This 10-minute pilates workout strengthened my whole body — and I did it in pajamas

a photo of a woman doing a workout in her pjamas

(Image credit: Getty Images/Dave & Les Jacobs)

After more than a decade in the fitness industry, I’ve learned it’s the little things that can derail health and wellness goals. It may sound silly, but I’ve had clients tell me that having to don leggings or lace-up sneakers often gets in the way of completing their daily workouts.

Fortunately, certified Pilates instructor Lidia Mera has a solution. Her recently published 10-minute workout can be done in your pajamas – no leggings or sneakers required, just a yoga mat and a little bit of space.

Pilates has long been heralded as an excellent way to strengthen deep core muscles and tone your entire body, so I decided to roll out my yoga mat one morning and give Mera’s 10-minute workout a try (in my pajamas, of course).

How to do Lidia Mera’s 10-minute full body Pilates workout

Mera’s workout consists of 14 exercises, each performed for 45 seconds. There are no built-in rest intervals, but she takes plenty of time between each exercise to reset.

The exercises should be doable for most fitness levels, although I did have to modify a few movements (more on that below). This is a great workout for Pilates beginners, but it’s still wise to know the basics before you attempt it. If you’ve never tried Pilates before, start here.

10MIN full body pilates workout [in pyjamas!] (no equipment) - YouTube

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Here are my takeaways from Mera’s 10-minute Pilates routine:

It felt like a combination of yoga and Pilates

Maybe it was the slow pace, the calming music, or the “flow” of the exercises, but at times this workout felt more like yoga than it did Pilates. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, especially since I hopped on the mat first thing in the morning. The gentle, mindful movements were a great way to “wake up” the rest of my body and prepare me for the day.

The middle of the workout got a bit more intense, but it wasn’t anything I’d consider super strenuous or difficult to do. By the end of the 10 minutes, my abdominals, glutes, legs and arms felt worked but not fatigued.

This routine would serve as an excellent warm-up to a more rigorous workout, or as a daily part of your morning regimen.

I had to modify a few of the movements

Most of the core work in Mera’s routine is done on the back or in a spinal flexion or “crunch” position. I just entered my eighth month of pregnancy, so I try to avoid any “crunching” movements as they can worsen Diastasis Recti (a common pregnancy condition where the abdominal muscles separate and form a gap). Laying on the back is off-limits too – in this position, the weight of the baby can press on a vein called the Vena Cava which is responsible for bringing blood from the heart to the rest of the body.

Mera doesn’t provide any modifications, so I had to create them for myself. She doesn’t bill this as a prenatal or postnatal workout specifically, so I can forgive her for the lack of any pregnancy-safe options. Still, it’s something to be aware of if you’re currently expecting, recently postpartum, or have any issues lying flat on your back.

I enjoyed the slow pace

I usually prefer workouts that are fast-paced and demanding, like running, high-intensity interval training, and heavy weight lifting. It’s not very often that I slow things down and really connect with my body, so I appreciated that Mera’s slow and deliberate pace allowed me to concentrate on my mind-muscle connections.

During the workout, I was able to deepen my range of motion on certain exercises as the time progressed. Concentrating on my breathing also brought a meditative quality to the movements, which helped my mental focus. It was an active yet calming routine, which is definitely not something I’m used to when it comes to fitness.

The key to workout consistency is finding activities that you enjoy. However, versatility in your routine is also important. If you have a “no pain, no gain” mentality, this workout could be a much-needed breath of fresh air.

You really can do it in your pajamas

I have to admit, it was nice to skip the sports bra and the heavy sneakers and get right onto the mat. For those who struggle to get moving in the morning, having one less step to complete could mean the difference between a 10-minute workout or a 10-minute social media scroll.

While the entire workout is totally doable in your jammies, I’ll most likely revisit it wearing workout gear. I certainly didn’t miss putting on my sports bra, but I did miss feeling properly supported as I moved. My maternity leggings also do a much better job of bracing my belly than my PJ bottoms.

Can you do the whole workout in pajamas? Absolutely. Whether you’ll want to or not comes down to personal preference.

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Jennifer Rizzuto is a freelance writer and certified personal trainer based in Long Island, NY. She covers various fitness-related topics and reviews for Tom's Guide. She also writes sketch comedy and short films, and performs frequently as an actor, singer, and improviser. When she's not writing, working out, or performing, you'll find her trying to convince her husband to get a dog.