These quick at-home Pilates exercises are the perfect way to start your Beginner Pilates Routine at Home. This post consists of 7 basic Pilates full body focused exercises starting with breathing, core engagement, glute activation and spinal mobility.
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When you hear the word Pilates, what are the first things that come to mind? … Slow, easy, stretching, an exercise only for women? Or, this is one I hear often, “Pilates is for old people.” … What does that even mean? Despite its reputation that is slowly but surely changing, Pilates for beginners can be quite intimidating.
When I first meet with clients at my in-home Pilates studio, I always hear them say, “I’m nervous.” I think we can chalk that nervousness up to the reformers and other Pilates equipment we generally see in a studio legit looking like medieval torture devices! When starting Pilates at home, the reformer is exactly where you’ll begin. So, you can toss out the word “torture” and replace it with the word “trust”.
You’ve probably tried Pilates in a studio or gym, but guess what? You can totally dive into Pilates from the comfort of your own home—no need for your teacher to be in person. All you need is the right gear to get started and a little know-how, and you’re all set to kick off your Pilates journey right in your living room!
When you’re first getting started in Pilates, know that it can literally benefit any body. Trust that there are Pilates workouts and challenges out there designed exactly for what you need. If you’re more of a “hard core” athlete, there are many Pilates exercises that will level up your fitness program. If you love the intensity of HIIT, or running, Pilates will meet you on your recovery day. Because of its low-impact approach, it is designed to increase flexibility, strength, and balance.
Pilates at home workouts can also be done every single day, especially if you are looking for consistency and advancement. Pilates for beginners will start off slower by focusing on the core, trunk, and pelvis to gain a better understanding of body mechanics and awareness. Pilates at home generally begins on a mat using your own body and sometimes small props like the Pilates ball, magic circle, and resistance bands. The beauty of Pilates at home is that it can be modified to fit the needs and abilities of all bodies and ages who practice it.
Before you start doing Pilates at home, you’ll want to know why you should do Pilates, the different types of Pilates you can do, and what you need to know before your first Pilates session.
Joseph Pilates is the creator of Pilates. Before the mind-body connective exercise received the name “Pilates”, he initially called it “Contrology” with the idea that you have complete control of every movement within your own body.
Joseph was born in Germany and was said to be asmatic and depressed. He studied a wide range of exercises and Pilates ultimately became a form of physical rehabilitation for him. He focused on its low-impact style of movement that targeted muscles in a precise way while building total body strength. Joseph moved to New York City where he met his wife Clara, and they opened the first Pilates studio and taught together until his death.
You may or may not know there are different types of Pilates. Although they stem from Joseph Pilates, their intentions are very different. It is important to understand the options and differences in how Pilates can be taught before beginning Pilates at home. The same Pilates exercises can be taught very differently from one type to the other. Just know that there isn’t a wrong way, but a logical way. And when beginners are starting Pilates, you’ll want to choose whichever type makes the most sense to you and feels right in your body and have basic knowledge of the differences between classical Pilates and Contemporary Pilates.
Classical Pilates closely aligns from Joseph Pilates’ original method in that the exercises are taught in a sequential order with an imprinted spine or pelvis. This means the lower back is pressed into the mat during most exercises. I personally am classically trained and strongly believe in Joseph’s methodology to increase core strength and keep a healthy injury free body.
Contemporary Pilates is also based on the work of Joseph Pilates. However, many exercises have been modified and added in addition to the original order to take into account new Pilates research and theories. It is also generally practiced with a neutral spine, meaning the position the spine is in when a body is standing upright with healthy posture. This means the natural curve of the spine and a small space under the lower back will be present when lying down.
If you’re a Pilates beginner starting Pilates at home for the first time, it may be to your benefit to connect directly with the certified instructor of the virtual or on-demand class, course, challenge or program you are thinking of starting with to find out their style of teaching. It may also further benefit you to start off by doing a virtual Pilates at home private lesson with them first. However, if you’re just wanting to move your body in a way that feels good regardless of the technicalities of the type of Pilates, just trust yourself and your intuition and make sure everything feels good.
If you’re unsure about anything, don’t be afraid to ask questions! Pilates teachers undergo intensive training and continue their education annually. Our job is to study bodies and teach you how to move with precision and control.
To get started with a Pilates at home routine, you’ll want to find a qualified instructor that caters to beginners. These might be beginner specific classes or a challenge or program designed for a Pilates beginner. Usually, a Pilates challenge will start with building a foundation, understanding the core muscles, and learning the principles of Pilates that will slowly progress with each workout. This is similar to how my Beginner Pilates 10 Day Core and Ab Challenge and 8 Week Core + Booty Challenge is set up.
You don’t need to be a certain kind of fit or flexible to do Pilates. As soon as you decide to start, you are ready. You’ll just need to decide if you want to get started with Pilates at home or in a studio. This could be determined based on budget, accessibility or injuries.
Find articles similar to this one that demonstrate beginner Pilates exercises with descriptions, photographs, and video. Try them on your own before doing a fully guided class.
You’ll want to have a space dedicated for Pilates at home. Make sure your floor is level; it can be on hardwood or carpet. You don’t need a ton of room, but enough to lay out your mat and have some space along the front, back and sides. You’ll also want to have room for some small pieces of equipment nearby.
Here are some inexpensive pieces of equipment I recommend starting with:
Yoga is deeply rooted in its spiritual and meditative practice. There is a greater emphasis on breath and different types of breathing, along with a greater focus on stretching and relaxation.
Pilates, in relation to yoga, stems from the mind-body connection. In Pilates, there is more strength and dynamic movement involved, which may consist of isometric holds, body rehabilitation, and teaching the body to move from the core out. While both are very good for your body, as well as low-impact, they have very different components.
Pilates is a type of exercise that can be done daily. Pilates for beginners is recommended twice a week when getting started. You’ll begin to see progress with this consistency. Overtime, progressing to 3 to 5 times a week will benefit you if you are looking for advancement.
Pilates is a great way to compliment other fitness routines, avoid over-training, and help with injury prevention. It should most definitely be done alongside any physical activity you’re currently doing. It will improve your balance, strength, flexibility and even cardiovascular capabilities with the breath work.
Follow along with Pilatesbody by Kayla YouTube, led by Certified Pilates Instructor, Kayla Brugger of PILATESBODY by Kayla.
Fitness Level: Beginner
Overview:
Targets: Core Strength, Abdominal Stamina and stability
* For a live demonstration of the Hundred Exercise visit here.
*To read more about the Pilates Hundred read this.
Targets: Glutes, Pelvis, Reduce Back Pain.
* For a live demonstration of the Glute Bridge Exercise visit the video here.
*For more information on benefits of Glute Strengthening read this.
Targets: Pelvic mobility, Low Abs, Spinal Alignment and stretches low back.
* For a live demonstration of the Pelvic Tilt Exercise visit this video
Targets: Spinal Mobility and Massage, Core Strength, Breathing .
* For a live demonstration of the Rolling like a Ball Exercise, watch this video
Targets: Full Body.
* For a live demonstration of the High Plank Exercise, watch this video
Targets: Spinal Stability, Lengthening, Core Strength, Balance.
* For a live demonstration of the Spinal Balance Exercise, watch this video .
Targets: Spinal Extension, Chest and Abdominal Stretch.
* For a live demonstration of the Swan Extension Exercise, watch this video .
Ready for a fully guided Beginner Pilates workout? Check out the Classical Mat Pilates class which goes through all of the Joseph Pilates movements including those above follow along with the workout on YouTube!
Share your favorite exercise below in the comment section! If you haven’t tried any yet, I’d love to chat with you on how to start!
Your Friend & Pilates Expert,
Kayla Brugger
Founder of PILATESBODY by Kayla
Founder of PILATESBODY On-Demand
Hi, I'm Kayla Brugger. Certified Pilates Instructor & Minnesota Mama of 2.
