Repetition is the mother of learning, as the saying goes, but if you've ever tried 'standard' workouts, you know that repetitions can be tedious. Doing the same exercises over and over again might help you lose weight and get fit; however, it won't help with adherence – admittedly, the biggest hurdle to overcome when it comes to sustainable, long-term weight loss. If you're struggling to find the motivation to exercise, why not try this no-jump, no-repeat Pilates home workout for better results?
Why Pilates? This form of exercise can not only help you get in shape, but it can also help improve muscle elasticity and joint mobility, which helps to prevent injuries. Better still, Pilates can help you avoid muscular imbalances compared to more conventional weight-bearing exercises as you learn to train and condition your whole body. As Pilates involves slow movements and deep breathing, this can be therapeutic and help you reach a relaxed state and cope with stress.
In this workout by fitness coach Eleni Demos, we’re invited to complete numerous pilates exercises that should last for 40 seconds each with a 10-second rest in between. All that is required is an exercise mat. The exercises are as follows:
Warm-up (40 seconds/10 seconds off)
- Plie to side stretch
- Plie heel lift
- Side lunge forward fold
- Table hip opener
- Downward dog to cat
- Table circles
Workout (40 seconds on/10 seconds off)
- Chair squat pulse to knee tuck
- Leg lift to cross crunch (R)
- Leg lift to cross crunch (L)
- Balancing reach to knee tuck (R)
- Balancing reach to knee tuck (L)
- Plie heel lifts & arm pulses
- 3 mountain climbers & hold
- Plank sit back to leg lift
- Low plank double hip dip
- Balancing table crunches (R)
- Balancing table crunches (L)
- Arm pull to butterfly
- Superman pull & flutter kicks
- Lean back cross crunch (R)
- Lean back cross crunch (L)
- Clap crunch to reach up
- 50 seconds water break
- 3 fire hydrant pulses, 3 butt pulses (R)
- Curled rainbow var. (R)
- 3 fire hydrant pulses, 3 butt pulses (L)
- Curled rainbow var. (L)
- Three-legged dog to oblique crunch (R)
- Three-legged dog to oblique crunch (L)
- Side plank star crunch (R)
- Side plank star crunch (L)
- Walk out to pike toe touch
- Glute bridge heel lifts
- Glute bridge pulses
- Standing knee tuck pulses
- Reverse lunge to knee tuck var. (R)
- Reverse lunge to knee tuck var. (L)
- Plie single arm pull
- Standing scale (R)
- Standing scale (L)
Cooldown (30 seconds each)
- Neck circles
- Seated spine twist (R)
- Seated spine twist (L)
- Heavy head-to-chest opener
- Side-to-side stretch
Loved this workout and are keen to go further? We have a rundown of musician superstar Harry Styles' pilates regime. Want an activity that's more glutes-focused? We suggest checking out this 20-minute pilates routine for rock-solid glutes. Additionally, we have a T3-exclusive pilates ball workout by Alo Moves instructor Bianca Melas. For added resistance, why not use resistance bands? Have a look at T3's best resistance bands guide for more info on this inexpensive yet effective home gym equipment.
