Wakey wakey, eggs and shaky (muscles).
This Pilates routine from Nonna Gleyzer, founder of Body By Nonna, is a gentle way to start your day, providing the muscle-quivering benefits Pilates is known for—but, like, the light version. Nonna has provided her pilates genius to celebrity clients including Gisele Bündchen, Madonna, Jennifer Garner, Kerry Washington, and more. And as we love to say, if it’s good enough for Gisele …
Also, don’t get scared by the number of movements. We’ve broken the routine up into parts to take what we need and leave what we don’t.
Press play on the video, and follow along with the written instructions below.
Healthy Back
How to:
1. Lay on your back, and bring your knees to your chest.
2. Place your arms underneath your knees.
3. Pull your knees to the chest.
4. Rock side to side three times.
Deep Hamstring Stretch
How to:
1. Lay on your back with your legs bent, keeping your arms underneath your knees.
2. Bring one foot up towards the ceiling, hold for three counts, and alternate your
legs.
3. Repeat three times each leg.
Single Leg Extension
How to:
1. Lay on your back, and place your hands under the lower back for support.
2. With toes pointed and stomach pulled in, extend one leg out, and then pull it back
in.
3. Alternate, repeating three to five times for each leg.
Double Leg Extension
How to:
1. Lay on your back, and place your hands under the lower back for support.
2. With pointed toes and stomach pulled in, extend both legs out, and then pull them
back in.
3. Repeat three to five times.
Single Straight-Leg Extension
How to:
1. Lay on your back, and place your hands under the lower back for support.
2. Point your toes, and pull your stomach in.
3. Bend one knee, and bring it to your chest.
4. Extend the other leg out, lifting it back and forth towards your head.
5. Alternate legs, and repeat the movement three to five times.
Double-Leg Hamstring Stretch
How to:
1. Lay on your back, and place your hands under the lower back for support.
2. Pull your stomach in, and point your toes.
3. Bend both knees to your chest, and extend them up and down together.
4. Repeat three to five times.
Power Stretch
How to:
1. Lay on your back, and place your hands under the lower back for support.
2. With your stomach pulled in, lift both legs towards the ceiling, and point your toes.
3. Keeping your legs up, gently point and flex your feet.
4. Repeat three to five times.
Double Leg Circles
How to:
1. Lay on your back, and place your hands under the lower back for support.
2. Pull your stomach in, and point your toes.
3. Keep your legs straight, and lift them to point towards the ceiling.
4. Slowly circle them together in one direction three to five times.
5. Change direction, and circle three to five times.
Stomach Burner
How to:
1. Lay on your back, and place your hands under the lower back for support.
2. Pull your stomach in, and point your toes.
3. Lift and point your straight legs towards the ceiling.
4. Slowly raise and lower your legs. (Make sure to keep them together without bending your knees. You will feel the pull on your muscles.)
5. Only move your legs in a small radius. Do not extend too low or too high to
protect your stomach muscles.
Healthy Back
How to:
1. Lay down on your back, and bring your knees to your chest.
2. Place your arms underneath your knees.
3. Pull your knees to the chest.
4. Rock side to side three times.
Single-Leg Kick and Circles
How to:
1. Lie on one side, bend your elbow, and prop your head in your hand. Place the
opposite hand palm side down in front of your chest supporting you.
2. Kick the top leg up five times towards your head, keeping the leg straight.
3. Then, hold the top leg slightly above the bottom leg, and make five small circles.
4. Repeat on the other side.
Quad Toner
How to:
1. Sit up straight, and extend your legs out in front of you.
2. Lean back slightly, and spread rounded arms out wide with palms open to the
front.
3. Point your toes, lift one leg up, and hold for three seconds. Repeat with the
other leg.
4. Using the first leg, pulse up four times, and repeat on the other side.
Hamstring Opener
How to:
1. Sit up straight and bend your knees with your feet flat on the ground.
2. Take one foot in both hands, and extend and straighten the leg five times.
3. While holding one leg up, lower your head, and point and flex your foot three to five times.
4. Repeat with the other leg.
Mermaid Stretch
How to:
1. Sit upright with your left hip down and knees folded into your right hip. Place your
right hand on the bottom ankle for support.
2. Extend the left arm up and over the torso, creating an elongated side body
stretch.
3. Place the left hand on the ground, slightly extended away from the body, and stretch the right
arm up and over the body. Repeat three times.
4. Switch sides and repeat.
Happy Legs
How to:
1. Sit upright, extending your right leg. Bend your left leg to form a figure-4 shape on the
ground.
2. Bring the right arm behind your lower back and extend the left arm over the
right leg, folding over the leg. Hold for three seconds.
3. Switch sides and repeat.
4. Sit up tall, and extend both legs in front of you with pointed toes. Fold over your
legs.
Straddle
How to:
1. Sit up tall, and extend both legs out to the sides. Point your toes, twist your torso to
the left, and fold over your left leg. Repeat on the other side.
2. With legs still extended to both sides, fold down the center, alternating
between pointing and flexing the feet if desired.
Nonna Gleyzer is an L.A.-based celebrity wellness and pilates instructor who has worked with clients including Gisele Bündchen, Madonna, Jennifer Garner, and Kerry Washington. Before becoming a pilates instructor, Nonna trained with the Ukrainian Rhythmic Gymnastics Team.
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