Boosting your mat-based Pilates practice

Start the programme with four basic exercises that you will repeat twice to work on your three muscle chains (anterior, posterior and lateral) by alternating strength and mobility exercises.
This will help you feel the benefits of Pilates from your very first session: strengthening weak muscles and stretching tight muscles.

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

For this workout, focus on your breathing and engaging your core muscles (your deep ab and pelvic muscles). Pointer: Pay close attention to your breathing before you start.

For shorter, more gentle sessions, you can start with the "My Gym Challenge" programme!

See the four basic Pilates exercises, including two new ones. You'll do two sets of four exercises.
This session works your entire body, with a slight focus on the anterior muscle chain (front body).

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

For this workout, stay focused on keeping your hips in a neutral position.
Pointer: keep your pubis grounded to relieve your lower back and keep your lumbar spine safe.

If you like, do a few Pilates breaths to practice your deep breathing anywhere at any time and in any position to always maintain good posture.

Here are another four basic Pilates exercises, including two new ones. This full body workout will mobilise your spinal column and strengthen your back muscles.

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

For the roll down, lower down to the point where you can keep your navel tightened to your spine and your core engaged . For all the exercises, watch the precision of your positioning and the flow of the movements.

If you like, do a few Pilates breaths to practice your deep breathing anywhere at any time and in any position to always maintain good posture.

We are going to review the four exercises from the first week with more advanced options.

During this workout, control your breath to keep your inhale and exhale the same length.

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

During this workout, control your breath to keep your inhale and exhale the same length. The abs help you exhale, so the deeper your exhale, the more you will feel the work in your core.

If certain exercises are too intense, go back to the level 1 option.

Do the four basic Pilates exercises from last week. As a reminder, this session works your entire body, with a slight focus on the anterior muscle chain (front body).

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

For this workout, stay focused on keeping your hips in a neutral position.
Pointer: keep your pubis grounded to relieve your lower back and keep your lumbar spine safe.

If certain exercises are too intense, go back to the level 1 option.

For this workout, you'll do the four exercises from last week again. This session will work your thoracic column (upper spine) and strengthen your lower back to prevent back problems.

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

For the roll down, lower down to the point where you can keep your navel tightened to your spine and your core engaged. If you feel you have to swing your arms to come up or raise your heels off the floor, you've gone too far in the range of motion. Tighten up your movement to maintain the integrity of the position.

If certain exercises are too intense, go back to the level 1 option.

This is another complete workout that will work your entire body, although there is a greater focus on mobility than on strength work.

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

Think your spine is like a pearl necklace: you have to lower or raise each vertebra one by one in each of the exercises to feel the mobility of your spinal column.

You can also round off your session with a cardio workout: walking, running, cycling or swimming are great options!

For this workout, the focus is on the obliques (side ab muscles), which connect the upper and lower body!

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

The important thing for this new session is to do the exercise (level 1) with your breath and not by aligning your breath with the exercise.

You can also round off your session with a cardio workout: walking, running, cycling or swimming are great options!

Pelvic stability and mobility will be the guiding principle of this workout. Centring and flow are two of the basic Pilates principles that help ensure core stability, especially in the pelvic area.

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

During the "leg circle" exercise, imagine that you have placed a glass on your bent knee. Try not to not "knock it over". Focusing on this point will improve your pelvis stability.

You can also round off your session with a cardio workout: walking, running, cycling or swimming are great options!

With the level 2 options, you can take this session even further with a rebalancing between strength and mobility work. We will increase the range of motion, which requires greater strength compared to last week.

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

When raising the hips, imagine there is a cactus under you to keep the right distance between the floor and bridge position.

If certain exercises are too intense, go back to the level 1 option.

For this workout, you'll be strengthening every part of your abs: the transverse abdominals, rectus abdominis, obliques - you'll hit them all.

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

Your focus will be on your breath, and especially your exhale, which is the key to keeping your back safe and your core engaged.

If certain exercises are too intense, go back to the level 1 option.

For this session, you'll control the pelvic stability by focusing on the areas in contact with the floor.

Approximate workout duration: 20 minutes

Tip: focus on pressing up from the floor. Every part that stays in contact with the floor should be actively pressing into the floor to stay rooted and ensure the stability of the hips.

If certain exercises are too intense, go back to the level 1 option.