Pilates is a renowned core workout, but the celebrity-loved routine does a lot more than burn the midsection. The misconception that Pilates is “just an ab” workout is understandable. One of the six principles of Pilates is “centering,” and the core is considered the body’s “powerhouse.” The other five principles are breath, concentration, control, precision, and flow.
I enjoy the variety of a Pilates workout routine, and I definitely feel the burn in more than just my core. Pilates can engage numerous muscles, including your upper and lower body. Strengthening these muscles helps you prevent injury and build all-over strength. Moreover, the low-impact, weight-free nature of many Pilates exercises makes them a good fit for people just coming back from injury with a green light from a care provider.
Pilates is also an excellent choice for beginners and people experienced in strength training who want to mix up their routines. These seven moves will give you a full-body Pilates workout. We also asked Pilates instructor and expert Dr. Femi Betiku to share his top Pilates moves, tips, and more. Dr. Betiku is a doctor of physical therapy, a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher (NCPT), and the instructor for Club Pilates. He’s a Pilates guru who wants to share how Pilates can help men build strength, flexibility, and overall fitness. First, let’s detail the full-body Pilates workout.
A full-body Pilates workout you can do at home
Fancy gadgets like a Reformer aren’t required. All you need is your body for this full-body Pilates workout that targets major muscle groups in your upper body, lower body, and core.
Glute bridges
Glute bridges target your glutes, core, back, and hamstrings.
How to perform a glute bridge:
- Lie flat on your back with your feet on the floor and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Pull your naval into your spine.
- Inhale. Push through your feet, keeping weight evenly distributed, as you peel your hips off the floor.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top. Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Exhale as you bring your hips back to the starting position slowly and with control.
Sidekick front-to-back
This move targets your hips, thighs, core, and glutes. You’ll also improve balance.
How to perform a sidekick front-to-back:
- Lie on your side with your hips and legs stacked on top of one another. Prop up your head with your hand.
- Lift the top leg to hip height, about an inch or two, and flex the foot.
- Inhale. Swing (but with control) the foot in front of you, making a 90-degree angle with your torso. Pulse twice.
- Exhale as you point your toes and swing your leg behind you as if trying to touch the corner of the room with your big toe.
- Return to the start.
- Repeat 8-10 times.
- Switch sides and repeat.
Side-lying leg lifts
Stay in the same position as above for a move that also works your hips, glutes, thighs, and core.
How to perform a side-lying leg lift:
- If you’re not in the above position, assume it by lying on your side. Your hips and legs should be stacked on top of one another, and your hand can prop up your head.
- Inhale. Engage your core and pretend your mid-section is pulling your top leg up past hip height. Squeeze the glutes as you go.
- Lower your leg.
- Repeat 8-10 times.
- Switch sides and repeat.
Pilates pushups
Yes, Pilates has a pushup variation. This version effectively targets the triceps rather than the emphasis on the large muscles in your chest.
How to perform a Pilates pushup:
- Assume a high plank position with wrists and shoulders aligned. Spread your fingers wide and make sure your feet are touching.
- Inhale as you squeeze your legs together (and the glutes). Your back should remain flat the entire time.
- Inhale and pull your belly button toward your spine as you slowly lower yourself to the floor.
- Stop when you’re nearly touching the floor. Exhale.
- Inhale as you slowly return to start.
- Repeat 10 times.
Arm circles
Often used in warm-ups or cool-downs of traditional upper-body workouts, arm circles can also be a move all their own. Do them long enough, and you’ll see.
How to perform arm circles:
- Stand straight on a mat with feet hip-width apart.
- Inhale, pulling your belly button in toward your spine as you lift your arms to shoulder height.
- Make tiny forward circles with your arms for one minute.
- Make tiny backward circles for one minute.
Tricep dips
You can use a bench or step to increase the range of motion, but a floor or mat is all you need. Tricep dips work the core and triceps, which are found in the back of your upper arm.
How to perform a tricep dip:
- Get into a reverse tabletop position with your hips lifted off the mat and elbows straight but not locked. Your fingers should be shooting toward the heels.
- Shift the weight to your hands and feet as you inhale and slowly lower down, bending at your elbows.
- Continue to lower until just before your butt hits the ground.
- Push yourself back up to start.
- Repeat 10-15 times.
Four-point kneeling double-knee taps
This move is a true burner for the shoulders and arms.
How to perform a four-point kneeling double-knee tap:
- Get into a tabletop position with your wrists in line with your shoulders and knees directly under your hips.
- Inhale as you press into the hands and balls of your feet to lift your knees one to two inches off the mat.
- Exhale, lowering your knees down. Let them tap the floor.
- As soon as your knees hit the floor, quickly lift back up.
- Repeat 10 times.
What is Pilates?
So let’s rewind for a moment and define Pilates. Joseph Pilates, a German physical trainer, developed Pilates in the 20th century. The exercises combine mind, body, and breath, requiring precision and focus. This type of strength training was widely used by dancers as a form of injury recovery as well as in rehabilitation settings. Today, it’s popular among dancers and elite athletes.
What are the benefits of Pilates?
Pilates exercises will get your heart pumping and help you build strength. You’ll also gain core stability, flexibility, body awareness, and improved posture in the process. The core stays active throughout, but you’ll also work different muscles.
Here are some of the many benefits of Pilates:
- The focus on breathwork can be a stress reliever.
- Improve posture, balance, and coordination.
- Research shows Pilates could help reduce back pain.
- Reduce your risk of injuries and falling.
- You can modify the exercises to suit your fitness level.
- Boost your mood and quality of life.
- Enhance your overall fitness.
- Research reveals Pilates can help tone and shape the lower body and improve overall strength and flexibility.
- Exercises like planks and pushups also target your upper body muscles, like your shoulders, arms, and upper back.
- Improve spinal mobility.
How does Pilates tone your whole body?
Pilates can definitely help tone your whole body, which refers to the process of reducing body fat while building muscle mass at the same time. Incorporating strength training exercises into your workout routine can help alter your body composition and sculpt a more muscular physique. Many fitness professionals recommend a more well-rounded workout schedule that incorporates a mix of strength training, cardio, and different types of exercise for optimal results.
Muscle building involves multiple factors, such as hormones and protein intake. Pilates involves the use of lighter weights and different types of equipment or your own body weight. If you’re aiming for significant muscle growth, one of the best ways to help build muscle is by trying resistance training with progressive overload, where you gradually increase the weight over time as you develop strength. Many people find Pilates to be better for their joints compared to the heavier weights used with resistance training.
Pilates equipment
For many Pilates moves, all you need is your own body weight, which is why it’s more accessible and an excellent choice for the comfort and privacy of your home.
Here are some of the Pilates equipment you might consider trying out for some moves in the future:
- Yoga mat or workout mat to provide some cushioning for your body rather than the hard floor.
- Thick towel
- Yoga block
- Resistance bands
- Pilates chair
- Raised mats
Some Pilates studios, gyms, and rehabilitation centers have more involved large exercise machines, such as:
- Ladder barrels
- Trapeze table machines
- Springboards
- Reformer machines
Top Pilates tips to get started
Pilates can seem intimidating, and you might not be sure where to start. Here are some top Pilates tips to help you get started. If you’re unsure if Pilates is the right choice, it’s always best to consult your healthcare provider.
Top Pilates tips for beginners:
- Go slow and focus on technique.
- Work with an instructor or follow along with a video or class.
- Stay committed by making space in your schedule for your Pilates routine.
- Optimize your hydration and nutrition for the best outcome.
- Start with bodyweight moves before adding equipment.
- Don’t get discouraged if you can’t pick up a certain move right away. It might take time and practice before you can conquer some of those moves.
- Focus on your breathing. Pilates encompasses the body and mind.
FAQs
How often should you do Pilates every week?
How often you’d like to do Pilates every week is up to you. If you can only fit two or three times a week into your schedule, you’ll definitely see results in your fitness over time as you stick with it. Others dedicate four or five sessions a week. Most fitness professionals recommend including rest days to give your muscles sufficient time to rest and recover. It’s also best to incorporate a variety of exercises that hit the different muscle groups for the best results.
Is Pilates a good full-body workout?
Pilates can definitely be an excellent full-body workout with the right exercises.
Is 20 minutes of Pilates a day enough?
If you only have time for 20 minutes of Pilates, it’s better than zero minutes, and you should still be proud that you’re prioritizing your fitness.
What is the 80/20 rule in Pilates?
The 80/20 rule in Pilates, or in fitness in general, usually refers to the concept of doing lighter workouts about 80% of the time and engaging in higher-intensity Pilates workouts 20% of the time. You’ll gain a lot of progress from pushing and challenging yourself through that 20% of the higher-intensity Pilates workouts.
Can you lose weight doing Pilates?
Researchers found that Pilates helped lower body weight and body fat percentage in obese and overweight individuals. The weight loss picture involves more than just exercise alone; engaging in Pilates can certainly help.
Interview with Pilates instructor and expert Dr. Femi Betiku
I caught up with Pilates expert and instructor for Club Pilates, Dr. Femi Betiku, DPT, NCPT. As a doctor of physical therapy, Dr. Betiku understands how to harness the power of Pilates.
The Manual (TM): When did you first become interested in Pilates?
Dr. Femi Betiku: In 2014, at a Pilates mat experience while undergoing my Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree at NYU.
TM: What made you decide to become a certified Pilates instructor?
Dr. Femi Betiku: As an individual with chronic lower back pain, I realized it was the only form of exercise that made my low back pain feel better during this experience. I made a decision right there that I would pursue a full certification while going through my very rigorous doctorate degree because I had a strong gut feeling that Pilates would be one of the most popular forms of exercise in the future.
TM: Why do you think Pilates is beneficial for men, and why should more men try it?
Dr. Femi Betiku: Most men usually utilize a more aggressive form of exercising, such as weightlifting and other weight-bearing exercises, in order to improve their muscle health and overall wellness. Pilates is the only form of exercise that can help spare their joints, maintain the health of their most integral muscle groups, and improve their flexibility and overall wellness with minimal irritation to their joints.
TM: How do you feel Pilates has personally improved your health, strength, and overall fitness?
Dr. Femi Betiku: As a husband, father of three children under four, and entrepreneur, I am always on the go and need to be strong and healthy for my life responsibilities. Pilates has been the only holistic tool that has helped me to keep my debilitating lower back pain at bay while allowing me to get healthier and perform my physically challenging responsibilities with ease.
TM: What are your top three Pilates moves right now?
Dr. Femi Betiku: Hundreds, side-lying foot in strap, and the plank series on the reformer.
TM: What tips can you share to help beginners get started with Pilates?
Dr. Femi Betiku: Start with the level 1 reformer flow series at any Club Pilates. Stick with it for three months in order for your body to get into Pilates shape. And over the course of three months, watch how your body feels stronger, more mobile, and healthier, no matter your age. Having an instructor is crucial for proper form and guidance.
TM: Do you recommend getting any Pilates equipment, such as resistance bands or a Pilates ring?
Dr. Femi Betiku: I highly recommend getting some resistance bands, as these bands can add new levels and experiences to the same Pilates routine.
TM: Research shows Pilates exercises target the deeper abdominal muscles and pelvic floor. Because these muscles support, protect, and stabilize the back, researchers have found Pilates to be effective in helping to reduce nonspecific low back pain. As a Pilates instructor, have you witnessed people finding some relief from lower back pain by engaging in Pilates?
Dr. Femi Betiku: Yes, I am the poster child of this. Pilates is the only form of exercise, while being done consistently, that can minimize and eliminate nonspecific low back pain. As a physical therapist, it is my number one recommendation to over 90% of my patient population.
TM: How many times a week should our readers do Pilates to start seeing improvements in their strength, flexibility, stability, and fitness?
Dr. Femi Betiku: According to the American College of Sports Medicine, all healthy adults 18 to 65 should participate in a minimum of 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three times a week. In my professional opinion, I think performing one hour of Pilates reformer exercise three times a week will help one see drastic improvements in the four areas mentioned above.
TM: Pilates doesn’t just work your core. Could you share a full-body Pilates workout with our readers?
Dr. Femi Betiku: Any plank series, whether forward, side, or reverse planks, will allow an individual to experience a full-body exercise.
TM: Could you explain the main differences and similarities between Barre and Pilates?
Dr. Femi Betiku: From my professional view, Barre exercises focus on small range as well as isometric movements, while Pilates usually encourages full range, concentric, eccentric, and isometric movements.
