5 Pilates Beginner Exercises For Home

Are you looking for an exercise workout you can do at home that will strengthen and tone the whole body? If you haven’t tried Pilates, then it’s time now.

Pilates is safer than a lot of other gym exercises and is the best form of exercise to strengthen your back and core. You don’t even need exercise equipment!

Pilates is perfect for beginners, seniors, or any age wanting safe and slow exercises without equipment. I’m a senior now and it’s the perfect exercise for me. There are so many beginner Pilates mat exercises you can do at home a few times a week to help strengthen your back, hips, legs, and most importantly the core. No more excuses for not exercising!

So you may be thinking what’s the difference between Pilates and Yoga? In most mat work Pilates online classes and videos I have tried, the main focus is strengthening the core, hips, and back. In a yoga class, you focus on flexibility, balance, strength, and meditation. You work on coordinating your movements with your breathing and engaging your core correctly. I have tried many online and gym Pilates classes and Pilates videos but found Kevala Health live Pilates online classes to be the best.

Why do I love Jodie’s Pilates classes? These online Pilates classes use slower movements so you can focus on using your core correctly and not feel rushed. There are plenty of breaks and stretches in between too! In some Kevala Health live Pilates at-home classes, we use softballs and resistance bands for more variety and fun. I love the Pilates balls, as you can do more challenging Pilates exercises and supporting stretchers. Jodie always instructs Pilates beginners to work at their levels and gives them plenty of options.

The most important thing in Pilates is learning how to engage the core correctly. There are two actions needed to strengthen the core. Firstly, you draw the navel towards the spine and activate the front core. Secondly, you gently squeeze the pelvic floor (perineum area). Another way Jodie explains in a live Pilates class is, “Imagine you are going to the toilet and slowing your flow or stopping it gently”, “Use this action when also engaging the core”, Jodie explains in a fun way.

I have researched the 5 main benefits for Pilates beginners below. There are many more benefits of practicing Pilates on a regular basis, and combining it with yoga.

5 Benefits for Beginner Pilates on Mat

1. Strengthen your core: Learning how to strengthen the core correctly is very important for all ages, whether you play sports, prolonged sitting, or have poor posture. This prevents back issues and some injuries.

2. Stronger back: Strengthening the core helps support the spine, back, and hips. You also work on back-strengthening Pilates exercises in Kevala Health live Pilates online classes.

3. Improve Posture: When the core and back are stronger you improve posture. You also work on exercises to help strengthen other areas of the body to improve posture. Combining this with yoga stretching is the perfect balance to improve posture.

4. Weight loss and Toning: Some Pilates exercises can assist in weight loss when you follow a good healthy diet. Then you have other Pilates exercises that help build strength and therefore help with the toning. Especially when you use Pilates balls and resistance bands to add more resistance, plus your body weight.

5. Improve coordination: When you are moving both arms and legs in different directions and coordinating this with breathing, all this helps improve your coordination. You may feel like you have two left arms or legs, but give it time and coordination will improve with practice.

I have asked Jodie from Kevala Health Pilates to give me the 5 best all-around beginner Pilates mat exercises you can do at home. Plus a little more research from my end, I have listed the 5 best Pilates exercises for beginners below. These are all floor-based movements, either seated or lying and do not place the neck in an unstable position like the crunches and curl-up exercises. You will work the buttocks, hips, back, legs, and core. These are my favorite body areas to tone up!

5 Best Beginner Pilates on Mat Exercises

1. Bridges: Ly on your back, with legs bent and feet hip-width apart. Engage your core, then slowly lift the hips and back off the ground. You can hold and breathe slowly until you need a rest, then come down slowly. Or you can slowly lift your hips and slowly release your hips back to the ground.

2. Side Knee Rolls: Part one; Ly on your back, with both legs bent and feet hip-width apart. On the exhale slowly move the knees to one side, pause, then back to center. Perform a few of these with feet on the ground. Part two; Then transition to some knee rolls to the side with feet just off the ground. Be aware not to twist too far if your back is tight or weaker.

3. Clams: Ly on your side, with legs bent, and together. Keep your top hip still, and slowly lift the top leg only, squeezing the side buttocks muscle. Just like a clam opening slowly. You can do anywhere from 10 to 20 on each side. Don’t forget to engage the core first.

4. Half Forearm Planks: Begin on your belly (front), and legs together, and rest your elbows under your shoulders. Engage the core, then slowly lift the belly off the ground and hold. You can start with 5-10 second holds and work your way up to one minute and longer. Then you can transition to lifting the knees off the ground when you become stronger.

5. Swims: Lying on your front again, with legs together and arms that can be extended in front. Then start to lift the legs off the ground, pretending you are kicking in the water slowly and coordinating with the arms moving slightly off the ground. Note if you have any shoulder or neck issues, change the arms to bend at the sides.

How many times should you practice Pilates a week? If you have no injuries, you can practice Pilates either two or three times a week. Remember always to check with your doctor first before beginning any new exercises. When I combine Pilates with Yoga I feel like I get greater results in strength, flexibility, and toning.

I recommend trying a Kevala Health live online Pilates class for a 14-day free trial of unlimited classes. Read more on beginner Pilates tips.

Hope you enjoyed reading this - Janne.