Pilates is a great way to strengthen your core, but you don't need to head to a studio for a reformer class to get the benefits. Instead, all you need is 20 minutes, a bit of space, and this personal trainer's wall-based routine.
As its name suggests, this type of Pilates involves the resistance of a wall and your body weight and helps to mimic the use of a reformer Pilates machine, which can be costly.
But for this routine, all you need is a clear section of wall and one of the best yoga mats to help cushion your joints as you bridge, plank, and squat your way through the session, designed by personal trainer Jenna Collins.
Just like reformer Pilates, this wall Pilates routine, developed by is a low-impact style of resistance training that works hard to strengthen and tone your whole body. But better yet, it requires minimal equipment and space.
The workout involves a series of exercises completed while lying down and using a wall to add extra resistance to the moves. You’ll complete one move for 40 seconds, enjoy a five-second reset, and then move on to the next exercise.
Watch Jenna Collins’ 20-minute wall Pilates workout
Collins’ workout includes a range of the best Pilates exercises that target your core with the likes of wall crunches and toe taps thrown in. While leg circles, glute bridges, and marching bridges will also encourage you to engage your transversus abdominis, glutes, hip flexors, and hamstrings.
But you don't need to be a seasoned pro to do the class. Some of these moves are harder than others, and, thankfully, Collins does include a few exercise variations for those new to Pilates. And, as with any type of exercise, it's vital to do each move with proper form.
If you’re new to Pilates, it's worth popping in a set of workout headphones so you can listen to Collins' guidance as she demonstrates how to complete each exercise before you follow suit. This will help you maximize your gains (and give you a better chance of avoiding injury).
While this 20-minute session won’t leave you dripping with sweat (and remember, not every workout class has to!) — as one writer discovered when they completed a 15-minute wall Pilates workout, there’s a higher chance it will leave you feeling like you’ve fired up muscles you perhaps didn’t know you had.
That’s because Pilates helps develop the connection between your mind and body with exercises that build strength through small, repetitive, and controlled movements, resulting in better posture and stronger, sculpted muscles — especially in the core.
Plus, one study published in the journal Acta Gymnica found that two to three one-hour sessions of Pilates for 12 weeks can improve hip and shoulder joint mobility, better endurance, and boost abdominal strength.
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