Starting Pilates on a mat

Start the programme with 3 basic exercises that strengthen the 3 muscular chains by alternating strength and mobility movements.
This will help you feel the benefits of Pilates after just 1 workout: weak muscles become stronger and tight muscles are stretched.

Wear a comfortable outfit and non-slip socks or go barefoot. Find a peaceful spot to create the best environment for your workout. Get a mat ahead of time to make sure you can exercise comfortably

During this workout, take time to focus on your breathing and feel the effects on your core. Prioritize quality over quantity.

For shorter, easier workouts, we recommend the My Gym Challenge programme!

Another 4 basic Pilates exercises, including 2 new ones. This workout targets your entire body: it mobilizes your spine and strengthens back muscles.

Approximate workout duration: 20 min

For the roll up-roll down, lean forward while pulling your belly button to your spine to keep your core engaged. During the entire session, make sure you are controlling your movements and transitioning smoothly.

If you want, feel free to take a few Pilates breaths to warm up. Pilates breathing can be done whenever, wherever and in whatever posture you find yourself. Make thoracic breathing and good posture part of your everyday life.

Discover 3 basic Pilates exercises, 2 of which are new from the previous workout.

This is a full-body workout.

As in the previous workout, focus on your breathing.
Feel the effects in your abdominal belt.
Extra bonus: Keep your pelvis in a neutral position to correctly execute the exercises.

If you want, take a few Pilates breaths to warm up. Pilates breathing can be done whenever, wherever and in whatever posture you find yourself. Make lateral thoracic breathing and good posture part of your everyday life.

We will review the 3 basic Pilates exercises seen in the previous week.
Remember, this is a full-body workout so it will target your entire body.

Stay focused on controlling your pelvis position, which should be neutral.
Extra bonus: press your pubic bone into the floor to decompress and protect your lower back.

If certain exercises are too intensive, instead do their equivalents from week 1.

We will do the same 3 exercises as in the first week, but with a few changes.

Stay focused on controlling your pilates breathing.

Stay focused on controlling your pilates breathing.

If certain exercises are too intensive, do their equivalents from week 1.

In this workout, we will also do the 3 exercises from the previous week.
This workout will help mobilise your thoracic spine (upper part of the spine) and strengthen your lower back to prevent back problems.

Remember that for the roll up exercise, lean forward while pulling your belly button to your spine to keep your core engaged. If you are using your arms to stay balanced when coming up or if your feet come off the ground, you have gone too far. Don't go as far next time to improve the quality of your movement.

If certain exercises are too intensive, instead do their equivalents from week 1.

This is a full-body workout with a special focus on mobility.

Envision your spine as a string of pearls, you have to lay down and raise one vertebra at a time in every exercise to fully feel your spine's mobility.

You have the option to supplement these workouts with cardio: walking, running, cycling, or swimming!

This workout targets the obliques, the muscles on the sides of the abdomen that connect the upper and lower body!

During this workout, it is very important that your exercises follow the rhythm of your breathing and not the other way around.

You have the option to supplement these workouts with cardio: walking, running, cycling, or swimming!

Pelvis stability and mobility will be our theme for this workout.
We will focus on engagement and flow, 2 of the 6 Pilates fundamentals, to ensure the stability of your core and especially your pelvis.

During leg circles, imagine that you have a cup of champagne on the knee of your leg resting on the ground. It's your job not to let it fall. Focusing on this will keep your pelvis stability.

You have the option to supplement these workouts with cardio: walking, running, cycling, or swimming!

We will combine the 3 exercises demonstrated in the first workout last week with more advanced options.

During pelvic tilts, imagine that you have a cactus under your glutes to increase the distance between the ground and your bridge.

If certain exercises are too intensive, do their equivalents from level 1 instead.

For this workout, we will control our pelvis stability by focusing on our relationship with the ground.

Tip: imagine pushing down through the floor. Everything that is in contact with the ground should be actively pressing down to anchor you and guarantee pelvis stability.

You have the option to supplement these workouts with cardio: walking, running, cycling, or swimming!

What's on the agenda for this workout? Strengthening the abdominal belt and all of its muscles: transverse abdominal, rectus abdominis and obliques.

The key to a quality workout that will give you a healthier back and toned stomach is that you pay careful attention to your breathing, especially while exhaling.

Try the Improve in Pilates programme!