Girlies who have been wanting to try Pilates but don’t know where to start, we gotchu. We tapped celebrity wellness and Pilates instructor Nonna Gleyzer for a breakdown of five Pilates moves for beginners—no fancy equipment necessary.
This type of workout is one of our favorites here at Poosh, as it’s low-impact, helps sculpt long and lean lines, and strengthens our smaller muscles to improve posture and balance.
Press play on the video, and follow along with the written instructions below. Happy Pilates-ing!
The Roll Up
How to:
- Lie flat on your back with arms extended back over your head, navel to spine, and back completely flat.
- Reach your arms up to the ceiling, and raise your head up between your arms. Pull your navel to your spine as you roll up and forward, rounding your back.
- To reverse, pull your navel into the lower back and roll down one vertebrae at a time using the powerhouse (the band of muscles running from the stomach around to the back).
- Keep your arms at shoulder height as you roll down, and then reach them toward the ceiling and back over your head.
Leg Circles
How to:
- Lie flat on your back with arms extended down by your sides, navel to spine, one leg pointing straight up toward the ceiling.
- With the raised leg, make a small circle by crossing over the body, keeping both hips anchored to the mat the entire time.
- After five circles in one direction, reverse, and repeat in the other direction.
- Then bend the leg in, and stretch it long onto the floor.
- Repeat with the other leg. The crossover in both directions is the most important part.
Rolling (Like a Ball)
How to:
- Sitting up, bend your knees and grab your ankles, bringing your heels in toward your bottom.
- Rest your head on your chest between your knees like a block of wood in a carpenter’s vice.
- Lift your feet slightly off the mat, toes pointed, while balancing on your bottom.
- Use your navel to start rolling back and then use the momentum to roll forward again while staying in the ball position.
Single-Leg Stretch
How to:
- Lie flat on your back with your right leg bent and pulled into the chest.
- Lift your chin onto your chest. Place your right hand on the right ankle and your left hand on your right knee. (This hand position is used to keep the ankle, knee, and hip locked in an aligned position.)
- Extend your left leg out at an angle, reaching as far to the floor as you can while still maintaining a flat back with your chin lifted onto the chest.
- Using your hands, pull the leg into the body two times, and immediately change legs in a scissor motion.
- When switching to the left leg, the left hand must be on the left ankle and the right hand on the left knee. This exercise is done 5 to 10 times, inhaling for one set and exhaling for the other set.
Spine Stretch Forward
How to:
- Sit up tall with your legs spread straight out on the floor, shoulder-width apart, stretching the arms straight out in front of you, level with your shoulders.
- Pull the navel into the spine, and roll down and forward, beginning with the top of your head.Exhale, and keep your back round, navel to spine, forming the letter C with your body.
- Roll back up, initiating from the navel.
- Repeat five times.
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