If you often wake up feeling tired, achy, and just a little bit stiff, then a morning Pilates workout could be just the thing to help you energize your day and boost your mobility.
The low-impact workout is known (and loved) for its ability to build a stronger core, increase flexibility, improve your posture, and help you tone your muscles. But the benefits of Pilates don’t stop there. Did you know that the mind-body practice can also help level up your energy levels, mood, and mobility?
“Pilates workouts offer numerous benefits, including improved cardiovascular health, enhanced mood, and increased energy levels,” certified Pilates instructor Victoria Repa, CEO & founder of BetterMe, explains. “When practiced in the morning, it can be a particularly effective way to achieve these benefits.”
To help, Repa has shared three moves she swears by for providing a burst of energy and mobilizing your whole body first thing. While you won’t need any equipment, you will need an exercise mat, like one of the best yoga mats, to help cushion your joints.
How to do the three-move mobility workout
There are just three moves included in this bodyweight workout and Repa recommends completing each exercise 10 times.
The One Hundred
If you’ve completed a Pilates workout before, you’re probably well aware of the one hundred exercise. Known as one of the best Pilates exercises that target your core, it’s often used as a warm-up in a Pilates workout or class.
The floor-based move involves lying on your back, lifting up your legs, and ‘pumping’ your arms up and down as you take five short breaths in and five short breaths out.
How to:
- Lie on your back.
- Exhale. Bring your head up with your chin down and using your abdominal muscles curl your upper spine off the floor to the base of your shoulder blade.
- At the same time, deepen the pull of the abs by extending your arms and legs. Reach your legs toward where the wall and ceiling meet in front of you. Extend your arms straight and low, just a few inches off the floor, with the fingertips reaching for the far wall.
- Hold your position. Move your arms in a controlled up-and-down manner—a small but dynamic pumping of the arms.
“Be sure to keep your shoulders and neck relaxed,” Repa adds. “It is the abdominal muscles that should be doing all the work.”
Spinal Twists (Left and Right)
Similar to supine twists, these gentle twists of the spine work to release tension, improve flexibility, and boost relaxation in your back and hips.
How to:
- Lie flat on the floor with your knees bent with your feet flat on the mat.
- Put your arms next to your sides.
- Lift your knees up to a 90-degree angle and open your hands to the side.
- Lower your knees towards your left side and look to your right side.
- Hold the stretch.
- Repeat on the other side.
Roll-Up
The Pilates roll-up works to strengthen your core, boost your posture and build spine flexibility.
How to:
- Lie flat on your back, legs together. Arms are reaching overhead and shoulder distance apart, with palms of hands facing forward.
- Inhale as your arms reach overhead and curl your head and shoulders off the mat.
- Exhale as you peel your spine off the mat vertebrae by vertebrae, rounding forward and bringing the crown of your head towards your knees. Keep the arms parallel to the mat and the abdominals drawing into your spine.
- Inhale and roll back down to the mat to start position.
“Keep the legs rooted down into the floor the entire time,” Repa says. “Take it slow, using the abs to control the movement up and down,” the expert adds. “Let the pelvis move naturally with the spine.”
Is it good to do Pilates in the morning?
Morning Pilates is a practical and reliable way to incorporate movement into your daily routine. “It helps you wake up and find the energy to tackle day-to-day activities,” Repa explains.
That’s because, according to Repa, rolling out your mat and practicing Pilates first thing can:
- Increase mood and energy levels. “Exercise releases endorphins, the feel-good hormones that boost mood, increase energy levels and help you stay alert and motivated,” Repa says.
- Foster a mind-body connection. “Pilates emphasizes controlled movement and conscious breathing,” the expert says. “This makes it a great way to start the day without feeling tired and to wake up the body without overstretching.”
- Support better posture during the day. It’s no secret that more and more of us spend hours sitting at a desk or looking at a screen, which can lead to poor posture and muscle tension. “But a 10-minute Pilates session can invigorate your system, providing a burst of energy that sustains you throughout the day,” Repa explains. “This revitalization not only enhances productivity but also contributes to an overall improved quality of life.”
More from Tom's Guide
- This 5-move stretching routine boosts your mobility and eases tension — and it only takes 15 minutes
- You just need 20 minutes and this mobility routine to build full-body flexibility and strength
- Forget frog pose — these 3 mobility exercises unlock tight hips and release tension in your glutes and lower back
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