Pumping weights in the iron jungle may be one of the quickest ways to sculpt a stronger physique, but if you’re looking to take a more gentle approach to building strength, and from home using no equipment, Pilates is a great alternative. Not only is it low-impact and easy on the joints, but it’ll help you develop solid core strength, is brilliant for your posture and body awareness. If you want to give it a go, Pilates Instructor, Lotty Campbell Bird, Founder of the Collective Fitness Studio, says these five exercises are the best place to start.
“These exercises will work multiple muscles at one time and are a great way to improve your core strength as well as balance, stability and coordination,” says Lotty. “The movements in this sequence are also a great way to mobilise our joints, so we are able to work them through a full range of motion and move freely without tension, which will help us build a stronger, more resilient body.”
For this Pilates sequence, you’ll move you through five different exercises which build in intensity. “You can repeat this sequence a few times a week for the next month and gradually build up to the harder variations to increase the challenge as you feel yourself starting to get stronger,” says Lotty. As the exercises are designed to flow from one movement to another, it’s best to do the workout alongside the video above. Here’s a quick look at what the workout entails:
- All 4’s variation
- Glute bridges
- Abdominal curl into tabletop core work
- Plank variation
- Press-ups
Now, if you enjoyed that, then why not try this other full-body workout from Lotty? It's excellent for building head-to-toe strength and boosting posture. Alternatively, if you'd like to give your upper body some more attention, then try this 30-minute workout. It uses a small pair of dumbbells to help progressively overload the muscles in order to make them stronger, but you can always use two water bottles instead.
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