Your Mat Pilates Cheat Sheet: 7 Exercises That’ll Transform Your Body

Your Mat Pilates Cheat Sheet: 7 Exercises That’ll Transform Your Body

What other workout…
 
...conditions and strengthens your ENTIRE body?
 
...uses gentle, controlled movements as a way to establish a meaningful mind-body connection?
 
...is for legit anyone and everyone? Tall, short, young, old, curvaceous, athletic, fitness newbies...I mean everyone. 
 
The answer: NO OTHER WORKOUT. Pilates is that rare find that’s original. Untouchable. Wildy effective and freeing. 
 
Also worth mentioning: in lieu of feeling like a rag doll that just went clunk, thud, splat down a staircase (your 5-year-old human wanted to see you fly), a post-Pilates workout will leave you feeling energized, fulfilled, confident, and mentally strong. Plus, you’ll build strength, flexibility, and improve your posture to a degree that’ll rival the poise of Kate Middleton. 
 
Now that the pandemic has required the majority of us to spend our days sheltering at home, there’s no better time than now to exercise a little self-care and introduce Pilates into your weekly routine. 
 
After all, by now you’ve literally done everything else: binge-watched The Queen's Gambit on Netflix, attended a virtual wine tasting party with girlfriends, tried dying your hair (twice), had an epic photoshoot with your paw-fect pup, and dabbled in some DIY crafting. So, really, there’s no excuse not to give it a try and get a taste for all the benefits you’ll reap from the practice. 

Is Pilates a Good Workout?

First, I’d like to try and reframe your mindset surrounding exercise. It’s a way to respect your body by showing it a little self-love – i.e. working out and losing weight (or scoring a “bikini body”) doesn’t need to be so inextricably tied together. Over the years, the two have been lumped together thanks to outlets like Instagram, which essentially tells us how to look and feel. 
 
Instead of punishing ourselves or sacrificing our happiness to adhere to an unrealistic ideal of body image, if we simply shift our thinking to focus on self-care and well-being, we’ll improve our mental health while still reaping all the natural physical benefits that come with exercise. 
 
Pilates is not only a beautiful way to honor your body, but it’s an effective workout system that doesn’t require endless grunting or the clang of your weights hitting the floor after you drop them in relief. Instead, it’s incredibly peaceful. When you complete a session, you’ll literally feel inches taller, more balanced, and like your entire body is perfectly aligned. 
 
There are numerous workouts that place a high level of stress on our bodies. What’s more, high-intensity exercises cause cortisol secretion, which can negatively impact our immune health and digestion. Yes, that includes wreaking havoc on our hair (bye luminous shine) and our skin (farewell dewy, fresh-faced glow). 
 
Just because something looks extreme and intense doesn’t mean it’ll wind up delivering the best results. With every Pilates session, for example, the gentle movements are designed to harmonize your body – like your nervous, musculoskeletal, digestive, and lymphatic systems – with each session. Instead of tearing you down, Pilates works to build you up – helping transform your body and mind from the inside out.
 
Ready to give it a whirl? Here are 7 beginner-friendly Pilates mat exercises that'll transform your body.

1 | Half Roll Back

1. Begin by sitting tall directly on top of the sit bones with knees bent and feet flat on the mat. Then, curl your spine over the knees, creating a C-curve with your torso. Reach your arms straight in front, over the legs. Inhale to prepare and pull your abs in. 
2. As you exhale, engage your abs and roll back while keeping your spine in the C-curve shape. Keep your feet glued on the mat. Inhale to stay in the C-curve shape, pulling in the belly even more and as flat as possible. Keep your neck long, gazing straight forward.
3. Exhale to roll forward over the legs, returning to start position.

TIP: Squeeze your legs together, but if you feel discomfort, separate your legs slightly. Your gaze is at your knees. 
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2 | Shoulder Bridge

1. Begin lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the mat hip-distance apart. Inhale to prepare and pull in your abs. 
2. Exhale and roll your spine up to the bridge position with your hips level. Keep your core strong. 
3. Inhale and lift one leg up and straightened toward the ceiling. Squeeze your glutes and keep your legs very active. Point the toes. 
4. Exhale and lower the leg down next to your supporting knee, flexing your feet. Keep your hips level. 
5. Inhale lift the leg back up to the ceiling, pointing the toes. Complete 2 more repetitions, with the same leg. 
6. Exhale to place your foot back down on the mat. Stay in your bridge and switch legs. Repeat on the other leg. This is one set. Finish by rolling the spine back down to the start position before doing another set. ​

3 | Hundred

1. Lie on your back with hands behind your head, elbows wide. Imprint your pelvis by gently pressing the lower back into the mat and curl up. Lift your legs up into tabletop position and point the toes. 
2. Take a breath in and exhale to straighten your legs out to a high diagonal. Squeeze your legs together and activate your inner thigh muscles. Pull the belly in as flat as possible. 
3. Take 5 short breaths in through the nose for 5 counts, pumping your arms up and down slightly. Then exhale through the mouth for 5 counts, blowing out a little bit of air each time. This is one set with 10 counts. 
4. Continue for 9 more sets for a total of 100 counts. 
5. Finish by taking a deep breath in and stay in control. First, bend your knees in. Then lower your head down to the mat, and then lower your legs, one at a time with control. ​

4 | Scissors

Benefits: Builds abdominal strength and endurance and increases the flexibility of the hamstrings. 

1. Begin lying on your back with your legs extended at 90 degrees. Reach up to the ceiling, pointing your feet. Curl your head and shoulders off the mat and reach your arms long out towards your shins. 
2. Exhale and stretch one leg away toward the mat and pull the other leg toward your body, opening your legs like a pair of scissors. Use the hands to lightly pulse, pulling the top leg twice. 
3. Inhale as you bring your legs back to center and switch legs. Sink the belly button in deeper to the spine. Don’t let your body rock or bounce as the legs switch. 
4. After finishing the reps, reach both legs to the ceiling. Lower your head and shoulders to the mat, and then lower each leg one at a time. 

TIP: Keep the neck and shoulders relaxed and abdominals pulled in as flat as possible. 

Imagine: Imagine each leg getting longer and longer as you switch legs. 

5 | Side Bend

1. Begin in a side plank position with your knees bent and hips stacked. Place your bottom hand just in front of your shoulder on the mat, in line with the knees. (​Both hip bones, and shoulders should face forward.)
2. Inhale to lift the top arm up to the sky and pull your abdominal muscles in. 
3. Exhale and reach your top arm overhead and lift your hips even more up to the sky. Keep your abdominal, inner thigh, and glute muscles engaged to lift the hips up as much as you can. 
4. Inhale and lower your top arm down, returning back to your side plank position. Try to complete all of your repetitions without sinking into your shoulder or dropping down. If you feel discomfort in your neck or shoulder, return the hips on the mat to take a quick break. Be patient with your body and remember, quality over quantity, always.
   

TIP: Keep a tiny bend in your arm on the mat so you’re not overextending your elbow joint. 
​
Imagine: Imagine creating a bow shape between the hand and the knees. 

6 | Spinal Rotation

Benefits: Helps stretch the muscles of the spine, and release tension in the back and shoulders that may get tight from sitting in front of a desk or computer.

1. Begin lying on your side, with your legs together and knees bent. Rest the head on the mat. Reach arms out straight in front of your body and stacked on top of each other.
2. Inhale and stretch your top arm up to the sky. Pull in your abdominals.
3. Exhale and rotate from the shoulders and waist, bringing your top arm all the way over. Relax your neck, chest, and shoulders. Take a few deep breaths.
4. Inhale and reach your top arm back up to the sky, so your shoulders are facing forward again.
5. Exhale to rest your arm back down in front of you. Repeat 2-3 times before switching sides.

7 | Heel Squeeze

1. Begin lying on your belly with your heels pressing together and knees open as wide as your shoulders, feet flexed. Rest your forehand on your hands, palms down on the mat. Gently press your pubic bone down to the mat. Inhale to prepare and pull your belly button to your spine. 
2. Exhale to squeeze your heels together and actively engage your glutes to press your feet up to the sky, slightly lifting your knees off the mat. 
3. Inhale and slowly release your hips down, keeping the heels together. Repeat. 

TIP: Don’t focus on lifting your knees off the mat. Instead, focus on properly engaging your abs and glutes to protect your lower back. You shouldn’t feel any tension in your lower back or shoulders. 

Imagine: There’s a blueberry under your belly and you don’t wanna squish it down by sinking your belly down. Keep pulling the belly button in and away from the mat.


Not only is Pilates a simple and effective workout to pencil into your day, but you can perform these exercises from the comfort of your home – a.k.a what I like to dub, “the ultimate convenience.”
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Ready to discover a new approach to movement? One that’s guaranteed to amp up your motivation and energy, boost your well-being, and make you feel truly confident in your skin? Meet my online membership program: The Pilates Club.

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