feeling physically young.

For Tatiana Schloessman, a certified Pilates instructor and the founder of Élan Pilates Studios, Westlake Village, that starts with keeping her legs strong.

“Lower body strength is one of the greatest predictors of healthy aging and independence,” she tells Fit&Well. “Your youth is in your legs.

“Strong legs and hips allow us to climb stairs, get up from a chair, carry light and heavy items, maintain balance, and reduce the risk of falls.

“The stronger your lower body, the more freedom and confidence you'll have for years to come.”

Schloessman says that age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia) speeds up when we don’t actively train.

“Building strength isn’t just about looking fit; it’s about being stronger and preserving the ability to live life on your own terms,” she says.

Schloessman thinks that Pilates offers a unique way to develop lower-body strength, with a little extra benefit that most traditional workouts miss.

“Rather than just adding resistance, Pilates emphasizes precision, control, proper alignment, and full range of motion,” she explains.

“During Pilates exercises, the legs work together with the core, glutes, hips and ankles, so you’re doing more than building muscle; you’re strengthening the hip, knee and ankle joints as well.”

I asked Schloessman to share her three favorite Pilates exercises to strengthen the lower body.

You’ll need a mat, a weight and a slider (or a towel) to give it a go.

1. Bridge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and hip-width apart.
• Engage your core and push through your heels to lift your hips until your shoulders, hips and knees form a straight line.
• Inhale and squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
• Exhale and slowly lower back to the starting position.

Primary muscles worked: glutes, hamstrings, core and pelvic floor.

“If I could only choose one exercise for beginners, bridge would be at the top of my list,” says Schloessman.

“It strengthens the glutes, hamstrings and core while improving hip mobility and spinal stability. It's one of the few exercises that even people with knee issues can do comfortably.”

2. Goblet squat

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with feet about shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell or kettlebell close to your chest with both hands.
• Brace your core and keep your chest lifted as you sit your hips back and bend your knees, as if you're lowering yourself into a chair. Lower until your thighs are parallel to the floor, or as far as your mobility allows.
• Press through your heels to return to standing.

Primary muscles worked: quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, core and upper back.

“This exercise teaches proper squat mechanics while building strength through the ankles, knees, hips and core all at once,” says Schloessman.

“What I love about it specifically is that holding the weight in front naturally encourages better posture, a more upright torso and great core engagement.

“With this one, you’re reinforcing good movement patterns while you build strength. It’s beginner-friendly but challenging enough to keep progressing for years.”

3. Side lunge with sliders

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12 each side Rest: 30sec

How to do it:

• Stand with your right foot on the floor and your left on a slider or towel.
• Engage your core and keep your chest lifted as you slowly slide your left foot out to the side, bending your right knee and pushing your hips back—stopping when your thigh is parallel with the floor, or as close as your mobility allows.
• Press through your right foot to stand upright, sliding your left foot back in.
• Complete all reps on one side, then switch sides.

Form tip: keep your stationary knee in line with your toes.

Primary muscles worked: glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, abductors and core stabilizers.

“Most people spend their entire lives moving forward and backward. We almost never train side-to-side movement,” says Schloessman. “That’s precisely why I love this exercise.”

“It strengthens the legs along a completely different plane of motion, while improving hip mobility, balance and pelvic stability.

“As we get older, lateral strength becomes increasingly important for preventing falls and moving confidently in everyday life.

“The slider adds a layer of control that makes the standing leg work even harder to stabilize. This exercise is about strength, mobility and coordination, all in one move.”

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If you spend a lot of time sitting during the day, your glutes could be paying the price—and it may be having a bigger impact than you realize.

“The glutes are the largest muscle group in the body and play a central role in supporting the pelvis, stabilizing the hips and generating power during everyday movements such as walking, climbing stairs and lifting,” Pilates instructor Sol Bouille tells Fit&Well.

When your glutes are weak, other muscles such as the lower back, hip flexors and hamstrings often overcompensate, and this can lead to pain and difficulty moving around.

Bouille’s three-move Pilates-inspired routine for weak glutes is designed to build strength and improve lower-body stability.

“Strengthening the glutes will also support efficient movement and protect the joints, making everyday tasks and exercise feel easier and more controlled,” explains Bouille.

How to do the five-minute Pilates-inspired routine

Bouille, who is the founder of The Island Studio, recommends doing this routine two to four times per week. “It will take less than five minutes so it’s easy to fit it into your day,” Bouille adds.

The exercises:

1. Side-lying leg lift
2. Clamshell
3. Glute bridge

1. Side-lying leg lift

Time: 30sec each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your side with your legs straight and together.
• Engage your core and keep your hips stable.
• Lift your top leg, keeping your toes facing forwards.
• Lower with control.
• Continue for time, then switch sides

Benefit: Strengthens your outer glutes and hips, which improves stability, balance and knee alignment.

2. Clamshell

How to do it:

Time: 30sec each side

• Lie on your side with your legs together and your knees bent.
• Engage your core.
• Keeping your hips vertical throughout, lift your top knee while keeping your feet touching.
• Hold for a few seconds, then lower slowly.
• Continue for time, then switch sides

Benefit: Targets the smaller glute muscles that support the hips and pelvis, helping to improve stability and reduce unnecessary strain on the knees.

3. Glute bridge

Reps: 10-15

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Press through your heels and lift your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top before lowering with control, one vertebra at a time.

Benefit: Strengthens your glutes, hamstrings and core while improving pelvic stability and supporting your lower back.

Pilates has developed a fearsome reputation in recent years, with the style of exercise credited for many a sculpted torso on social media, and the occasional muscle-bound man admitting to being humbled by their first encounter with a Pilates reformer.

But it would be a crying shame if this reputation put you off trying it, because it’s actually one of the most accessible forms of exercise out there and can improve the way you carry yourself in everyday life.

“Pilates is low-impact and focuses on controlled movement, breathing, posture, flexibility, and core strength,” says Michelle Standfast, a physical therapist assistant and Pilates instructor at ATI Physical Therapy.

“While many people associate Pilates with abdominal exercises, it is actually a full-body workout that emphasizes quality of movement rather than speed or intensity.”

Standfast tells Fit&Well that one of the reasons she particularly enjoys Pilates is that it can be adapted to suit almost anyone, at any fitness level.

“Whether someone is new to exercise, returning after an injury, or looking to supplement their current fitness routine, Pilates can help improve body awareness, balance, mobility and muscular endurance. It also requires minimal equipment, making it an accessible option for many people.”

With an emphasis on recruiting the right muscles and flawless form, Pilates is a type of exercise that is best taught in person so a teacher can assess and correct your alignment, but Standfast has shared five basic movements someone who has no existing injuries can safely practice at home.

1. Pelvic tilt

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 30-45sec

What it does: “The pelvic tilt is one of the best beginner Pilates exercises because it teaches core engagement and spinal awareness,” says Standfast.

“It targets the deep abdominal muscles, pelvic floor muscles and lower back while helping individuals learn how to move their spine with control.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Keep your shoulders relaxed and arms by your sides.
• Gently tighten your abdominal muscles and flatten your lower back into the floor, tilting your pelvis backward.
• Hold for 2-3 seconds, then return to the starting position with control.

2. Single-leg stretch

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8 each side Rest: 30-60sec

What it does: “This is a classic Pilates exercise that helps build core strength, coordination, and body awareness,” says Standfast.

“This exercise works on both mobility and strength of the hips, as well as foundational core stability and control needed for more demanding Pilates exercises.”

“It will also train you to link your breath and movement, which is imperative for a strong Pilates practice.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your head lifted off the floor and your chin tucked into your chest.
• Inhale and hug one knee to your chest, while you extend your other leg.
• Exhale as you swap legs.

3. Glute bridge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-15 Rest: 30-45sec

What it does: “Many people spend long periods sitting throughout the day,” says Standfast.

“The glute bridge helps activate the gluteal muscles while improving core stability and hip mobility.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
• Engage your core and press through your heels to lift your hips.
• Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then lower back to the floor with control.

4. Bird dog

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 30-60sec

What it does: “The bird dog is excellent for improving balance, coordination, and core control,” says Standfast. “It teaches stability while moving the arms and legs independently.”

How to do it:

• Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement.
• Lift your right arm in front of you and extend and lift your left leg behind you. Pause briefly while maintaining balance.
• Return to the starting position and repeat on the opposite side.

5. The hundred (modified)

Sets: 1-2 Reps: 50-100 Rest: As needed

What it does: “The hundred is one of the most recognizable Pilates exercises. A modified version allows beginners to learn breathing patterns and core engagement without placing excessive strain on the neck or lower back.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.
• Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the floor.
• Extend your arms alongside your body and pump them up and down in small movements.
• Inhale for five arm pumps and exhale for five arm pumps.
• Continue for 50–100 pumps total, stopping when you feel you need to.

Ankle weights are a deceptively difficult way to add resistance to your workouts.

You may pick them up and think, “This is only one pound of weight, it won’t offer a challenge,” but the way they load your joints means experts like Club Pilates master trainer Julie Marques advise using them with caution.

“It puts load on your peripheral joints,” Marques tells Fit&Well, “so you shouldn’t walk around with them or use them in the same way that you’d use a weighted vest,” she says.

“Instead, you should use the ankle weights for 10 to 20 minutes at a time and in a targeted way.”

Marques shared the following workout to demonstrate how you can do just that. It’s suitable for people with Pilates experience who are strong and injury-free, and can be done two to three times a week for best results.

She suggests choosing light to medium weights to avoid straining your joints and stresses that you should only use ankle weights if your form and alignment are perfect. If you’re unsure, you can complete the workout without weights.

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Marques recommends checking with your physician or physical therapist before using ankle weights if you have any underlying injuries or weaknesses.If you are unsure of your form, she says it is best to work with a professional who can assess your alignment, correct you if necessary and scale back the routine when needed.

The ankle-weight workout in brief

1. Step-back for quads
2. Heel lift for calves
3. Single-leg bridge for glutes and hamstrings
4. Side-lying leg lift for abductors
5. Side-lying leg lift for adductors
6. Quadruped leg lift for glutes, hamstrings and external rotators

Exercise guides

1A. Step-back

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart.
• Engage your core.
• Step your left foot behind you, bending your right knee and leaning your torso forward so your left leg and torso form a straight line.
• Push through your right foot to return to standing.
• Continue on to the heel raises on the same side, then return to this exercise and repeat on the other side.

Form tips:

• Keep your weight over your front foot.
• Keep your front knee behind your toes.

Make it easier: Keep your feet parallel, shift your weight onto your left foot, then squat, using the toes of your right foot to help you balance.

1B. Heel raise

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side

• Stand with your feet hip-distance apart, your weight in your right foot, your left heel lifted and your left knee bent.
• Raise your right heel, coming onto your toes.
• Lower your right heel slowly to the floor.
• Complete all the reps on one side, then switch sides.

Make it easier: Hold the back of a chair or wall for balance.

2. Single-leg bridge

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side, plus 10 pulses each side

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your hips until you form a straight line with your shoulders.
• Raise and extend your right leg so it points straight up.
• Lower your right leg until your knees are in line, then raise it again.
• Complete 10 reps, then pulse your hips up and down 10 times.
• Keeping your hips raised, swap legs and repeat on the other side.

Form tip: Keep your core engaged throughout.

Make it easier: Bend the knee of your raised leg.

3A. Side-lying leg lift for abductors

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side, plus 10 pulses each side

• Lie on your side with your legs extended and feet together.
• Prop yourself up on your forearm, with your elbow under your shoulder, keeping your shoulders aligned and torso lifted.
• Lift and lower your top leg, keeping your hips and shoulders stable.
• Perform 10 reps, then pulse 10 times at the top of the movement.
• Continue on to the side-lying leg lift for adductors on the same side, then return to this exercise and repeat on the other side.

Form tip: Keep your ribcage off the floor throughout the movement.

3B. Side-lying leg lift for adductors

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side

• Lie on your right side, resting your head on your arm, with your left foot flat on the floor in front of your right knee.
• Pulse your lower leg up and down, keeping it extended straight.
• Keep your hips and shoulders stable.
• Lift and lower your bottom leg, keeping your hips and shoulders stable.
• Complete all the reps then repeat the last move and this one on the other side.

6. Quadruped leg lift

Sets: 2 Reps: 10 each side

• Start on your hands and knees with your knees under your hips and your hands under your shoulders.
• Keep your spine neutral and engage your core.
• Extend your right leg behind you and rotate it outward from your hip so the top of your right foot faces to the right.
• Lift and lower for 10 reps.
• Keeping your leg externally rotated, bend your knee and perform 10 more reps.
• Switch sides and repeat.

Form tip: Keep your torso still, engage your core throughout, and move only at the hip joint.

Make it easier: If rotating your leg is uncomfortable, keep it straight.

Have you ever come across a video of someone doing Pilates with what looks like a miniature hula hoop?

This piece of equipment is rather dramatically called a magic circle, but can also referred to as a Pilates ring or fitness circle.

Unlike most fitness equipment, which increases the difficulty, the magic circle works to increase body awareness, deepen engagement and improve your Pilates form.

“The magic circle isn't about adding a ton of resistance like a dumbbell,” says Pilates instructor Hannah Lawrence. “Instead, it gives you feedback.”

The studio manager at Sundrop Pilates in Denver, CO adds: “When you squeeze it, it pushes back. When you press into it, it creates stability.

“That simple interaction helps you find and activate muscles that can be tricky to connect with on their own, like your inner thighs, deep core, or the stabilizers around your shoulders.”

Lawrence tells Fit&Well that the magic circle is her favorite piece of fitness equipment because of how much more aware it makes her of the way her body is moving.

“Instead of just getting through the reps, you’re paying attention to what’s actually working and whether you’re moving with control,” she says.

“That's one of the reasons I think Pilates works so well, and the magic circle helps reinforce that connection.”

Here are three of Lawrence’s favorite magic circle exercises, which she regularly uses with the people she teaches.

If you’d like to add a magic ring to your home set-up you will able to find discounts on a range of magic circles in Amazon’s Prime Day sale, which runs through June 26.

1. Bridge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 12-15 Rest: 30sec

Muscles worked: Glute max, hamstrings, inner thighs and deep core.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent, and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Place the magic circle between your thighs, just above your knees.
• Gently squeeze the magic circle between your legs, then push through your heels and lift your hips until they form a straight line to your knees.
• Pause briefly at the top of the movement while maintaining pressure on the ring, or adding another squeeze.
• Lower your hips to the start with control.

“This variation is fantastic for building glute strength while also activating the inner thighs and pelvic floor,” says Lawrence.

“The ring helps keep the lower body engaged and creates more awareness throughout the movement.”

2. Triceps extension

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 12-15 Rest: 30sec

Muscles worked: Triceps, shoulders, upper back and deep core stabilizers.

How to do it:

• Kneel or stand with your shoulders relaxed and your back straight.
• Hold the magic circle behind your head with both of your hands on the pads, maintaining gentle pressure.
• Extend your arms overhead while continuing to squeeze the circle.
• Slowly bend your elbows to lower the ring behind your head.
• Continue, maintaining consistent pressure on the magic circle throughout the movement.

“A lot of people think of the magic circle as a lower-body tool, but it's surprisingly effective for the upper body as well,” says Lawrence.

“This exercise strengthens the back of the arms while reinforcing good posture and shoulder stability.”

3. Dead bug

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 30sec

Muscles worked: Transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, obliques and shoulders.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms and legs raised, with your knees bent to 90° and directly above your hips.
• Hold the magic circle and apply gentle pressure, keeping your lower back connected to the mat.
• Extend and lower one leg and lower your arms behind your head.
• Return to the starting position and alternate sides while maintaining steady pressure on the ring.

“Dead bug is one of my favorite exercises for teaching core stability,” says Lawrence. “Adding the magic circle increases engagement through the upper body and helps create a full-body connection.”

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Sometimes, fitness instructors hate ab workouts, too. When I worked for a gym, I used to dread being assigned to take a class called Tabata Abs—unfortunately, it happened a lot.

I found the repetitive crunching of my abs and flexing of my hips uncomfortable. No matter which way I placed my hands near my neck to support it, I would always be left with neck strain.

What I didn’t know at that time was that I have joint hypermobility syndrome, a connective tissue disorder which means my body makes faulty collagen—the same stuff that makes up your ligaments and tendons. This means my unstable joints can not support those repetitive crunching movements.

However, training the abdominal muscles is important for muscle balance and optimum core stability, even more so for hypermobile people who need to strengthen their core to help stabilise joints and reduce lower back pain, so skipping abs was not the solution.

I needed to find a workout that would enable me to train my abs without being left with back and neck pain. I found my remedy in Pilates. I signed up for my local Pilates class and after three months, mastered a set of exercises that strengthen my abs—without any of the discomfort. It has been a game changer.

My Pilates-inspired ab workout

When many of us talk about our abs we are often thinking about our rectus abdominis muscles—aka our six-pack—which runs from the front of our rib cage to our pelvis. But our abdominal muscles consist of more than that.

There is the transverse abdominis, the deepest of our ab muscles that wrap around our spine, providing it with stability; the obliques, which run at the sides of your body and allow side bending and rotation, and a tiny muscle called the pyramidalis which aids in stabilizing the abdominal wall.

With these moves, I try to target as many of the core muscles as possible.

Focus on mastering good form before increasing the number of reps you perform. Think quality over quantity. Start off with one set and eight reps of each exercise and once you have nailed the form, you can increase to two or three sets.

All you need to get started is a Pilates mat or exercise mat. Here are the five moves:

1. C-curve
2. V-sit hold
3. Leg circle
4. Toe tap
5. Bird dog

1. C-curve

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 8

How to do it:

• Sit at the front end of your exercise mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place your hands underneath your thighs and engage your core.
• Inhale as you lean your torso backwards, rounding your spine, relaxing your shoulders and tucking your tailbone under to form a C-shape with your spine.
• Pause for one breath, and then exhale while slowly rolling yourself up to the starting position.

2. V-sit hold

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 8

How to do it:

• Sit at the front end of your exercise mat with your knees bent and heels on the floor. Extend your arms out in front of you (or cross them over your chest) and engage your core.
• Inhale, and slowly lean back until you feel your lower abs switching on to stabilise you. Hold for a few breaths and slowly rise back up to the starting position.

As this becomes easier, you can make the exercise more advanced by holding the position for longer, or by lifting your legs off the floor when you roll back.

3. Leg circle

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 8 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms by your sides and legs extended.
• Engage your core.
• Bend your right knee in towards your chest, then extend your right leg up. Turn your right foot slightly inwards while pointing your toes.
• Draw a circle in the air with your toes, moving to the left across your body first. Be careful not to rock your hips.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

4. Toe tap

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 8 each side

• Lie flat on your back with your legs raised, knees bent to 90° and shins parallel to the floor, and your arms by your sides.
• Engage your core.
• Inhale and lower your right foot down towards the floor, toes pointing towards the mat, but don’t touch the mat.
• Exhale and raise your leg back towards the starting position.
• Repeat with your left leg.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

5. Bird dog

Sets: 1-3 Reps: 8 each side

• Get on all fours on your mat, with a slight bend in your elbows, hands directly under your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips, and a neutral spine.
• Engage your core.
• Inhale and extend and lift your right leg behind you while lifting your left arm in front of you, keeping your hips as still as possible. Your body should form a straight line from right heel to left fingertips.
• Exhale and bring them back to the starting position.
• Repeat on the other side, lifting your left leg and right arm.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

There are no shortcuts to building a strong core, but there is a Pilates technique you can use to make your training more effective.

In Pilates, every move is led by an inhale or an exhale, and many in-person Pilates classes start with at least five minutes of breathwork, but quick routines online often don't include this.

That’s a pity, according to Pilates instructor and founder of Pilates Prescription, Rebecca Dadoun.

"I think people don't focus on their breath enough or activate their core properly to begin with," she says.

Below, Dadoun has shared a quick and easy breath practice you can do before your Pilates session to help maximize your core engagement, making sure you’re using the intended muscles to perform the movement.

"You can do it sitting comfortably, but you actually get more feedback if you're lying down on your back, because then you can 'feel the breath going into the mat'," Dadoun says.

Pre-Pilates breathwork practice

Dadoun recommends doing this before every Pilates workout.

• Sit or lie comfortably, placing your hands around your ribcage.
• Inhale deeply through your nose and feel your hands expand outward.
• Exhale fully as though you're fogging up a pair of glasses.
• On your next exhalation, feel your fingers move closer together as your ribs close, engaging your diaphragm.
• On your third exhalation, draw your belly button in toward your spine, engaging your lower back and pelvis.

Repeat this sequence a few times for maximum core engagement.

Try to feel different parts of your core engaging during each step.

Newsflash: Even if you train your abs, the strength of your deep core may be lacking.

"Sometimes people confuse a visible abdominal six-pack with core strength," says Eloise Skinner, a personal trainer and Pilates instructor. "Those two things are correlated, but there's not necessarily a direct link between them."

"Just because you have a six-pack, that doesn't mean you have core strength to the same degree that you would if you'd worked on the whole of the core."

That's because the core is made up of a surprising number of muscles, including your pelvic floor, glutes and hip muscles.

Thankfully, you don't need individual exercises to train each core muscle in isolation, and there's one form of exercise Skinner recommends: "mat work in Pilates is really good for the core," she says.

To get you started, here are three mat-based Pilates exercises. Try them a couple of times a week to begin building strength in your deep core.

1. Pelvic tilt

Reps: 8

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Keep your spine in a neutral position.
• Contract and tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles to push your lower back into the mat, lifting the bottom of your pelvis.
• Hold for a breath, then slowly return to the starting position.

2. High plank

Time: 30sec

• Get on your hands and knees.
• Engage your core.
• Step one foot back at a time so your body is in a straight line from head to heels.
• Hold the position while breathing steadily.

3. Seated roll down

Reps: 5

• Sit up with your feet hip-width apart and your feet flat on the floor, with your arms extended in front of you.
• Engage your core.
• Slowly lower your torso back, as if being pulled down through the back of your belly button one vertebrae at a time, until you are lying on your back, keeping your feet flat on the floor and arms extended forward throughout.
• Inhale, and then slowly reverse the movement back to the start.

Pilates has evolved into a myriad of different styles and approaches, but Pilates’ origins were simpler, with just 34 movements created by its founder and namesake, Joseph Pilates.

According to Rebecca Daodun, Pilates instructor and founder of Pilates Prescription, there’s one move from the original set, published in the 1945 book Joseph Pilates co-authored, Pilates’ Return to Life Through Contrology, that she always recommends to clients.

“Pilates leg circles are a full-body move from the classical repertoire that requires you to move your leg in a circular movement without moving your trunk,” she tells Fit&Well. “The work is in maintaining stillness through your body.

“You are strengthening your hip flexors and leg muscles, but your whole body should be working to stabilize. Your core muscles stabilize your body, the stable leg supports the active leg and pressing into the mat with the backs of the arms should help anchor your body down.”

How to do Pilates leg circles

• Lie on your back with your legs extended, pressed into the floor and feet flexed.
• Place your arms diagonally by your sides in a V-shape, pressing them into the floor.
• Turn your right hip out so your knee is angled towards your right shoulder, then extend your right leg straight up with your toes pointing at the ceiling. This is your starting position.
• Inhale, move your right leg across your body to the left side.
• Exhale, move your leg down and around to the right.
• Circle it back to the starting position.
• Complete all the reps on one leg, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: Keep your circles controlled, ensuring your hips stay stable and grounded.

How to modify Pilates leg circles for beginners

If you feel your hips rising or your torso moving during the movement, try these tips for a more beginner-friendly version.

"Bend your working leg into a tabletop position first," Daodun advises. "This reduces strain on the core and hips while helping you maintain proper alignment. Practice holding this position for 10 seconds, then 30 seconds and moving up to a minute hold."

Try doing leg circles with a smaller range of movement. "The goal is precision over range," says Daodun. "As your strength improves, you can gradually extend your leg longer and increase the size of the circle while maintaining control."

Finally, if you struggle to fully straighten your leg, Daodun advises trying this move with a slight bend in your knee.

Because of Hollywood’s obsession with the six-pack, many people think crunches and sit-ups are the best way to train the muscles in your midsection.

And while those exercises are an excellent way to strengthen your rectus abdominis, the muscle that runs down the front of your torso, there are a number of other muscles that make up your core and that are essential for helping you move through life with confidence.

You need more than crunches to keep your core in good working order, but the good news is that the exercises you do need are easy to do at home, like these five exercises recommended by Lauren King, Pilates instructor and coach at STRONG Pilates Commack.

“This type of training helps the body maintain stability under load, building a strong and functional core that supports long-term health, improves movement efficiency and enhances overall performance.”

The final exercise requires dumbbells, but if you don’t own dumbbells or another type of free weight, load up tote bags with books, or use heavy bags of shopping.

1. Dead bug

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-12 each side Rest: 30-45sec

“This foundational exercise develops core strength by targeting the transverse abdominis, [the deepest-lying core muscle], while teaching the essential skill of core-bracing during limb movement,” says King.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your arms extended straight up and your knees bent at 90° and directly above your hips.
• Gently press your lower back into the floor and engage your core.
• Lower your left arm behind you and extend and lower your right leg.
• Return to the starting position with control, then repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

Form tip: Keep your ribs down, core engaged and avoid arching your lower back.

2. Glute bridge

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 10-12 Rest: 30-60sec

“This exercise engages your glutes and core together, reinforcing pelvic stability and reducing lower-back strain,” says King.

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Engage your core.
• Press through your heels to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from shoulders to knees.
• Pause at the top, squeeze your glutes, then lower slowly.

Form tip: Don’t let your ribs flare as you lift your hips.

3. Bird dog

Sets: 2-3 Reps: 8-10 each side Rest: 30sec

“This exercise builds coordination and activates spinal stabilizers and the transverse abdominis, which is great for posture and control,” says King.

How to do it:

• Get on your hands and knees, with your hands under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your left arm in front of you, and lift and extend your right leg behind you until your body forms a straight line from your right heel to your left hand, keeping your hips level and spine neutral.
• Pause briefly, then reverse the movement back to the start and repeat on the other side.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

4. Side plank

Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-30sec each side Rest: 30-45sec

“This exercise targets your obliques and deep stabilizers, improving lateral core strength and injury resilience,” says King.

How to do it:

• Lie on your side, propped up on your elbow.
• Engage your core.
• Lift your hips to form a straight line with your body.
• Hold the position, then switch sides.

Make it easier: Bend your knees and keep your knees on the floor as you lift your hips.

5. Farmer’s carry

Sets: 2-3 Time: 20-40sec each side Rest: 45-60sec

“This exercise trains functional core stability, grip and posture as your core works to resist movement rather than create it,” says King.

How to do it:

• Stand holding dumbbells by your sides.
• Relax your shoulders, engage your core and walk slowly and steadily forward (and back if space is limited).

Form tip: Avoid leaning or swaying during movement, keeping your chest upright throughout.

Going on vacation? Pilates coach Jo-Leigh Morris says packing a resistance band is “non-negotiable”.

They are lightweight, versatile and perfect for a “full-body burn anywhere”.

To demonstrate the point, she recently shared a full-body Pilates-inspired routine, perched beside a wanderlust-worthy infinity pool.

But you don’t need your passport to enjoy the benefits Morris is promoting—all you need is 15 minutes and a resistance band to strengthen and mobilize your whole body.

“If you’re new to this style of training, focus on slow, controlled movement over speed,” the classically-trained Pilates instructor tells Fit&Well.

“The burn comes from precision, not rushing. The more connected you feel to the movement, the stronger you’ll get.”

How to do the workout

Perform each move for 60 seconds, one after the other, to complete one round. Perform three rounds in total.

Go slow, keep your movements controlled and, Morris stresses, really “feel every rep”.

While performing the sequence, focus on keeping your core gently engaged throughout.

“Move with control—don’t let the band snap you back. Exhale on effort, inhale to reset, and keep your shoulders relaxed to avoid tension.”

She also suggests starting with a light band or with your hands wider to reduce resistance, as well as working within a smaller range of movement while you get up to speed.

“Take breaks when you need—quality over quantity, always,” she adds.

1. Single-leg scissors

Time: 30sec each side

Targets: core

• Lie on your back with the resistance band looped around the center of one foot.
• Take tension in the band to help lift that leg above you while also lifting your upper back off the floor.
• Only lift this leg to a point where you can keep it straight.
• Maintaining this position, with your lower back pressed into the floor, slowly lift and lower the other leg.
• Remember to keep breathing with every rep.
• Switch sides after 30 seconds.

2. Resistance band kneeling leg extension

Time: 30sec each side

Targets: glutes and hamstrings

• Start on all fours with your toes tucked underneath.
• Loop the band around the center of one foot, with the ends secured under the hand on the same side.
• Now lift and extend your leg behind you, working against the resistance.
• Control the return to the start position.
• Switch sides after 30 seconds.

3. Roll back with row

Time: 60sec

Targets: core, back and biceps

• Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you and the band looped around the center of both feet, holding the ends of the band in each hand.
• Lean your torso back slightly.
• Pull the ends of the band towards your chest, bending your elbows and moving them up and out to the sides.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together, then slowly reverse the movement to the start.

4. Split squat biceps curl

Time: 30sec each side

Targets: quads, glutes, biceps

• Loop the band under the center of one foot and take a big step back with the other, adopting a split stance.
• Stand tall with both legs straight and lift up onto the toes of your back foot if you feel stable.
• Bend your knees to lower until your back knee lightly taps the floor, as you bend your elbows to bring the ends of the band to your shoulders.
• Slowly reverse the movement to the start.
• Switch legs after 30 seconds.

5. Squat into upright row

Time: 60sec

Targets: quads, glutes, upper back, shoulders

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the band under both feet.
• Grasp the end of the band on the left with your right hand and vice versa, crossing the band in front of you.
• Push your hips back and bend your knees to lower until your hips are in line with your knees.
• Push through your feet to stand back up, and as you do lift the ends of the band by bending your elbows and lifting them to shoulder height out to the sides.
• Lower the ends of the band and continue into the next rep.

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Correctly performing the movement pattern of an exercise is important for ensuring you don’t injure yourself, but it’s also crucial for getting the benefit from the exercise.

“Sometimes, people believe that Pilates is simply too easy, but often, with a simple tweak to an exercise, we suddenly feel the whole exercise change—and we notice we are working much harder,” Helen O’Leary, Pilates instructor at Complete Pilates.

“There are certain ways of doing exercises that might mean you move a little more efficiently, or with less pain, or you just get more out of doing an exercise.”

That’s why in-person instruction can be so valuable, because a trained practitioner can spot a mistake and make the right correction.

But with so many of us practicing at home using follow-along videos, I asked O’Leary to pick the five Pilates exercises that she sees people struggle the most with. As well as detailed instructions on how to do them properly, O’Leary explains the biggest mistakes most people make with each move, so you can avoid making the same errors.

1. Femur arc

Set: 1 Reps: 5 each side

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor.
• Slowly lift one leg, keeping your knee bent, until your knee is directly above the hip and your shin is parallel to the floor.
• Repeat the movement with your other leg—this is called the double tabletop position.
• Slowly lower one leg, keeping your knee bent, until your toes tap the floor.
• Lift your leg back up to tabletop position.
• Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep.

The most common mistake to avoid:

“Holding the breath,” says O'Leary. “Ever wondered why fitness instructors of all types are always telling you to breathe? Well, one of the reasons is that we can use breath holding instead of using our abdominal muscles. When you breathe in and hold it, the positive pressure in your lungs creates rigidity in your torso, which feels like stability, but is not the same thing.

“This type of pressure, if habitually overused, can create a lot of stress on your abdominal wall and your pelvic floor, so it could potentially aggravate problems such as hernias and piles. Instead, if you exhale, whilst lowering your legs in the exercise, your deep abdominals engage and your stomach slightly draws in, and this creates stability and strength but without rigidity.”

2. Chest lift

Set: 1 Reps: 5

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor.
• Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing out to the sides.
• Curl your spine up, starting from your neck, lifting your head until your shoulders blades come off the floor, directing your gaze to your belly button.
• Hold for a few seconds and then slowly reverse the movement to the starting position.

The most common mistake to avoid:

“Pulling on the neck,” says O’Leary. “This goes for any exercise that is a form of crunch or curl up. When we are not able to curl the upper body effectively away from the floor, the next easiest thing that we can do is simply nod the head forward more—and many people then pull on the head in an effort to get higher.

“Unfortunately, this doesn’t really work the abs. Our top tip for getting a good curl is to think about lengthening the back of the neck and creating space between the chin and the chest. If you gently press your hands into your head, at the same time as pressing the back of your head into your hands, this will keep this position really stable.

“Take a breath in, and as you exhale, your front ribs will start to sink. Gently allow your elbows to reach forward; this will help to curl your upper body while keeping length through the upper body.”

3. Glute bridge

Set: 1 Reps: 12

How to do it:

• Lie on your back, with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring your heels as close to your bottom as you comfortably can.
• Place your hands on the floor next to your body. Reach your fingertips down towards the heels, as if you were trying to touch them.
• Press your feet into the floor to lift your hips. As you do so, try to push the knees forward.
• Take a breath in at the top, ensuring your back is flat and your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
• Start to breathe out, making a sighing sound, as you lower your body. The sighing helps you to effectively breathe out, and this helps your body soften, and will help you work on your spinal mobility.

The most common mistake to avoid:

“Lifting the front ribs up too high,” says O'Leary. “This is sometimes known in social media as rib flare. The rib flare is not universally wrong, but sometimes when the front ribs lift up, we may arch the lower back more and may experience more discomfort through overworking the low back muscles, or irritating the small joints of the spine.

“Softening the front of the ribs down, as if you were gently sliding them to your hips can help. You may then find that you get less discomfort in the lower back and feel more work in your legs.”

4. Superman

Set: 1 Reps: 6 each side

How to do it:

• Get onto your hands and knees with your knees directly below your hips and your wrists directly under your shoulders.
• Slowly extend your right leg behind you, sliding the toes of your right foot along the floor.
• Once your right leg is fully extended, lift your right leg behind you and your left arm in front of you, until your body forms a straight line from your right heel to your left fingertips.
• Do not let your lower back sag or your pelvis rotate.
• Return to hands and knees and repeat with the opposite arm and leg.
• Continue, alternating sides with each rep.

The most common mistake to avoid:

“Letting your lower back sag,” O’Leary says. “During these exercises, the idea is that you maintain the neutral, natural S curve of the spine. As you lift your leg, the movement should come mainly from the glutes, and not from your lower back arching.

“Think of reaching the leg along the floor before you lift it. Then, lift the leg, continuing to feel like the leg is lengthening. You want to maintain your lower back in the same gentle inward curve that you started with. If it is difficult to perform this exercise without your lower back arching a lot, or you are feeling discomfort in the lower back, try placing a small gym ball under the stomach."

5. Side-lying leg lift

Set: 1 Reps: 6 each side

How to do it:

• Sit on a mat with your legs together to the right side, knees bent.
• Place your left hand on the mat to the left of you, with your fingertips pointing towards the top of the mat.
• Lift your hips so your body is in a straight line from knees to head.
• Extend your right leg.
• Lift your right leg to hip height.
• Slowly lower your right leg, tapping your right foot lightly on the floor, then going straight into the next rep.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

The most common mistake to avoid:

“Thinking that bigger and faster equals better,” O’Leary says. “A common issue with this exercise is flinging the leg into the air using a lot of momentum. This exercise should engage the lateral gluteal muscles (the side of your buttock) but if you are flinging your leg into the air, you often end up rolling the pelvis backwards, working the hip flexor muscles, which means you don’t work the lateral glutes.

“Instead of this, try focusing on keeping the leg in line with the body, and lifting to just above hip height, and then slowly lowering. Imagine a glass is balanced on your top hip so that you don’t let your pelvis roll back.”

To the uninitiated, the Pilates reformer’s combination of sliding carriage, slings, handles, bars and pulleys looks like the most complicated fitness contraption ever designed. To the initiated, it’s an incredibly effective way to develop strength and control, which explains its popularity.

But unless you have the money and space to install one in your house, you’ll have to pay to visit a Pilates studio to use one.

But Brittni Johnson, an NCPT Pilates instructor for wellness app BetterMe, says that you can replicate a reformer workout at home.

She designed this short workout as an easy, at-home alternative, replacing the Reformer with sliders and resistance bands to mimic the reformer movements.

“By introducing external tension, you move beyond basic mat exercises to engage the deep stabilizing muscles, improve joint decompression, and create the functional resistance needed to sculpt a lean, resilient physique,” says Johnson.

If you don’t have any sliders available, you can use a towel on hard floors, or a paper plate on carpet.

1. Sliding reverse lunge

Set: 1 Reps: 10-12 each side

How to do it:

• Stand up straight with your left foot on the mat and your right foot on a slider.
• Reach your arms toward the ceiling as you slowly slide your right foot behind from you, bending your left knee to lower.
• Engage your glutes and core to extend your left leg and pull the slider back to the starting position.
• Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.

Johnson says: “This mimics the scooter, or lunge series, on a reformer carriage. It builds intense lower-body strength and balance while the overhead reach forces your core to stabilize against the movement.”

2. Banded row

Set: 1 Reps: 10-12

How to do it:

• Sit on the mat with your legs extended in front of you.
• Loop a long resistance band around your feet and hold the ends with your arms extended and elbows at shoulder height.
• Lean back slightly, keeping your back straight.
• Bend your elbows to bring the ends of the band towards your shoulders, squeezing your shoulder blades together while keeping your back straight.
• Extend your arms, moving with control.

Johnson says: “This replaces seated arm work on the Reformer. It targets the upper back and rear deltoids, correcting desk posture and opening up the chest for a taller, leaner silhouette.”

3. Banded twist

Sets: 1 Reps: 10-12 each side

How to do it:

• Sit on the mat with your legs extended in front of you.
• Loop a long resistance band around your feet and hold the ends in your hands, with your arms extended.
• Pull one elbow behind you, while rotating your torso toward that arm.
• Follow your elbow with your gaze, then return to the center and repeat on the other side.

Johnson says: “This exercise replicates the rotational series in the straps. It targets the obliques and deep transverse abdominis by combining resistance with spinal rotation.”

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Pilates is often celebrated for its core-strengthening benefits or seen as a way to improve alignment. But this workout style offers another important benefit: mobilizing your body.

It’s natural to think of yoga or a good stretching routine to unlock tight areas but Pilates doesn’t just stretch muscles and mobilize joints, it actively strengthens them too. This makes it effective at increasing your range of motion and moving with more ease.

Rebecca Daodun, a Pilates instructor and founder of Pilates Prescription, has shared her two favorite beginner-friendly exercises for upper-body mobility. It’s common to hold tension and stiffness in the spine, shoulder and chest, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting or have a habit of slouching.

“A lot of people, when they first start Pilates, haven’t done these kinds of moves before,” Daodun tells Fit&Well. “I always find that beginners love that feeling of finally opening up the body.”

You can do these moves as a standalone sequence whenever you need, or as part of a warm-up for a Pilates or strength workout.

1. Spinal curl

Reps: 4-5

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Place your arms by your sides, reaching them toward your heels and pressing them into the floor.
• Inhale, then exhale to flatten your back, tucking your pelvis under.
• Lift your hips and spine slowly, vertebrae by vertebrae, until your hips form a straight line with your shoulders and knees.
• Inhale into your ribs and spine, exhale and imagine pushing your knees forward.
• Slowly lower your spine, vertebrae by vertebrae, to the floor.

This movement seems similar to a bridge, but there is a crucial difference. Rather than concentrating on using your glutes (the muscles in your butt) to lift your hips, the focus is articulating through the spine.

“With a bridge, you bring the back up in one piece, powering into the glutes,” Daodun explains. “Whereas with a spinal curl, you end up in your bridge but you bring the back up piece by piece. Moving really slowly is the key.”

2. Arm opening

Reps: 6-8 each side

• Lie on your right side with your knees bent and your shoulders, hips and heels in a straight line.
• Extend both arms in front of you at shoulder height with your palms together.
• Lift your left arm overhead and behind you, rotating your torso to the left and turning your head, following your left hand with your gaze.
• Lower your left arm as far as your mobility allows, then slowly return it to the starting position.
• Do all your repetitions on one side, then switch sides.

Sitting hunched over a laptop, phone and tablet for hours every day is often unavoidable due to the demands and habits of our modern way of life.

But over time, this compromised posture can lead to an excessive rounding of the thoracic spine and upper back, known as kyphotic posture or hyperkyphosis.

Typically, it is coupled with muscle weakness, reduced mobility and back pain—but Pilates represents the perfect gentle remedy.

“Pilates—and the improved body awareness and control it provides you with—helps to create better balance and mobility around your joints,” explains Luke Meessmann, founder and master trainer at Absolute Studios in London, U.K.

“It enables you to move with more freedom and strength through a broad range of motion.”

For modern living and modern sports you need a spine that is able to rotate, flex forward, flex laterally and extend, he tells Fit&Well.

Regular practice on the mat or reformer machine will help iron out strength imbalances, but Meessmann says you can also slot three Pilates-inspired exercises into your daily routine to help mobilize your back and straighten your posture.

Best Pilates exercises for posture

Meessmann’s answer to the question of which Pilates moves best treat a hunched posture is simple. “Anything that applies the opposite forces on your body,” he says.

Meessmann says these three gentle exercises, performed in sequence, will help restore rotation to the thoracic spine, introduce extension, and then help stretch the shortened muscles around the chest and shoulders.

He suggests using these moves to mobilize your body as required throughout the day or to incorporate it into a full-body warm-up before a workout to improve range of motion.

1. Open the book

Time: 60sec each side

• Lie on your side with your knees bent and your arms extended in front of you.
• Keeping your bottom arm and leg in contact with the floor throughout, slowly lift your top arm over and across your body toward the floor on your other side, rotating your torso.
• Allow your gaze to follow your hand as you go, and only lower as far as you can without lifting your knees or other arm off the floor.
• Rotate back to the start and continue this movement for time. Then repeat on the other side.
• As your spine gets used to the movement, your range should gradually increase.

Meessmann says: “The lumbar and thoracic spine loves rotation and this is like a gentle warm-up for it. I’d use it to get the spine a little more pliable before asking it to straighten.”

2. Cobra

Time: 30-60sec

• Lie face down with your legs extended, the tops of your feet on the floor and your hands under your shoulders with your elbows tucked into your torso.
• Draw your shoulders down and away from your ears, and lightly engage your upper back muscles.
• Gently press through your hands to peel your head, chest and upper ribs off the floor, keeping your hips and thighs on the floor.
• Lengthen your spine forward and up (rather than just bending sharply into your lower back), keeping your gaze forward or down.
• Breathe slowly and evenly, holding this position for 10 seconds, then lower with control and repeat for time.

Meessmann says: “Now the spine is warmer, you can introduce some gentle extension. This action treats the spine to the opposite action that causes a hunched posture.”

3. Doorway stretch

Time: 30-60sec

• Stand in an open doorway with one foot slightly in front of the other, placing your forearms on the doorframe at shoulder height, elbows bent to 90°.
• Gently roll your shoulders down and back so your chest is open and your shoulder blades are lightly drawn together.
• Lightly brace your core and glutes to protect your lower back.
• Keep your neck extended and in a neutral position, looking straight ahead rather than pushing your head forward.
• Slowly lean your body forward through the doorway until you feel a light stretch across your chest and the front of your shoulders.
• Stop or ease off before you feel any pinching or sharpness.
• Hold the stretch for 10 seconds while breathing steadily, then step back to release.
• Repeat for time, adjusting your arm height slightly to find the best angle of stretch.

Meessmann says: “This provides a really nice pec and anterior shoulder stretch. Lean in, keep the glutes and abs on so the lower back isn’t extending, and try to subtly lift the breastbone as you come forward to target the thoracic spine.”

It can be easy to be overwhelmed when trying Pilates.

It’s a demanding style of movement that requires control, strength and stability, and is as mentally challenging as it is physically stimulating.

But, according to certified instructor Evia Valeniece, one simple thing can make or break your practice, especially if you’re new to Pilates: breathing.

“When I first started, I didn't know anything,” the BetterMe instructor tells Fit&Well, describing how she was initially self-taught.

“I just found videos on YouTube that were put together with music and a timer, but no verbal guidance.”

Once she earned her certifications and started teaching regularly, she quickly realised the importance of verbal cues to guide people on how to breathe during an exercise.

“Not just how to breathe, but when to breathe, and most importantly, to breathe, because lots of people just hold their breath,” she says.

Generally, she says, the golden rule in Pilates is to inhale through your nose when preparing to perform the exercise and exhale through pursed lips on effort.

“But don’t be discouraged if all of a sudden you feel like you’re breathing wrong,” she stresses. The most important thing to remember is to keep breathing.

“You can breathe however it feels good for you, just don’t hold your breath.”

Valeniece says holding your breath during a Pilates sequence will make the workout as much as “50% less effective”.

It’s why she always encourages clients and fans of her online classes to follow Pilates plans that are verbally guided.

“Verbal instructions will not only guide you on how to breathe, but also which muscle you should focus on during an exercise, plus how to fix your form to reduce risk of injury.”

If verbal instructions aren’t available to you, Valeniece suggests performing an exercise for time, rather than a number of repetitions, which will encourage you to slow down and focus on technique and good breathing mechanics.

Some instructors, especially classical Pilates instructors, try to enforce this very strict breathing pattern, which Valeniece says can be quite counter-productive.

By contrast, when performing Pilates for rehabilitation purposes, Valeniece says it’s better to guide people to just breathe however feels comfortable to avoid holding their breath.

“The most important thing to remember is to breathe. When appropriate, inhale on prep and exhale on effort. But, fundamentally, you just have to breathe.”

Welcome to Workout Diaries, a series where we ask expert trainers to talk us through what a week of exercise looks like for them, helping you figure out how to develop and maintain an effective workout routine.

Evia Valeniece freely admits that she came late to the Pilates party.

Now an in-demand BetterMe instructor with a dedicated following on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, she says she didn't catch the exercise bug growing up in Latvia.

“I never really went to the gym or did team sports,” she tells Fit&Well. “That was never my thing. Then COVID and lockdown hit and everything started feeling a bit negative and low.”

A lack of energy and willpower to cook at home, plus a demanding work-from-home office job, was having a detrimental effect on her health.

“Then my now husband proposed,” Valeniece says, which gave her the push she needed to exercise.

“I came to Pilates by accident. I started with some YouTube workouts and it really felt nice. It’s low impact. It’s a slower pace than cardio. I felt really good afterwards.”

Performing Pilates workouts daily gradually led to improvements in her overall health.

“I saw a big change in my body. I felt better. I had a better posture. I felt so much stronger, so much more mobile and flexible. All these benefits positively impacted my day-to-day life.”

Soon her hobby became her passion and she enrolled on courses to become a certified Pilates instructor, later sharing free workouts on YouTube.

“I wanted more women to feel the same way that I do,” she says.

“I know the gym is not for everybody. Not everyone wants to do very hardcore workouts. I enjoyed the calm energy and slow flow of Pilates and wanted to share that with others.”

Pilates, she adds, has also helped her better understand her own body and made her more resilient to aches and pains.

“It helps with the mind-muscle connection. You learn how your body moves, how to move with intention, how to isolate each muscle group, how to hold good posture,” she says.

“You actually feel in control of your own body—you understand it better.”

Here, Valeniece shares her typical week of workouts, along with her tried-and-tested rules on how to build a routine that fits around your schedule.

Evia Valeniece’s Weekly Workout Routine

Valeniece practices Pilates most days, preferring to work out first thing in the morning to start her day with movement and naturally boost energy.

Her home mat-based Pilates routines tend to last up to 30 minutes, with the weekend reformer class lasting an hour.

“I also walk every day: 30 minutes on the treadmill or for an hour outside.”

Her workouts typically include a focus, such as targeting the glutes and legs, but each class will challenge her entire body.

“After every workout, I want to feel like my posture has improved. I want to feel stronger overall.”

Monday
Home mat Pilates class targeting the glutes and legs

Tuesday
Home mat Pilates class targeting the full body

Wednesday
Home mat Pilates class targeting the glutes

Thursday
Home mat Pilates class targeting the abs and core

Friday
Home mat Pilates class targeting the full body

Saturday
Rest day, including some light active recovery

Sunday
Full-body reformer Pilates class at a local studio

Evia Valeniece’s advice for building a workout routine

Follow a structured plan

When starting out, Valeniece says she “basically just did random online workouts”.

“I couldn’t even find information on how to follow something structured. Now it’s so much easier for beginners with the likes of the BetterMe app,” she says.

“I would definitely recommend starting with a proper plan, not just some random workouts,” she says.

“Of course, you will improve with time, but if you follow a structured plan, the changes will come so much quicker.”

Build habit through repetition

“I train a lot—most days. It motivates me to keep going, to never skip a day.”

Valeniece understands that not everyone will have the time, nor inclination, to commit to a full workout every day.

But with Pilates she believes you can move your body in some small way regularly throughout the week.

“Pilates is low impact, so you can actually do it every day. Of course, recovery is very important, but if the workout is light and flowy, you can train every day,” she says.

By making daily movement part of your routine, it will become second nature.

Remember, something is always better than nothing

On low-energy days, don’t set yourself up for failure. Simplify your plan to maintain momentum.

That was the lesson Valeniece learned on low-energy days, especially when she was working a stressful nine-to-five office job while training to become a Pilates instructor.

“I would always try to slot in 10-15 minutes,” she says. “It’s such a small amount of time, but it still motivates you because you didn’t skip that day. You still moved and that will motivate you to show up the next day.”

If you can commit to 10 minutes one day, that might snowball into 15 the next, then 20, and so on.

“When you go into that cycle and find these workouts bring you joy, it won’t feel like a duty or chore you have to do.

“You’ll actually start to look forward to it, especially if you are consistent. The beginning is always hardest, but once you are consistent, it will become natural.

“For me, the biggest motivator was doing just 10 to 15 minutes a day. That kept me going.”

Are you someone who is constantly suffering from a tight neck or sore shoulders? Stretching or a massage isn't necessarily the solution, according to this Pilates instructor.

“I’d like to encourage a stronger focus on improving neck, shoulder, and upper back mobility and strength,” says Helen O’Leary, Pilates instructor at Complete Pilates.

O’Leary thinks people often forget about the importance of strengthening their upper body to reduce discomfort, particularly if it’s caused by bad posture in people who spend too long sitting down.

“The good news is that it doesn’t require a complete overhaul of your routine. Incorporating a few simple, targeted movements throughout the working day can make a meaningful difference in reducing the pain and stiffness associated with prolonged sitting,” O’Leary adds.

Below, she’s shared three underrated moves that will help mobilise your upper body and reduce discomfort.

1. Cat-cow

Sets: 1 Reps: 5-10

• Get on your hands and knees, with your knees hip-width apart positioned over your knees and your shoulders above your wrists.
• Shift your weight back so that 70% is in your lower body and 30% in your arms.
• Press your hands into the floor so your back doesn’t collapse between your shoulder blades.
• Slowly tuck your tailbone under to round your lower back, then continue rounding your spine up to your upper back, gently lowering your head to look towards your knees.
• Then lift your tailbone, carefully arching your back, finally lifting your head to look towards the top of your exercise mat.

“This exercise is so simple that it’s easy to ignore, but this really is a fantastic way to take your whole spine through its full range of motion, and nearly everyone can do it,” says O’Leary.

2. Thread the needle

Sets: 1 Reps: 5 each side

• Get on your hands and knees, with your knees hip-width apart, positioned over your knees and your shoulders above your wrists.
• Shift your weight back so that 70% is in your lower body and 30% in your arms.
• Move your right hand between your left hand and left knee, turning your torso to the left.
• When you can’t reach any further, bend your left elbow and lower your right shoulder to the floor.
• Reverse the movements back to your hands and knees, but sweep your right arm above you, turning your torso to the right.
• Return your right hand to the floor.
• Do all your reps on one side, then swap sides.

“Thread the needle can be done after you loosen up with the cat-cow, this adds a rotational component to the exercise, which really helps get the small spinal joints moving,” O’Learys explains.

3. Dart

Sets: 1 Reps: 10

• Lie on your stomach, with your arms resting by your sides.
• Lift your head just off the floor, keeping the back of the neck extended, and your chin tucked, as if to give yourself a double chin.
• Gently press your pubic bone into the floor, to give you a sense that you are opening the front of the hips.
• Reach your fingertips down towards your feet, as if to make your arms longer.
• Inhale, and start to lift your chest and shoulders, opening the front of your chest.
• Allow your arms to raise off the floor, but keep them in line with your body. The bottom of your ribs should stay in contact with the floor. Lift your gaze gently.
• Exhale as you slowly lower.

“It can be easy to overlook exercises that strengthen your back. A lot of workout style exercises focus much more on the abs, since this is the part of the body that people can see,” O’Leary says.

“But gently strengthening your back muscles helps to improve your ability to sustain an upright posture when you are sitting all day, and also helps to lessen the strain which leads to pain and stiffness.”

If you’ve ever tried Pilates, you’ve probably noticed that it often involves doing one exercise on both sides of the body. Although this can be time-consuming, there’s a good reason for it.

Single-arm or single-leg movements are called unilateral exercises and they have unique benefits.

“When you do a unilateral exercise, then you can directly compare strength and mobility side to side,” explains Helen O’Leary, Pilates instructor at Complete Pilates.

“And then it is easy to notice whether there is any asymmetry which may need addressing.”

Pilates was originally designed as a rehabilitation system for people with injuries, which is why unilateral exercises are so fundamental to this style of movement.

“Unilateral movements can also be more functional,” adds O’Leary. “They often involve an element of rotation in the body, which means the movement integrates multiple areas of the body.

“Unilateral exercises may also require the opposite, stabilising the body more,” she continues. “For example, standing on one leg: your balance is more challenged and your muscles have to work to stabilize your body over one leg.”

Below, O’Leary has shared four unilateral Pilates exercises you can try at home without any equipment.

1. Single-leg bridge

Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side

“This exercise works the bottom and the back of the thigh muscles, which are often lacking in strength compared to the big quad muscles on the front of the thighs,” says O’Leary.

“Improving your strength here can improve your power during walking, running, stair climbing and even during lifting.”

How to do it:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the edge of a couch seat or other sturdy, raised platform.
• Engage your core, then lift your left foot off the couch.
• Press down into your right foot to lift your hips until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your right knee.
• Slowly lower your hips back to the floor.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.

Trainer tip: You can also perform this exercise with your feet on the floor.

If working with your feet elevated, you may notice your hamstrings, the muscles in the backs of your thighs, are more active. When your feet are on the floor, you may notice more activity in your glutes, the muscle group in your butt. You can also add weight for more of a challenge.

2. Side-lying leg lift

Sets: 1 Reps: 8 each side

“A side plank or side-lying leg lift is brilliant for challenging the lateral stabilisers of the body,” O’Leary says.

How to do it:

• Lie on your left side with your knees bent, slightly forward of your hips.
• Place your left hand on the floor and extend your arm to lift your torso.
• Lift your hips so your body is in a straight line from knees to head.
• Extend your right leg, flex your foot, and lift your heel to hip height.
• Lower your right heel, gently tap it on the floor, then go straight into the next rep.
• Do all your reps on one side, then switch sides.