If you find doing endless crunches particularly torturous, you’ll be pleased to hear there are alternative exercises that will build core strength without being nearly as unpleasant. Meet the Pilates roll-up. It may not be as well-known as the crunch, but the roll-up is arguably even better at building strength in your core.

In the roll-up, you gradually move from lying on your back to sitting with your spine curved forward and your arms reaching forward. It’s performed slowly and with control, meaning there’s no momentum and you can’t help your abs by pulling on your head or neck. 

Although it’s hard work, I find the mindful movement can make it feel almost meditative, as you focus on peeling your spine off the mat. 

The slow and steady pace required in this exercise means your core muscles spend more time under tension. Studies such as this one published in the Journal of Physiology suggest that the more a muscle is loaded with tension to the point of fatigue the greater the protein synthesis, which can lead to muscle growth.

“The roll-up is one of my favorite exercises to do and to teach,” says Pilates instructor Millie Shiers, who teaches mat and reformer classes at Core LDN. “Practicing the roll-up can improve the flexibility of your spine and increase your abdominal strength. The roll-up also teaches your body how to control spinal articulation.”

How To Do The Pilates Roll-Up

Lie on your back with your legs extended and together, and feet flexed (toes pointing up to the ceiling). Extend your arms up with your palms facing your feet. As you exhale, lift your head and chest, slowly peeling your spine off the mat and reaching your arms forward. As you do so, slowly peel your spine off the mat. Once you’re reaching as far forward as you can, take an inhale to pause, then exhale and use your abs to gently roll down again, articulating your spine back onto the mat.

“Focus on squeezing your legs together and sliding your ribs towards your hips as you roll up,” says Shiers.

Roll-Up Modifications

If the full roll-up is too intense, there are plenty of ways to make it easier as you develop the strength to do the whole movement. “You can modify the roll-up with props to make it more accessible,” says Shiers. “One way to do this is to wrap a band around your feet and hold either end of the band—the band acts as an extra abdominal muscle. Another prop you can use is ankle weights to give you a bit more support in anchoring your lower body to the mat.”

“I also like to teach modified versions of the roll-up without props,” says Shiers. “For example, I will get clients to practice both halves of the roll-up separately—the forward flexion and then rolling down—until they can smoothly lift their body with no momentum.”

To fully master the roll-up, there are clever cues to help you do it as effectively as possible. “In Pilates, we love to make exercises as challenging as they can be by ensuring you properly connect to your muscles,” says Shiers. “To really feel the roll-up, think of pushing your heels away from you and drawing your ribs back in the opposite direction. This opposition will help you connect to your abs.”

Doing some kind of strength training is one of the best ways for runners to improve their performance and injury resilience, and Pilates is a fantastic low-impact way to cross-train and support your running.

For more information on how to best incorporate Pilates for runners into your training routine, we spoke to Liz Patient, certified Pilates instructor and founder of the Pilates for Runners app.

What’s a good way for runners to start Pilates?

“The low-impact nature of Pilates means it can be done anytime without impacting your running training,” says Patient. “You can get started with short but regular and consistent sessions tagged onto your runs or existing strength sessions. Start with just 10 minutes 3-4 times a week to see results, and from there you can scale and adapt your sessions around your running.”

Beginner Pilates Workout For Runners

1 Swimming 

Sets 1 Reps 12-15 each side

On all fours, extend your opposite arm and leg away from the body as far as you can. Lift them, pause, and then return to the start position. Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each rep. Imagine you have a tray of very full drinks balanced on your back, so when you move you keep your torso as still as possible and don’t let your belly drop as you lift the arm and leg.

Progression: Once you’ve extended and lifted your arm and leg, move them out to the side away from the body, still trying to keep your torso as still as possible.

2 Round the world

Set 2-3 Time 1-2min each side

Stand and lift your arms out to the sides to shoulder height to help you balance. Lift one leg and bend the knee of the standing leg to lower into a single-leg squat, tapping the floor with your other foot as far in front of you as you can. Straighten your standing leg, then repeat the movement tapping the foot to the side. On the next squat tap your foot behind you, then finally move your leg across and behind you on the other side of the body. Keep your torso as stable as you can over your standing leg as you do this exercise.

Progression: Interlace your fingers in front of your chest so you don’t use your arms to help you balance.

3 Leg pull

Sets 3 Time 30-45sec

On all fours, tuck your toes then lift your knees just off the floor, keeping them as low as you can. Lift one foot at a time off the floor keeping your knees and torso as still as possible. Lower your foot back to the floor and repeat on the other side. Imagine that full tray of drinks balanced on your back again.

Progression: Lift the opposite hand at the same time as you lift the foot and tap the opposite shoulder.

4 Single-leg hip hinge

Sets 2-3 Time 1-2min on each leg

Stand and lift your arms out to the sides to shoulder height. Hinge forward the hips, tipping your chest forward so it faces the floor and raising one leg behind you as high as you can. Pause, then return to the start. Try to move as smoothly as possible.

Progression: Bring your arms over your head at the start to increase the challenge to your balance. 

5 Side kick

Sets 1 Time 1-2min on each side

Lie on your side with your knees bent and your body resting on your lower arm. Lift your hips so your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders, and extend your top leg. Lift the top leg to hip height to start. Lift it as high as you can while maintaining the position of your hips then lower under control. Try to keep the knee and foot of the moving leg facing forward, or slightly turned down, rather than turning towards the ceiling. This is to target the lateral hip muscles.

Progression: Try doing this same leg movement from a kneeling position with a straight, rather than bent, arm.

If you spend a lot of time sitting (and who doesn’t?) whether that’s at a desk, in a car or even on the sofa, you may well find your hips are prone to tightness. As I sit typing this, I can feel a niggling discomfort in the front of my hips—a sign I need to stand up and move my hip flexors. While stretching can offer reprieve, Pilates offers more than a temporary fix to this problem.

I spoke to Pilates teacher and sports therapist Chiara Boswell, founder of SW4 Pilates in London, to see what she recommends for tight hips.

“Tight hips are such a plague!” says Boswell. “Most people suffer from it. I see a lot of people with this issue, professionals who spend most of their day sitting, which makes their hips flexors short, tight and weak. At the same time the hamstrings and glutes and deeper muscles at the hips are also getting weaker as we sit on them for so long.”

And it’s not just the sedentary among us who suffer from tight hips. “There are also very active people such as runners and gym-goers who suffer from tightness at the hips, and this comes down to the muscle activation that occurs at the hip flexors,” says Boswell. “Again, these people might be sitting most of their day and then get up and run, those tight quads are not really helping the situation. That’s when Pilates can help.”

You might be thinking, ‘Surely a bit of stretching can fix that?’. I often imagine that a few deep breaths in pigeon pose will sort out tightness in my hips, but according to Boswell, that’s not enough to make a real difference. “Stretching will help you for about 15 minutes but it is not a long-lasting solution, even if you do it regularly,” says Boswell. “To change the tightness at a neurological level—because tightness is a nervous system response—we need to teach muscles to activate differently.”

Even if you work out a lot you may have weaknesses you’re not aware of that can affect your hips. “I’ve had toned and muscular people coming to my classes and shaking with the strain because their body is not used to holding those muscle contractions,” says Boswell. “And they’ve left my classes feeling more supple and mobile.” Something we’d all like to feel, I’m sure.

Pilates Exercises For Tight Hips

1 Single-leg circle

Reps 5 in each direction, on each side

Lie on your back, with your legs extended and arms by your sides. Lift your right foot up towards the ceiling, keeping your leg as straight as possible. Rotate your right leg so that your right kneecap is pointing towards your right shoulder. Try and keep this external rotation for the whole movement.

Slowly circle your leg anticlockwise, lifting your right hip slightly off the mat as your leg crosses over to the left side and resting your hip on the ground when the leg is out to the right. Inhale as you circle downwards and exhale as you circle back up to the start. Do five circles then change direction. Repeat on the other side.

2 Shoulder bridge

Reps 5

Lie on your back with your knees bent, arms by your sides, and feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Exhale as you tilt your pelvis upwards and roll up through your spine, one vertebra at a time, pushing down through your feet so your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold at the top as you inhale, and then exhale to roll down. Make sure you’re pressing your arms down into the ground to support your spine throughout.

“This is a great stretch for tight quads and a fabulous activation exercise for the hamstrings, which are often weak,” says Boswell.

3 Lying side-kick

Reps 5 in each direction

Lie on your side with your legs straight and a little in front of the line made by your torso. Prop your head up with your hand and lean on your elbow. Raise your top foot to hip level. Slowly move your leg forward, keeping your lower back in a neutral curve, and pulse once at the furthest point. Reverse the movement and continue backward. Repeat for five reps in total.

Then raise and lower your top leg for five reps for five reps. Finally, add some ronde de jambe, or big circles, keeping your leg straight, for five reps in each direction.

4 Heel beats

Reps 5 breath cycles

Lie on your front with your legs extended, your upper arms out to the sides and elbows bent and your forehead resting on your hands. Keep your head and upper back relaxed. Stretch your legs away from you so they float off the mat slightly. Externally rotate your legs, so your knees point slightly out. Open and close your legs, beating your inner thighs together, keeping the movement small and fast. Inhale for a few beats, exhale for a few beats. Aim to do five breath cycles, then relax completely onto the mat.

Boswell has contributed two more Pilates sessions you may like to try: six Pilates core exercises and Pilates for back pain.

I’m aware that having a strong core is important, but I rarely spend time focusing on training it. I spoke to Pilates instructor and founder of SW4 Pilates, Chiara Boswell, about how to connect to my core and build strength from the inside out.

She tells me that most people mistakenly think working your core means working your abs. “The core actually starts from your pelvic floor,” says Boswell. “It goes all the way up the spine, and it includes the diaphragm, which is attached to the intercostal muscles. The core is where movement starts.”

“Pilates is the best way to strengthen the core, as we work on breathing in a very specific way,” says Boswell. “It’s called diaphragmatic breathing and it is very important for stability, spinal stiffness and functional mobility.”

You might be tempted to think that core work can be tacked onto the end of a session now and then, but no. “You should train your core every time you train. When you breathe, you activate it. You lift something heavy, you’re training it.”

“If you look at exercises like a list of things to do, targeting certain muscles in turn but you forget to teach the body how to integrate those moves into everyday life, things won’t change,” says Boswell. “Core work should be integrated into movement as a whole.”

Once you’ve taught your body what it feels like to awaken your core, you’ll be able to engage it properly with every movement you do. “To find that connection and integration I would start with exercises focused on breathing,” says Boswell. Then you can move on to more challenging exercises that work the whole body in an integrated way. Below are six movements to try, beginning with a basic breathing exercise.

Pilates Exercises To Strengthen Your Core

1 Lateral breathing

Breath rounds 5

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the mat. Relax and breathe normally. “Notice the flow, where does it go?” says Boswell. “Most likely to the base of your neck and collar bones. As you keep breathing try and exhale a little deeper.”

It can help to imagine an elevator traveling from the base of your pelvic floor up through your abdomen as you exhale. “You want to feel a gentle squeeze but not so hard that it changes your posture on the mat.” As your exhale gets deeper and longer, your inhale increases too. “Start to direct your inhale to the sides of your ribcage, allowing it to expand like an accordion,” says Boswell. “As you get more familiar with the movement at the ribcage try and direct the breath all around your ribcage and even down into your belly—let it expand like a balloon.”

2 The hundred

Breath rounds 10

Lie on your back with your legs extended and pressed together. Prepare by inhaling deeply and as you exhale lift the head, shoulders and legs off the mat. You should form a boat shape.

Begin pumping your arms up and down, moving from the shoulder, with straight arms. Inhale for five arm pumps and exhale for five, breathing deeply. Continue for 10 breath cycles.

3 Roll-up

Reps 5

Lie on your back with your legs extended, arms extended overhead. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, bring your arms up, tuck your head and start to roll up, peeling your spine off the mat one vertebra at a time, reaching your arms towards your feet. Inhale again and, as you exhale, slowly roll back down to the starting position.

4 Single-leg stretch

Breath rounds 8

Lie on your back with your knees bent, shins parallel to the ground. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, lift your head, neck and shoulders off the mat. Extend one leg while simultaneously bringing the opposite knee to your chest and placing your hands just below the knee. Switch legs in a fluid motion, keeping your head, neck, and shoulders lifted off the mat, inhaling for a count of two and exhaling for two.

5 Double-leg stretch

Reps 8

Lie on your back with your knees bent, shins parallel to the ground, and your hands holding onto your ankles or shins. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, extend both legs straight, keeping them off the mat, while reaching your arms overhead to a 45° angle. Circle your arms around to the sides and hug your knees into your chest, returning to the starting position.

6 Spine stretch forward

Reps 5

Sit up straight on the mat with your legs extended in front of you, feet flexed, and arms reaching forward. Inhale deeply, and as you exhale, initiate the movement from your lower abdominals, rolling your spine forward one vertebra at a time. Reach towards your toes, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings. Inhale to return to the starting position.

Wall Pilates is one of the biggest trends of 2024—it’s everywhere. It takes traditional mat Pilates exercises and uses a wall for extra stability or increased resistance, depending on the exercise.

Wall Pilates videos abound on TikTok and fitness influencers have been making all kinds of claims that wall Pilates can help you get lean fast and “snatch your waist”. It’s also been a divisive topic, with many Pilates instructors criticizing the trend, saying it’s not real Pilates and isn’t an effective way to exercise.

Rachel, of popular YouTube channel Rachel’s Fit Pilates, is a STOTT-certified Pilates instructor (STOTT is one of the most well-established branches of Pilates) and occupational therapist with an exercise science degree. She released a free 28-day Wall Pilates Challenge in summer 2023 that went viral—it has been viewed 2.3 million times. In her recent video, she addressed the hotly debated issues about wall Pilates.

So while wall Pilates is not, strictly speaking, Pilates in the classical tradition, and it’s not going to offer a miracle shortcut to your fitness or weight loss goals, it can be useful for the right person, when following a program that challenges them and helps them progress. If you enjoy it, go right ahead and continue with wall Pilates.

Want to give wall Pilates a go? Try this 20-minute full-body wall Pilates workout from Rachel’s Fit Pilates.

If you have recurring aches and pains in your back, you’re not alone. A review of global studies found that up to 84% of adults worldwide have experienced back pain at some point in their lives. I talked to Pilates instructor and founder of SW4 Pilates, Chiara Boswell, about how Pilates can help you avoid back pain.

“Most of the time, unless it’s a disc problem, back pain is due to lack of movement,” says Boswell. “With sedentary or desk-bound people, they are just not moving their spine enough.”

“I see this every day, but I also see people improving within a few sessions,” Boswell. “Their pain is gone and they are working on their mobility—true mobility takes time.” That’s certainly encouraging. While there’s no one (or even four) Pilates moves that will relieve your back pain, introducing more movement and mobility into your weekly routine will help you see longer-term improvements.

“Moving all the joints makes sure your blood circulates, there as well bringing oxygen to the stiffer joints, muscles, tendons and organs. Together with deep breathing, you develop this flow of movement.”

Pilates For Back Pain

As with anything new, when doing these exercises take it gently, and stop if it hurts. If you’re currently experiencing a flare-up of back pain, it’s best to consult your doctor or physiotherapist before trying new exercises.

1 Cat-cow

Reps 10-15

Start on your hands and knees with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. Inhale as you arch your back and lift your head and tailbone towards the ceiling (cow pose), then exhale as you round your spine upward and tuck your chin towards your chest (cat pose).

2 Spine stretch forward

Reps 10-15

Sit on the mat with your legs extended in front of you, feet flexed and hip-width apart. Extend your arms in front of you, palms facing down. Inhale to prepare, then exhale as you drop your head and reach your arms forward, lengthening your spine forward over your legs into a ‘C’ curve. Imagine you are curling forward over a ball. Inhale to return, starting the movement from the base of the spine, returning to the starting position sitting up straight on the mat.

3 Swan

Reps 6

Lie on your front, your hands on the mat under your shoulders with elbows bent and tucked into your sides, looking down at the mat. Inhale as you lift your head and neck off the mat, gaze forward as you start lengthening towards the front of your mat, and exhale as you lift one bit of your chest off the mat at a time. “If your back feels OK you can lift off the mat all the way up to your belly button, making sure you’re still able to breathe deeply and engage your thighs on the mat,” says Boswell.

4 Swimming

Reps 10-15

Lie on your front on the mat with your arms and legs extended. Inhale to prepare, then exhale as you lift your arms, legs, and chest off the ground. Reach your arms and legs away from each other as you pulse them up and down. Inhale to lower back to the start.

CrossFit is my preferred way to train. I like lifting heavy weights, learning new gymnastic skills, and challenging myself with intense metcons.

So when the editor of Coach asked me to try a Pilates for core session, I was excited because this isn’t something I usually make enough time for.

I signed up for a 30-minute core-focused routine with instructor Louise Buttler, founder and director of Pilates platform LIVE BRAVE, and it was a fantastic supplement to my regular strength training and conditioning workouts. 

Six Things I Learned From This Pilates Core Workout

1. The Effects Were Immediate 

“The great thing about Pilates is that you will start to feel and see a difference pretty quickly if you stay consistent with your practice,” Buttler tells me. “Even 10 minutes a day, five days a week, can make a real difference.”

As with anything promising instant results, I was dubious. However, my joints (and my niggly left knee in particular) felt noticeably stronger after just one session, giving me more confidence for movements like lunges and pistol squats. 

2. Form Is King

I was impressed with Buttler’s attention to detail and focus on form from the off, with extensive and practical instructions during the workout.

“Eyeline directly up to the ceiling, open collarbones, arms down by your sides, all 10 fingers spread, neutral pelvis, hip bones level, bellybutton and pubic bone level, arch in your lower back, femur bones tracking out from your pelvis to your knees, and your lower legs dropping down to your feet with all 10 toes in the mat.”

As the routine progressed, I found the slightest alteration in my position based on Buttler’s cues made a big difference to which muscles were active. Through this, I learned to focus on the quality and precision of my movements, making for a more effective workout. 

3. You Don’t Need Weights To Feel The Burn

The first sequence involved a descending ladder of 10, eight, six, four and then two glute bridge pulses with no rest. After each set, I was challenged to perform the same number of reps of a new move—allowing my knees to fall to the sides, then bringing them back together—while I held the final glute bridge. 

With my glutes and hamstrings under unrelenting tension, a burn akin to that caused by a lengthy wall sit or high-volume set of squats began to creep in.

4. Pilates Works Your Deep Core

It’s easy to confuse a core workout with a couple of sets of sit-ups that leaves you with an aching rectus abdominis—the muscles at the front of your stomach responsible for the six-pack shape. 

But moves like dead bugs, the Pilates 100 and dynamic side plank variations, twinned with detailed technique tips from Buttler, activated a selection of mid-body muscles that are often overlooked.

“Pilates is all about the core and developing those deep abdominal muscles,” Buttler tells me. “The most important thing to be aware of is how and when to engage those muscles, and this is all dependent on having a teacher that will cue you correctly, making sure your movement is as effective as possible.”

5. It’s Worth Slowing Down

A large chunk of the CrossFit workouts I tackle are performed against the clock. Here, though, Buttler used slow, controlled and purposeful movements throughout her routine. 

This approach increased the amount of time the muscles spent under tension. Thanks to the range of movements, more core muscles were worked than the average abs workout, so it felt like my midsection had been hit from all angles rather than the usual front-focused burn. 

6. Pilates Has Multiple Strings To Its Bow

I dived into this routine looking to build core strength. But some of my favorite parts were the stretching elements like the child’s pose and the mermaid exercise.

Afterwards, my muscles certainly felt worked, but they also felt soothed after heavy power cleans the day before. 

How To Add Pilates Into Your Training

Pilates is effective enough to be your primary exercise but, for me, it was a great way to supplement my other training. 

“Pilates is the perfect cross-training for sport because the movements will help strengthen all muscle groups and improve performance,” says Buttler. “Pilates is almost like doing physiotherapy and athletes will notice a cross-over between physio moves and Pilates moves. 

“Plus, you can be extremely targeted with Pilates, allowing you to focus on one particular area. If you’re a tennis player it’ll help the shoulder girdle and general rotation will improve your serve. Football players will improve their hamstring and glute strength, which will improve power and explosive movement. 

“There’s a reason so many professional athletes use it in their training plans, Cristiano Ronaldo and LeBron James being just two.”

You don’t need a well-stocked weights room for an effective upper-body workout, and there are plenty of ways to challenge your muscles using your own bodyweight.

To prove the point, Helen O’Leary, physio and clinical director at Complete Pilates, has put together some Pilates-inspired exercises to help with building arm strength and muscle.

If you train regularly, they might seem easy, but moving slowly throughout each movement will challenge your muscles in a different way while also engaging your core and back.

And of course, if you typically don’t strength train it makes sense to start training without weights.

“Women notoriously struggle with upper-body strength movements,” says O’Leary, although it doesn’t have to be that way. “Working on your arms two to three times a week is enough to notice strength changes. However, it is important to remember you should recover before attempting your next arm workout.” Make sure to leave at least a day before repeating this workout.

How To Do This Workout

This workout is arranged into two tri-sets. To complete a tri-set perform all the reps of exercise 1A, then 1B and finally 1C, then rest for two minutes. Repeat that sequence a total of three times, then move on to the second tri-set.

1A Quadruped (bird-dog)

Sets 3 Reps 12 to 15 each side Rest 0min

Start on all fours. Engage your core, and lift and extend one arm and the opposite leg. Pause, then return to the start. Move slowly with control. Alternate sides with each rep.

1B Leg pull 

Sets 3 Reps 12-15 each side Rest 0min

Start in a high plank position with your arms and legs extended, hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core and, keeping your hips as still as possible, raise one leg. Slowly lower it to the floor. Do all your reps on one side, then switch. 

1C Triceps push-up

Sets 3 Reps 12-15 Rest 2min

Get into a high plank position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Engage your core and then bend your elbows to lower your chest to the floor, keeping your arms close to your body. Push through your hands to return to the start. 

2A Assisted pull-up 

Sets 3 Reps 12-15 Rest 0sec

Loop a heavy resistance band around a pull-up bar and step or place one knee on the bottom of the band. Hold the bar with an overhand grip with your hands just wider than shoulder-width apart. Engage your core and pull yourself up, aiming to get your chin above the bar. Lower under control. 

2B W-I-T

Sets 3 Reps 12-15 Rest 0sec

Lie on your front holding your head off the floor. For the first set, bend your elbows to 90° and extend your upper arms to the sides. Engage your back and lift your arms just off the floor, then lower. For the second set, extend your arms forward. For the final set, extend your arms out to the sides.

2C Banded overhead triceps extension

Sets 3 Reps 12-15 each side Rest 2min

Kneel on a long resistance band and, keeping a neutral back and engaged core throughout, press the band overhead, keeping your hands shoulder-width apart. Lean to one side so one hand is directly above your head. Bend the elbow of that arm, keeping your upper arm stationary, and lower your hand to the back of your head. Using your triceps extend your arm to return to the start. Complete all the reps on one side, then switch sides.

Many of the best glutes exercises require a cable machine or barbell, which isn’t that surprising considering the gluteus maximus is the largest muscle in your body. But you can still get an effective glutes workout at home using just your own bodyweight and this six-exercise session is proof. 

It’s been put together by Sabrina Ovadya-Lenson, a Pilates teacher, level 3 personal trainer and founder of Urwell, an at-home holistic health club. 

“The beauty of these exercises is that they are all performed lying down,” says Ovadya-Lenson. That’s a blessing for anyone who’s got on the wrong side of their neighbours performing home HIIT workouts.

“Beginners may want to do one round only, but I would recommend two to three rounds as a great workout for a firm butt.”

If you fancy adding resistance to these exercises to make them a little harder, use ankle weights, or place a mini resistance band on the thighs above the knees. This type of band is cheap and readily available. You’ll find a range of options on our round-up of the best resistance bands; once you have a set, you can add this home glutes workout from Krissy Cela and resistance band glute workout to your routine.

Home Glutes Workout

1 Donkey kick

Get on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Tuck your pelvis under – keeping your hips still and back straight, move your tailbone down and in – and keep it tucked throughout; this will limit your range of movement but ensure you really target the intended glute muscles. 

Lift your right leg behind you, keeping the 90° bend in your knee. Make 10 small pulse movements with your heel flexed, then 10 pulses with your toes flexed. Repeat on the other side. 

2 Leg lift and leg circle

Get on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Extend one leg behind you, tap your foot on the floor, then lift your leg to hip height, keeping your spine neutral throughout. Perform 15 reps. 

Perform 15 more reps of the movement, but tapping your foot twice before lifting. Then, keeping your leg in line with your spine, perform 15 pulses.

Finally, keeping your leg elevated in the same position, make 10 tennis ball-sized circles with your foot. Ensure the movement comes from the hip rather than your knee or ankle. 

Repeat all of the above on the other side. 

3 Side-lying donkey kick 

Lie on your side, supporting your head with your bottom hand. Relax your top shoulder and bend your knees. Move your top knee and tap the floor in front of you, then extend your leg diagonally up. Bend at your knee again and tap the floor. Perform the move 10 times in total, then swap sides.

4 Clamshell 

Lie on your side, supporting your head with your bottom hand. Bend both legs and keep your heels in line with your spine. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee as far as you can and then lower it, keeping the rest of your body still. For a more challenging option, raise your feet off the floor and then perform the movement. Just make sure your heels remain in line with your spine. 

5 Side-lying knee taps

Lie on your side, supporting your head with your bottom hand. Bend both legs and keep your heels in line with your spine. Keeping your bottom leg still, lift the top foot and rotate your leg so your knee faces down. Your top foot should be higher than the knee. Tap the floor in front of you with your knee, then externally rotate your leg so your knee points up and you can tap the floor with your foot behind the bottom leg. Perform the full movement 10 times, then switch sides.

6 Glute bridge with leg extension 

Lie on your back with your legs bent and feet hip-width apart on the floor. Push your arms into the floor. Take a deep breath, then as you exhale, tuck your pelvis under and peel your spine off the ground slowly, raising your hips until your body is in a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Keeping your hips square, lift your right leg, extend it, then reverse the entire movement, bending your right leg, returning it to the floor. Then lower your hips to the floor, rolling your spine back onto the floor one vertebrae at a time with your pelvis being the last part of your body to touch the mat. Repeat on the left side, and continue alternating sides to perform 10 reps on each side.

After a (hopefully) restful winter break, it’s back to the grind and, in all likelihood, spending significant periods of time sitting – which can wreak havoc on your posture. One of the many benefits of Pilates is that it’s great for posture, along with being an excellent way to mobilise the joints and move freely without tension. 

So to round off our 12 days of Christmas workouts, we present a Pilates home workout from Lotty Somers, a STOTT Pilates-certified instructor. It should leave you feeling great and ready to make the most of your day.

“It’s not just physical benefits which come from improved posture,” says Somers. “When we feel able to stand tall and move without constraint, we tend to radiate more confidence. In addition, the use of breath in Pilates can help reduce stress, so it’s a great way to boost our mood and improve our overall mental health and wellbeing.”

The routine uses eight movements. Go through the moves slowly, completing the allotted reps. Feel free to go through the circuit of moves twice.

1 Neutral and imprint of the pelvis

Reps 8-10

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Your hips and pelvic bone should be level and there should be a natural arch in your lower back. This is neutral alignment. Keeping your hips still, tilt your pelvis and flatten your lower back so it’s in gentle contact with the floor. It’s a very small movement and Sommers goes into greater detail at the start of this Pilates for posture YouTube video. Continue tilting your pelvis back and forth between these two positions.

2 Abs prep

Reps 10-12

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Your spine and pelvis should be in neutral alignment, and your hands interlaced behind your head to support your neck. Inhale to prepare, then, as you exhale, lift your head, neck and shoulder blades off the mat. Use your upper-back muscles to stabilise your body and engage your abdominal muscles. Inhale as you lower. 

3 Bridge

Reps 6-8

Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. As you exhale, lift your spine one vertebra at a time, beginning at the base, to lift your hips into an elevated bridge position and create a straight line running from your shoulders to your hips to your knees, while keeping your thighs hip-distance apart and hips level. Inhale as you roll back down through each vertebra to return to your starting position. 

4 Half roll back

Reps 8-10

Sit upright with a straight spine and your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and arms stretched out in front of you. On an exhale, tilt your pelvis under and begin to roll backwards towards the floor, curving your spine into a “C” shape. Roll halfway down, then on an inhale, return to your starting position. 

5 Spine twist

Reps 5 each side

Sit upright with your legs extended in front of you. Imagine a piece of string pulling you up through the crown of your head to lengthen your spine. Extend your arms to either side, with your palms facing down. Exhale and twist your upper body to the right, without moving your hips. Inhale as you return to the centre. Alternate sides with each rep.

6 Bird dog

Reps 8-10 each side

Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders and knees under your hips, with a neutral spine – imagine you have a cup of tea balanced on your tailbone. Maintaining the position of your shoulders and hips, exhale as you extend one leg backwards and the opposite arm forwards. Inhale as you return to the starting position. Alternate sides with each rep.

7 Plank

Time 30-90sec

Place your hands on the floor under your shoulders and hold your body in one long line. You can either be on your toes or, to make it easier, on your knees. Don’t tuck or tilt your pelvis but maintain a neutral spine as you hold this position.

8 Upper-back extensor

Reps 8-10

Lie on your front with your legs extended and both hands under your forehead. Exhale and lift your head, your neck and shoulders off the mat, using your upper-back muscles to power the movement. Don’t arch into the mid or lower back, and keep looking at the floor. Inhale as you lower. 

High-intensity interval training involves bouts of fast-paced, full-throttle effort designed to to improve your cardiovascular fitness by keeping your heart rate elevated. Pilates, meanwhile, revolves around slow and controlled moves that target and strengthen deep, stabilising muscles. 

You’d be forgiven for thinking these two long-established training protocols couldn’t be further apart. However, when combined effectively, HIIT and Pilates can deliver the best of both worlds: double the strength and conditioning in half the time. 

“HIIT Pilates is one of my favourite ways to train,” says Korin Nolan, Pilates expert and co-founder of Dynamic Pilates TV, who devised this bodyweight circuit. “It’s quick, usually taking no longer than half an hour, which is perfect for anyone on a tight schedule.” 

The Workout 

This workout is made up of four pairs of complementary exercises, combining low-intensity, Pilates-based moves with high-intensity, low-impact HIIT-style bouts of effort. 

Perform exercises A and B back to back, then move on to the next pair of moves. Complete the circuit, then repeat it. As your fitness improves, you can repeat each pair of moves more than once or the full circuit more than twice to keep progressing. 

“Whichever way you approach this circuit, the emphasis should always be on quality movement over quantity to stay true to the principles of Pilates – control, alignment, breath and core connection,” Nolan adds. 

1A Reverse lunge into kick 

Reps 16-20 

From standing, step one leg back into a reverse lunge, lowering until your back knee is just off the floor. As you return to standing, kick that leg through in front of you, then return it to the start position. Switch legs and repeat. Keep your torso upright and core strong, and use your arms to help maintain balance. 

1B Leg flutters 

Time 20-45sec

Lie on your back with your chin tucked into your chest and arms reaching up past your ears. Engage your core and press your lower back into the floor, and raise your legs until they are around 20-30cm off the floor, then flutter your legs up and down using small movements. The closer your legs are to the floor, the greater the challenge to your core. Keep inhaling and exhaling throughout. 

2A Side skip tap 

Reps 16-20 

From standing, take four side steps to one side, then bend down to tap the floor with one hand before rising to stand. That’s one rep. Repeat in the other direction, staying light on your feet and keeping the tempo high. Keep your core switched on throughout. 

2B Reverse plank to V-sit

Reps 8-12 

Sit on the floor with your legs extended and hands on the floor behind you. Inhale to prepare, then as you exhale lift your hips up, pressing down into your heels and engaging your glutes to rise into a reverse plank. Pause for two seconds, then lower your bum back to the floor and draw your knees towards your chest with your shins parallel to the floor to find a V-sit balance for two seconds. That’s one rep.

3A Side plank to half burpee 

Reps 16-20

From standing, bend down and place your hands on the floor, then step or jump your feet back into a high plank, engaging your core. Rotate your torso and raise one hand towards the ceiling. Return to the high plank, then repeat on the other side. Step or jump your feet back either side of your hands and stand back up. 

3B Half side plank with hip rotation to extension

Reps 8-12 each side 

Start in a half side plank, resting your weight on one forearm and knee, with your knees one on top of the other and your hips lifted. Place your top hand behind your head to open your chest. Inwardly rotate your hip to tap the floor in front of you with your top knee. Rotate your hip the other way to raise your top knee in the air, then extend your leg. For a greater challenge, perform this in a side plank position with your knees raised off the floor throughout. 

4A High plank with side sweep tap to downward dog

Reps 8-12

Start in a high plank, drawing your shoulders down to lengthen your spine. Engage your core, thighs and glutes. Inhale to prepare and as you exhale, sweep one leg out in a wide arc to the side along the floor. Return it to the start and repeat with the other leg. Raise your hips to move into a downward dog pose with your back flat, then return to the high plank. 

4B Plié squat to rise 

Reps 16-20

A variation on the classic ballet move. Stand with your feet wide, toes pointing out. As you squat down, lower your hands to lightly tap the floor and then stand back up, reaching your hands to the ceiling. You can pop up onto the balls of your feet to make it more dynamic or keep your feet flat. Make sure to engage your core as you squat down, keeping your back flat and shoulders higher than your hips to challenge your range of motion. 

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• The work periods increase and the rest decreases as you move through this simple but effective low-impact cardio workout.
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Whoever you are and whatever you like to do, there really are no downsides to improving your posture and core strength, which are just two of the many benefits Pilates brings to the table.

However, there are lots of things you can be doing to improve your health and fitness, and limited time in which to do them. So to convince you of the benefits of the practice, whether you’re a runner, office worker or gym-goer, we’re handing over to Pilates teacher Jess Ellmer – who has also provided one top exercise to try for each group. After that, we hand over to Pilates teacher Jonathan Caguioa to detail the benefits for men.

The Benefits Of Pilates For Office Workers

Your lower back can suffer from sitting at your desk for too long. Pilates has been shown to help alleviate pain with small precise movements which help support your spine.

If tension and tightness in your neck and shoulders are creeping in when spending hours at your computer, taking regular breaks to open your chest out can make a difference to your posture and relieve your aches.

Top exercise to try: Chest opener

Lie on your side, and bring your hands behind your head and your elbows around your ears. Bring your legs up and bend them, so you form 90° angles at your hips and knees. Slowly open out your top elbow, allow your body to follow. Keep your knees together as your chest opens up to face the ceiling. Take three deep breaths, then return to the starting position.

• Next try this beginner Pilates workout which will improve your posture

The Benefits Of Pilates For Gym-Goers

Getting sweaty in your strength or HIIT sessions can leave you breathless. Pilates allows you to achieve a deeper kind of breathing, and supports your pelvic floor and diaphragm to help you breathe more efficiently.

Taking time to drop out of your fight-or-flight mode (sympathetic) after your workout, in which the body produces more adrenaline, into your rest-and-relax mode (parasympathetic) allows you to focus, make better decisions and become less reactive and more calm.

Try this Pilates breathing exercise to calm your nervous system.

Top exercise to try: Breathing

Find a comfortable position to lie in, support your head with a cushion and take ten breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Keep your hands on your rib cage and feel the ribs expand on the inhale and allow your body to “drop” – your ribs move away from your hands – on the exhale. Allow the exhale to get a little bigger each time.

The Benefits Of Pilates For Runners

Being aware of your posture is a must if you want to be an efficient runner. Pilates brings your attention to your body and connects your mind to your movement. Your back and joint health can be affected by the impact of running and Pilates is a great way to strengthen your abdominal wall and help support the structure of your skeleton.

Top exercise to try: Glute bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Imagine you have a clock face on top of your pelvis. Twelve o’clock is the highest point – your bellybutton – and six o’clock is the lowest point – your pubic bone.

Gently start to tilt your pelvis towards 12, pushing through your feet to lift your hips. Aiming for as little tension in the neck as possible, slowly bring your spine back to the floor one vertebrae at a time. You should feel it in your bum and the back of your legs. If you feel any strain in your lower back you may have taken your hips too high.

• Next try these Pilates stretches for runners

The Benefits Of Pilates For Men

Pilates is great for both men and women of course, but it’s men who seem to need more convincing to get involved with the practice. Here’s Jonathan Caguioa, Pilates trainer at BLOK, to explain how Pilates can help reduce back pain and improve your performance in the gym.

“One of the great benefits of Pilates for men is that it creates and maintains length and strength in the muscles surrounding your spine,” says Caguioa. “Not only can this help relieve back and neck pain, but it also gives you a better foundation for weight training.

“Also, a common mistake when training abdominals is allowing the pelvic floor and abdominal wall to dome, causing the abs to round outwards. Fundamental Pilates technique will train you to maintain lateral breath and draw the abdominals in and around to protect your spine.”

Top exercise to try: The hundred

“This is a great warm-up exercise. Try it at the beginning of a workout or once you have done a few stretches,” says Caguioa.

“Lie on your back, lift your legs into tabletop position – with your knees bent at 90° and positioned over your hips – and stretch your arms towards the ceiling. Inhale, then as you exhale, stretch your legs out in front of you, curl your head and shoulders up and reach your arms forwards. Draw your abdominals down toward the mat. Maintain a ‘long’ spine on the mat and avoid arching your lower back. Pulse your arms up and down five inches (13cm), inhaling for five pulses and exhaling for five pulses.

“Repeat 10 times, keeping your breathing regular and in time with the pulses, giving you a total of 100 pulses with the arms. You can make it harder by lowering your legs closer to the mat, or make it easier by keeping your legs in tabletop position. You can also support your neck by keeping one hand behind your head, swapping which hand you use during the move.”

Frenetic HIIT workouts which raise your heart rate and burn loads of calories may be all the rage right now, but when it comes to building core strength it’s worth slowing down your sessions.

Anyone who has done Pilates will know this. The slower pace of the practice allows for long periods where you hold positions under tension, strengthening your stabiliser muscles and vastly improving your core strength.

That’s exactly what the session below does. It’s been put together by Pilates instructor and founder of Pilates PT, Hollie Grant, who has also made a video to help guide you through the moves. Remember control is key, so don’t rush.

1 Toe dip

Time 60sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and your arms reaching up. Imprint your lower back – bring it closer to the ground using your abdominals – and bring your legs up one at a time to tabletop position, with your knees bent at 90° and lower legs parallel to the floor. As you inhale, move at your hips to lower one of your feet down towards the end of your mat keeping the 90° bend in your knee, and then exhale as you lift it back to tabletop. Repeat, alternating legs. The aim is to keep your lower back close to the ground throughout. To challenge yourself more, bring your legs together and lower them towards the floor.

2 Abs prep

Time 60sec

Lie on your back with your fingers by your temples, elbows wide, knees bent and feet on the floor hip-width apart. Inhale and tilt your chin gently towards your chest. Exhale and lift your head and shoulders, bringing the upper back into flexion. Inhale at the top, and then exhale and lower back to the starting position with control.

3 Flexion with toe dip

Time 60sec

Start with your legs in tabletop position, an imprinted spine, fingers by your temples, and your elbows wide. Inhale and tilt your chin gently towards your chest. Exhale and lift your head and shoulders, bringing the upper back into flexion. Hold this position while you inhale and lower your left foot towards the end of your mat. Exhale and lift back up. Repeat, alternating the legs each time. To make this harder bring your legs together and lower both feet to the floor.

4 Oblique rotation

Time 60sec each side

Start with your legs in tabletop position, your left hand behind your left knee, and your right hand behind your head for support. Inhale in preparation, then as you exhale lift your head and shoulders and rotate your torso towards your left knee. Keep your hips square on the floor and focus on bringing your right ribs to your left hip. Inhale and return to the starting position. Do 60 seconds on one side and then swap.

5 Hip twist

Time 60sec

Lie on your back, propping yourself up on your forearms with your elbows under your shoulders. Bring one leg at a time to tabletop, then extend your legs so they are on a diagonal. Imagine a clock on the wall in front of you – you’ll be drawing your feet around that clock. Inhale and begin to circle your legs to the right and down, then exhale to bring them up the left, drawing a circle. This is one repetition clockwise. Now repeat anti-clockwise. Alternate each time. The aim is to keep your hips still, and do not allow your back to arch.

6 Roll up

Time 60sec

Lie on your back with your legs extended, ankles flexed, and arms extended behind you as far as you can without lifting your ribcage. Inhale and raise your arms, then exhale and begin peeling your spine away from the floor, rolling all the way up and reaching for your toes. Inhale and begin rolling back, and exhale as you unroll your spine down towards the floor. Move slowly and with control.

More Pilates Workouts

• This Beginner Pilates Workout Will Improve Your Posture
• Use This Pilates Workout At Home To Strengthen Your Core
• This Rejuvenating Pilates Home Workout Will Help Improve Your Posture

For the uninitiated, reformer Pilates can seem really quite intimidating. For one, the reformer has both the appearance and the name of a torture device, and for two – well actually you only need that one right? The reformer. Sends a shiver down the spine. There’s probably one in the corner of Room 101.

Here’s one way to make it seem it less intimidating.

“Reformer is basically a big Theraband,” says James Shaw, Pilates trainer at Frame studios.

There we go. You’re not scared of a Theraband are you? Here are more reassuring words from Shaw on reformer Pilates.

What is reformer Pilates?

“The reformer is a piece of equipment created by Joseph Pilates,” says Shaw. “It’s basically a workout using spring resistance. What it teaches you is how to find length and space in the body while working against resistance.”

What are the benefits?

Like Pilates performed on a mat, the reformer helps to strengthen your core, improve your posture and increase your mobility.

“Reformer Pilates complements any training regime,” says Shaw. “This morning I’ve trained two swimmers and a tennis player. Everybody needs that stronger centre, whether you’re a high-level athlete or working at a desk. Sitting all day at work with minimal movement often leads to back pain. Pilates alleviates it, because it gives you the length and space through the body, which gives you better posture and better awareness of your body.”

Reformer Pilates is also something you can use to reduce your risk of injuries, rather than just something that can help with rehab.

"All too often we see people just because they’re injured,” says Shaw. “Incorporate this into your workout routine now and it arms you with a skill, as opposed to having to find the skill after you hurt yourself.”

How does it differ from mat Pilates?

Reformer Pilates works the body in the same way as mat Pilates, and the reformer is not the only piece of equipment used in the practice. The various pieces of equipment used, as well as mat Pilates techniques, complement each other to help you progress.

“It’s a full system,” says Shaw. “You’re using equipment to build the skills to make your mat practice better. With reformer we work with spring resistance to help your body recognise how to find space. Then when you take the spring off, and you do a similar mat move, you can find the same space in the body without that resistance.”

What’s the best way for beginners to get started?

This is not one to go and try by yourself. Beginners should either find a suitable class or opt for a one-on-one session.

"It depends on the individual,” says Shaw. “Many years ago when I started I did two one-to-ones first, and then I went to class, but some people don’t want to have a one-to-one because they don’t want to be put underneath that microscope. Either way works.”

Shaw was also keen to stress that everyone is a little confused by the reformer when they start, and that you shouldn’t worry about it.

“You’re intimidated by this mean piece of equipment – you don’t know where your arms and legs are going – and then you’ve got to deal with all this Pilates jargon, this choreography,” says Shaw. ”When you’re a beginner you‘ve got to give it a chance. Nobody is good at it before they start!”

How hard is it?

To get a proper taste of reformer Pilates we tried one of Shaw’s classes at Frame Shoreditch. It’s definitely a little daunting at first, just because we had no idea how to do little things like attach different springs on the reformer or even adjust the headrest. However, once you get into the swing of things the focus quickly moves on to your own body, as you try to work the right muscles with each move.

Once the class got going we actually found it easier to get into the right positions than we’ve done previously in mat Pilates classes, because working against the springs makes finding the positions simpler at times. Shaw also gave plenty of helpful advice on what to do without constantly correcting us, which is exactly what you want from an instructor.

The class was challenging in the way any Pilates class is – you start with what seems a simple movement or hold, and then as you repeat or prolong it, the challenge just grows until your core is shaking. If you’re someone who spends a lot of time hunched over a desk, or a keen sportsperson looking to support your training, the benefits of using the reformer will be obvious as soon as you try a class.

The benefits of Pilates extend far beyond just providing a tough core workout. Pilates improves your posture, flexibility and resilience to injury. However, it really does provide a tough core workout, so if that’s all you want from your Pilates session, rest assured these six exercises from Kate Burdett (head trainer at Pilates studio Raw Pilates) will get the job done.

1 The hundred

“This exercise is a great warm-up and really gets the blood pumping around the body,” says Burdett. “The hundred is not just an abdominal exercise, but also a breathing exercise.

“Lie on your back with your arms by your sides, then bend both knees so you are in table-top position, and slowly lift your head, neck and shoulders off the mat, reaching forwards with your arms.

“Extend your legs, keeping your heels together at either 90° for a beginner version of the exercise, 45° for intermediate, or about 5cm off the floor for advanced.

“Pump your arms up and down vigorously, making short inhalations for five pumps through your nose and short exhalitions for five pumps through your mouth. Your breath should get deeper as you go. Repeat ten times so you reach 100 breaths. Bring your knees back to your chest when complete.”

2 Roll up

"The aim of this exercise is to strengthen your core while stretching your spine,” says Burdett.

“Moving straight on from the hundred exercise, stretch your legs on the mat, feet flexed and heels tightly together. Lift your head and look at your toes, float your arms above your thighs and start rolling your spine up, stretching your fingers past your toes if possible. Then use your abdominals to roll you back down again.

“Exhale as your spine leaves the mat, breathe in at the top of the move, then exhale again as your spine rolls into the mat. This is key to make sure you are in control of the movement from the core. Repeat this exercise six times and finish in a seated position.”

3 Double leg kick

“The double leg kick stretches your chest, abdominals and hip flexors,” says Burdett. “It can help to improve the flexibility of your back, and this can both help prevent injury and maintain good posture.”

Start lying face down with your arms by your sides.

“Kick your heels up towards the ceiling, repeating this three times,” says Burdett. “On the third kick simultaneously extend your legs and stretch your arms, lifting your chest and looking forwards.”

4 Leg circle

“This exercise is fantastic for working your core muscles,” says Burdett. “It helps strengthen your core and stretches your hips. Tight hips can lead to pain and tension in the back, so the leg circle is perfect for relieving any unwanted tightness.

“Lie on your back with your arms by your sides. Extend your right leg towards the ceiling. Slowly circle your leg outwards ten times, allowing your pelvis to move freely. Lower your right leg to the floor, then repeat the move with your left leg. On your next set, circle your legs inwards. Keep your pelvis still for a challenge. Repeat six to eight times.”

5 Plank leg lift

“This exercise improves stability in your core, spine and hips, and strengthens your lower back while improving hip mobility,” says Burdett.

“Start in a plank position with your hands placed directly under your shoulders. Raise one leg off the floor as high as you can but not past shoulder height. Alternating lifting legs. Keep your core, glutes and quads engaged to avoid rocking your hips. Repeat six to eight times.”

6 Scissor kick

“Lie on your back and slowly lift your top half off the ground,” says Burdett. “Extend your right leg so that it is at a right angle to the floor. Bring your hands behind your right leg, pulling it in towards your face, and curl your head up. Lift your left leg a few centimetres off the floor. Switch legs, pulling your left leg in towards you and letting your right leg hover above the floor. Continue switching legs and repeat this ten times.”

More Pilates Workouts

• This Beginner Pilates Workout Will Improve Your Posture
• Challenge Yourself With This Pilates-Inspired Core Workout
• Five Pilates Exercises For Beginners

There are very few people on Earth who would not benefit from adding some Pilates to their day. If you’re training to improve your sporting performance, want to lift more in the weights room, are rehabbing an injury or simply trying to avoid ever picking any up, Pilates can help. And that’s not all.

“We train a bunch of sportspeople and athletes who use classical Pilates to enhance their current training regime and limit injuries, as well as office workers, gym-goers, beginners, those looking to lose weight, get stronger and improve their mental health, and everyone in between,” says Gaby Noble, owner of Exhale Pilates London.

“Men in particular traditionally work their muscles in isolation a lot, while classical Pilates has a flow to it, mobilising the joints through every exercise. This different way of training is highly beneficial, making sure that you get a full-body workout and none of the smaller muscles get missed out.”

To help introduce Pilates into your weekly routine, we asked Noble for five exercises beginners can try at home.

Arm circles

Objective: To stretch your shoulders and upper back while strengthening your pelvis, shoulder extensors and back stabilisers.

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet on the floor and upper back elevated on one or two pillows (a foam roller can also be used). If you haven’t got too much tightness, then slightly drop your head off the back of the pillow to create more rotation in the shoulders. Hold either small weights or a bottle of water in each hand as you do the following three moves.

Move 1: Keeping your legs bent with your knees in line with your hips and your feet flat on the floor, extend your arms overhead with your palms facing. Inhale as you move your arms in an arc out to the sides and towards the floor. As you exhale, draw your abs into your spine and bring your arms back to the center. You can hug yourself to get a further stretch each time you bring your arms back. Do this three to five times, taking progressively deeper breaths while maintaining a stable pelvis and keeping your abs drawn into your back.

Move 2: Extend your arms overhead with your palms facing in the direction of your feet. Keeping your arms straight, inhale as you drop one hand behind your head and the other hand towards your hip. Exhale as you return to the starting position. Repeat the move but on the opposite sides. Do that sequence three to five times.

Move 3: Extend your arms overhead. Make large circles that take both your arms back to the side and then back to the center. Do this three to five times in each direction. Keep the range of motion comfortable – don’t overextend your shoulders.

Glute bridge

Objective: To work your spine, stretch your quadriceps, and strengthen your glutes and hamstrings.

Lie on your back with your knees bent and in line with your hips, and your arms by your sides. Reach your fingers towards your toes and keep your chest open. Inhale and lift your pelvis off the floor, squeezing your glutes and moving your knees towards your feet to open up your hip flexors. Hold your breath for a count of three, then bring your spine back to the floor slowly, vertebrae by vertebrae, as you exhale. Make sure your bum is the last thing to touch the ground. Do this three to five times breathing progressively deeper each time to release further tightness in the hips, chest and spine.

Thigh stretch

Objective: To stretch and strengthen your thighs, as well as your quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, abs and hip flexors.

Kneel with your legs hip-width apart. Extend your arms out in front of your body at shoulder height, holding small weights if you like. Make sure your knees, hips, shoulders and ears are in line and there’s no arch in your lower back. Inhale, drawing your abs into your spine, and lean back, lengthening your spine so you feel like your body’s being extended through the crown of your head. Exhale and return to the starting position, bringing your arms back down to your sides. Do this three to five times, extending the stretch each time.

Chest expansion

Objective: To strengthen your shoulder and elbow extensors, and develop trunk stability. It’s also beneficial for your posture, breathing and neck.

Kneel with your knees hip-width apart and arms by your sides. Create tension in your arms by drawing your fingers to the floor and lengthening your neck. Keeping a straight line from your knees to your ears and maintaining the length in your neck, inhale, draw your abs in and up and move your palms behind you, drawing your shoulder blades together. Keeping the rest of your body still, turn your head to the right, then left, then back to the centre. Exhale as you bring your arms back in line with your hips. Keep your glutes and abs engaged throughout the movement. Do three to five alternating head turns.

Wall roll-down

Objective: To relax your neck and shoulders, and massage your spine.

Stand with your back and pelvis against a wall, and your feet about 30cm away from the wall. Push your spine against the wall without tucking or arching. If you find that’s too hard to do, bring your feet a little closer to the wall. Extend your arms in front of you, then circle them, inhaling as they go up and exhaling as they come down. Do this three to five times, then reverse the direction.

Draw your chin to your chest to stretch the back of your neck. Relax your head forwards as you slowly peel the spine off the wall, moving one vertebrae at a time. Keep your abs braced but everything else relaxed. Let the weight of your head and shoulders hang heavy. Go as far as you can while keeping your pelvis against the wall. Do one small circle with your torso like a rag doll and let the momentum move your arms for two more circles, then reverse the direction. Start rolling back up against the wall, one vertebrae at a time. Do this two to three times. To finish, press your hands into the wall and walk forward.

For more info on Exhale Pilates and to book in for a class, visit exhalepilateslondon.com

More About Pilates

• This Beginner Pilates Workout Will Improve Your Posture
• Use This Pilates Workout At Home To Strengthen Your Core
• Challenge Yourself With This Pilates-Inspired Core Workout

While there is no one thing you can do that will guarantee good health, there are some lifestyle changes that it would be wise for almost everyone to make. One is to eat more vegetables, another is to ensure you’re getting enough fibre and a third is to do some kind of activity to improve your posture.

The reason for the latter is correcting the damage done by the lengthy hours many of us spend hunched over a desk or a phone, but the benefits also extend to improved running form and a more stable base for weightlifting. And the really good news is that it doesn’t take a huge amount of work to improve your posture. This short and simple Pilates routine from sports physio Kim Saha done once or twice a week will work wonders.

Chest opener

Reps 40

Why To correct tightness in the shoulders

How Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, tailbone tucked in, lower abs drawn in and chest open. With your elbows tucked in to your torso, move your forearms out in front of you with your palms facing up. Keeping your elbows tucked, use your shoulders to rotate your hands out to the sides, then straighten your elbows to extend your arms until they’re perpendicular to the floor. As you straighten your elbows, stretch your fingertips out as far as possible. Reverse the moment to go back to the start position. This will feel like a big stretch through your arms and the muscles around your shoulder blades should be working hard. Work on keeping your shoulders down.

Crunch

Reps 40

Why To flatten the abdominal area

How Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor, and your feet and knees hip-width apart. Arch your lower back slightly – just enough to slide your fingers under. Draw in your lower abs and keep the chest open. Put your hands behind your head. Raise your shoulders, without flattening your lower back, and draw your ribs towards your hips while still drawing in the lower abs. Lower back to the start.

Dead bug

Reps 10 each side

Why To align the spine

How Lie on your back with your knees bent and hip-width apart. Lift your legs so your shins are parallel to the floor and extend both arms towards the ceiling. Lower one arm towards the floor behind your head and simultaneously stretch the opposite leg out. Return to the start position and repeat on the other side. Keep a small arch in your back – do not flatten or arch excessively.

Shoulder bridge

Reps 20

Why To loosen the spine and strengthen the glutes

How Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet on the floor. Bring your heels as close to your bottom as your legs will allow. Then flatten your lower back and, starting from the bottom of your spine, curl up, one vertebrae at a time, and lift your hips until you are balanced on your feet and shoulders only. Then lower back to the start.

Clam

Reps 40 each side

Why To strengthen the glutes and align the hips

How Lie on your side with your knees bent and your feet in line with your hips and shoulders. Tuck the bottom of your hips back and roll the top of your hips forwards. Keeping your feet together, lift the top knee. Don’t worry about how far the knee rises, but be careful not to rock the top hip back. Then lower. You should feel the stretch in the side of your glutes.

Prone forward reach

Reps 30

Aim To broaden the chest and pull the shoulders back

How Lie on your front with your forehead on the floor. Hold your arms out to the sides with elbows bent at 90°. Lift your arms off the floor slightly, stretch forwards with both arms, and then bring them back to the sides with your arms still hovering off the ground. Repeat the movement without letting your arms touch the floor.

For more Pilates workouts as well as physio advice, subscribe to Kim Saha’s YouTube channel

When people set about attempting to improve their running, they tend to focus exclusively on the strategy of doing more running. They might mix it up in terms of speed and distance, but the tactic is clear: running will help you run better.

But what if Coach told you that there is another way, one that will make you run faster and for lonager? As Lynne Robinson, founder of Body Control Pilates, explains: “Pilates can improve your posture while you run, your overall stamina and your core stability, balance and flexibility.” Here are four exercises Lynne suggests trying pre- or post-run.

RECOMMENDED: How to Avoid Sports Injuries

Spine Curls

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Have your arms by your sides. Breathe in.

Curl your tailbone under, tilting your pelvis backwards as you peel your spine off the mat one vertebra at a time, lengthening your knees away from your hips.

Breathe out as you roll the spine back down. Repeat 10 times.

Oyster

Lie straight on your side with your bottom arm under your head and your top hand on the mat in front of you. Bend your knees and draw your feet back.

Breathe out as you open out your top knee from the hip joint. Keep your pelvis stable.

Breathe in as you slowly return your leg to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Pilates Squat

Stand tall. Feet hip-width apart and parallel.

Breathe in and lengthen through the spine as you bend the knees and the hips simultaneously to hinge forwards slightly from the hips. Reach forward with both arms to balance.

Breathe out as you straighten your legs. Repeat 10 times.

Prone Knee Lifts

Lie on your front and rest your forehead on a folded towel.

Bend your right leg to a 90-degree angle. Maintaining the position and stability of your pelvis, breathe in and lift the leg up slightly off the mat.

Breathing out, lower the leg back down. Repeat 10 times on each side.

For more information on Pilates or to try a session, head to bodycontrolpilates.com

Modern life, with its desks and deadlines, generates no end of physical ailments. Yet in the search for ache-and-pain relief, most men turn their back on anything endorsed by Madonna.

Yet the Pilates “method”, despite being developed almost 100 years ago by Joseph Hubertus Pilates of Germany, is perfectly designed to deal with today’s gripes, from executive stress to the consequences of your love of sitting.

“Whether you’re an athlete or an office worker, everyone’s body can work with more efficiency and ease,” says Winona Holl, managing director of the Pilates Foundation.

“Men can be very muscle-group targeted in how they work out, but that doesn’t always target the inner muscles that help create stability along the bones and joints. Pilates allows the deeper muscles to work.”

Here are five reasons Pilates is worth a go if those irritating back spasms just won’t go away.

1. Posture

Back and neck pain are on the rise, with 82% of men now suffering due to endless hours spent contorted over their work stations. Pilates improves your posture by strengthening the muscles that support your spine and joints.

2. Neglected Muscles 

100 biceps curls a day might sound impressive, but there are around 639 other muscles in your body that also need some attention. As anyone who has done Pilates will testify, you’ll discover muscles you didn’t know existed – mainly thanks to how much they ache the next day.

3. Core

Maintaining a strong core should be an essential part of everyone’s fitness regime (because it underpins everything you do, particularly in your lower spine), and every Pilates exercise undertaken requires you to keep that central core engaged, making sure you work your body from the inside out.

4. Flexibility

Not only will Pilates make your every moving moment a breezy joy, it will also help reduce any niggling injuries you may have picked up from playing sports, and it will also keep your joints in top order. That’s the reason many professional athletes practise Pilates alongside training.

5. De-stress

Pilates brings breathing techniques, concentration and body awareness into its exercises, all effective tools for the war on stress. “Modern men live
in a fight-or-flight mode,” says Holl. “Pilates brings your nervous system out of that system, to more of a rest-and-digest place.” So there.

We understand that many people have preconceptions about Pilates, but just wait until you hear about the benefits of pilates. 

Pilates will give you a cast-iron core and, according to this month’s guest trainer and co-founder of TenPilates David Higgins, "studies have shown that if you’re strong in your core, you can lift significantly more weight in big exercises."

It’s no walk in the park either. "These are deceptively difficult moves," says Higgins. "You don’t need to use heavy weights to challenge your stability muscles. If you over-challenge them, your global (larger) muscles will try to take over, so you’ll do the movement incorrectly."

"A lot of athletes and rugby players are doing Pilates for prehab (preventative exercises, as opposed to rehab work after an injury)," says Higgins. "If your body is functioning correctly then you’re stronger when an external force, such as a tackle, is exerted. You’ll be able to maintain balance better and less likely to get injured."

There’s a lot more, but we figure you've probably got the idea and are willing to give it a go. So now that you've accepted that Pilates is going to make a big difference to your fitness, get stuck into the following exercises. We’ve got more plenty more Pilates workouts for you try, too.

• This Beginner Pilates Workout Will Improve Your Posture
• Pilates Exercises For Beginners
• Use This Pilates Workout At Home To Strengthen Your Core
• Pilates Stretches for Runners
• Challenge Yourself With This Pilates-Inspired Core Workout

Superman

Because you do this move on all fours, it involves your upper back, neck and shoulders. That will help anyone who sits at a desk all day to have better posture because it encourages you to maintain a natural position in your spine. The leg slide in level 2 turns the move into a semi-open chain for a few seconds. Raising your arm and opposite leg encourages good stabilisation from your shoulders to your opposite knee.

Level 1: Superman leg slide

• Get on all fours with your knees beneath your hips and your hands beneath your shoulders.
• Make sure your neck and spine are neutral. Contract your abs but keep breathing normally.

• Extend one leg behind you, sliding it along the floor. Then bring it back to the start.

Level 2: Superman leg slide hover

• Perform the leg slide.
• Raise that foor off the floor at the end of the slide.

Level 3: Superman leg slide and arm raise

• Simultaneously raise one arm and the opposite leg without moving your spine or tilting your hips.

Human Cannon

Most people find that when they lift their knees in this move, it tips their hips out of neutral, their head sinks and their shoulders slump. So it’s important to focus on holding a good position and maintaining lumbar control. The progression in level 2 involves a forwards extension, which encourages upper-body stabilisation through your lats, serratus anterior and shoulders. Adding a press-up works your triceps and chest.

Level 1: Human cannon bent-knee hover

• Get on your hands and knees with your hands slightly in front of your shoulders and your spine neutral.

• Raise your knees off the floor a few centimetres and hold that position.

Level 2: Human cannon plank

• Perform the move as above but with your hands slightly further forward.

• Straighten your legs to get into a straight-arm plank position.

Level 3: Human cannon press-up

• Perform the move as above.

• Do a press-up.

Skating

The skating squat hold fires up the right areas of your body: glutes, quads and hamstrings. When you do the toe slide in level 2, you activate your gluteus medius. If that muscle is weak then you’ll get an anterior tip of the pelvis, which will overload your lumber spine and can result in injuries such as bulging disks. The toe touch opens the chain, which recruits more of the stabilising muscles and more of the glute.

Level 1: Skating squat hold

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and, keeping your spine neutral, sink into a half squat and hold that position.

Level 2: Skating leg slide

• Get into the skating squat position. Then, keeping your upper body still, slide one foot out to the side, then back to the start position.

Level 3: Skating toe touch

• Get into the skating squat position.
• Then, keeping your upper body still, lift one leg out to the side, touch the floor with your toes and then return to the start.

Side Leg Raise Moves

Level 1: Side leg raise

• Place one hand beneath your head with your arm straight and rest your other hand on your hip.
• Place one knee below your hips with the other leg straight, toes touching the floor.
• Raise your straight leg off the floor, hold for a count of two, then return to the start.

Level 2: Side leg slide

• Place one hand beneath your head with your arm straight and rest your other hand on your hip.
• Place one knee below your hips with the other leg straight, toes touching the floor.
• Raise your straight leg off the floor, then move it backwards and forwards without tilting your hips.

Level 3: Side leg circle

• Place one hand beneath your head with your arm straight and rest your other hand on your hip.
• Place one knee below your hips with the other leg straight, toes touching the floor.
• Raise your straight leg off the floor, then move it in circles. The bigger the circle, the harder it becomes.