This 4-week Pilates programme includes daily 15-minute workouts to tone up and strengthen your whole body. You'll need a mat for the different exercises. The strength-training exercises will help you improve your posture, core strength, range of movement and flexibility. Anyone can do this programme. Set up in a quiet place, with socks or barefoot and a comfortable outfit.
You're starting the first week of your programme. Congrats. Take the time to set up in a quiet, pleasant area. Focus on your body and how you feel. And remember the aim is to enjoy yourself!
The first workout introduces you to basic Pilates exercises so you can improve your body awareness and work on achieving proper form.
Try to keep your body weight balanced. Remember to breathe deeply to release unnecessary tension
Stand and feel the effects of your first workout. Feel your feet on the floor. Observe how your body weight is distributed and feel the balance and harmony. Your body will feel relaxed. Well done for starting this 4-week programme.
This workout will strengthen your core and body awareness. Enhance your sensations to improve your body perception.
Focus on your core. Watch how your waist gets slimmer when you engage your core. Pull your navel in towards your spine.
After this complete workout, take the time to stretch. Relax your muscles. Breathe deeply in a way that's comfortable. Combine strength training and relaxation at the end of the workout.
Today you'll be combining strength training and joint mobility exercises.
To make the most of this workout, remember to engage your core before each exercise and relax the tension in your body. In Pilates, doing the exercises with proper form is much more important than doing lots of reps. Take your time and have fun
Regardless of your fitness goal, we recommend taking your time with each exercise and breathing deeply. This will help you do the exercises with proper form and release excess tension. Your main goals are strength training and overall well-being.
Today, you're going to do a Pilates session to give your glute muscles a complete workout. Pay attention to what's happening in your body and listen to your body's needs. Remember to have fun. Enjoy your workout
To make the most of this workout, remember to engage your core before each exercise and relax the tension in your body. In Pilates, doing the exercises with proper form is much more important than doing lots of reps. Take your time and have fun.
Take a few minutes to stretch after this glute-focused workout. Release your core and relax.
Improve your joint mobility and flexibility with this workout.
Set up in a quiet, comfortable area and remember to hydrate before, during and after your workout.
At the end of the workout, relax your core muscles as much as possible. Breathe deeply, letting your abdomen extend like a balloon, then release your entire body.
This workout combines core work and exercises to strengthen the back muscles to improve your posture.
Be sure to keep your core engaged throughout the exercises. Engaging your core will help give you better results when it comes to your posture. Remember to stand up straight for a long, toned spine.
Take a moment at the end of the workout to feel the effects of your efforts and how they impacted your posture. Your spine will be longer and you'll feel taller.
For this week's last workout, you'll do various exercises to strengthen your entire body in a balanced way.
You'll work different muscle groups in this sequence. Just remember to keep listening to your body. Be sure to activate only the muscles you need for the exercise. Focus on not using your other muscles. Keep your core engaged for each Pilates exercise. At the end of the exercise, relax your core muscles.
When stretching, imagine that you can breathe into your upper back to create more space between your shoulder blades and relax your entire spine. Exhale as you release your shoulders on either side of your legs. Use a relaxing breath and release any muscle tension. This is the end of the workout - let yourself relax.
You started your programme last week and discovered a variety of full-body exercises. This week, we've got new sequences for you.
This programme focuses on strengthening your core muscles.
Engaging your core is a key principle in Pilates. One by one, contract your perineum, transverse and obliques. Your waist will narrow and your navel will pull in towards your spine. You'll use lateral thoracic breathing.
After this core-strengthening workout, be sure to relax by switching back to belly breathing. Imagine your stomach like a balloon you want to inflate and deflate with your breath.
This workout will strengthen your body and stretch the muscles along your posterior chain.
Remember to elongate your spine and stretch the posterior chain when doing the exercises.
Use the cool-down to bring your attention back to your relaxing breath. Imagine that you can breathe into your back to create more space between your shoulder blades as you exhale. Widen your back with your breath and relax.
The aim of this workout is to release tension in your cervical and lumbar spine and improve your posture.
The position of your head and eyes will have an impact on the quality of your exercises. Pay close attention to the instructions throughout the exercises to make the most of this workout.
Lie down and focus on the stretch through your spine, from your head to your tail bone. Your back will get a nice stretch.
For this sequence, you'll work on increasing your range of motion in the shoulders and hips with specific Pilates exercises.
Start with smaller movements, making sure you can do each exercise with proper form. When you've got them down, you can extend your range of movement.
Lie down and focus on the stretch through your spine, from your head to your tail bone. Your back will get a nice stretch.
For this workout, you'll be focusing on strengthening your core and glutes with a variety of complementary exercises.
This session will work your core and glutes in a short amount of time. Each round is quick and effective. Be sure to stay watch your form and keep your core engaged.
After this strong core- and glute-focused workout, take the time to do the suggested stretches and repeat as many times as you feel you need.
This sequence will work your entire body.
Start with smaller movements, making sure you can do each exercise with proper form. When you've got them down, you can extend your range of movement.
Lie down on your back and close your eyes. Do a body scan to observe what's going on in your body. Note any changes: your body will feel toned and relaxed
For this workout, you'll be focusing on strengthening your core and glutes with a variety of complementary exercises.
This session will work your core and glutes in a short amount of time. Each round is quick and effective. Be sure to stay watch your form and keep your core engaged.
After this strong core- and glute-focused workout, take the time to do the suggested stretches and repeat as many times as you feel you need.
You're halfway through your training programme and are about to start the third week of your Pilates routine. This week, we've got new sequences and new challenges for you.
This week's workout will focus on strengthening your back muscles to improve your overall posture. You'll tone up your back, stretch your spine and release tension in your cervical vertebrae.
Improve your posture while listening to your body. Focus your eyes on a spot in front of you and open your rib cage. Keep your energy in your spine and engage your core
Lie on your mat and feel the effects of your workout on your body. Your spine should feel long and your back straighter, and you'll feel more centred. Then, stand against a wall and feel the effects.
This workout includes a set of fluid exercises to strengthen your entire body.
The difficulty will increase for this third week. Focus on your form, centring and lateral thoracic breathing.
This sequence will work your entire body. Take a few minutes to relax on the floor after stretching. Stretch again, as if you were just getting out of bed. Bring some movement and energy into your entire body.
This sequence will work your posture, core and obliques to help you get a slimmer waist.
To contract your oblique muscles: lower your ribs towards your iliac crest (top of your hip bones). Imagine the two straight lines of a pair of suspenders being stretched. This represents your two oblique muscles.
You'll really feel this workout in your waist and on your posture. Notice any changes. Stretch your waist as often as you need.
This workout will help you become more aware of your body and how all your muscles and joints are connected. You'll learn to work within a full range of motion while staying within your limits.
Breathing will help you improve your movements and flexibility. Remember to use lateral thoracic breathing. Exhale through your mouth during the effortful part of the exercise. Inhale through your mouth as you bring your arms and legs back to the floor.
Notice how your joints feel more mobile and flexible: make circles and other movements with your shoulders and arms. Notice the opening in your hips. Your legs will feel longer.
Today you'll mainly be working your ab muscles. Remember to engage your core muscles in order: perineum, transverse and obliques.
During this workout, keep your core engaged by imagining that you're trying to cinch your belt two notches tighter. Your waist should be slimmer and your rib cage more open.
Stretch well and relax your core. Let yourself breathe differently throughout the workout: breathe from your stomach. Imagine that you're inflating a ball with your inhale and deflating it with your exhale.
Today your goal is to use Pilates as a way to release tension and make yourself taller.
At times of fatigue or stress, we tend to stiffen or roll our shoulders forward. Today, bring as much energy as you can into your posture and muscles.
Gently come back up. Become aware of your feet, move your head, roll your shoulders, make circles with your hips, move your hip joints. Walk slowly, then slightly faster. Notice the changes in your body.
You'll finish your third week with a full-body workout.
The difficulty will increase this week. This is the time to challenge yourself. How? By focusing even more on your form with a larger range of motion. The key thing is to isolate the movement you're doing. Over to you.
You've finished your third week of the programme. Enjoy a few minutes to calm things down. Do a body scan to notice any sensations and changes in your mind and body. You can do this lying down, seated or standing.
You've made it to the last part of your training programme. You should already be feeling more toned and flexible, and will continue your efforts to feel even better over the next 7 days
You'll start with a glute-focused workout to tone up your bum and stretch your legs.
When you work your glute muscles, focus on keeping your hips in a neutral position and your body in a straight line.
Feel the effort in your strong glute muscles. Breathe deeply during the stretches.
You'll focus on your posterior chain muscles and strengthening your spinal column to improve your posture.
When doing the exercises, imagine that you're a marionette with a string pulling the top of your head towards the ceiling to make you taller.
Be sure to set up in a quiet place and notice the beneficial effects of your workout on your entire body.
You'll be working your entire body during this sequence. The exercises centre on your core and stretching the posterior chain muscles.
As you move through the exercises, imagine your rib cage like an accordion. Use the full volume of your rib cage to inhale deeply. Keep your core engaged and pull your navel in towards your spine. Avoid extending your abdomen.
Be sure to set up in a quiet place and notice the beneficial effects of your workout on your entire body.
For this sequence, you'll mainly be working on your core and obliques to slim your waist.
Imagine your obliques as if they were two suspenders. Picture them on your body. Engage your obliques by lowering your ribs towards your iliac crest (top of your hips).
Relax by breathing into your stomach. Take a few minutes to feel the change in your body and energy.
This workout will zero in on your thighs and glutes.
Be sure to keep your spine strong and extended throughout the exercises
Time the time to feel the energy in your core and waist muscles. Breathe deeply to relax your entire body.
The aim of this sequence is to release tension in your body with a series of exercises to strengthen and increase the range of motion in your joints.
Good form is more important than doing many reps or having a large range of motion. Start with small movements to better understand the exercise, and challenge yourself while keeping your upper body still.
Lie on your mat and feel the effects of your workout on your body. Your spine should feel long and your back straighter, and you'll feel more centred. Then, stand against a wall and feel the effects.
This sequence aims to help you be more aware of how you move and the results. The various exercises will help tone and relax your muscles
Note how important it is to keep the hips in a neutral position for good posture. Remember to pull your shoulder blades back to prevent tension in your upper body. Breathing is key: breathe during the effortful part of the exercise
Take the time to lie on your back and release your entire body. Do a body scan from head to toe to notice the changes from your workout. Observe the effects of your efforts over these past four weeks. Note any changes. Congrats.