5 Pilates Exercises Anyone Can Do to Strengthen Their Bodies

From cardio exercises to yoga, there are many forms of exercises you can do at home to burn calories, boost endorphins, and keep you healthy. But if you’re looking to try something new, how about doing Pilates exercises? Pilates is something that any age and body type can do regardless of fitness background. It’s beginner-friendly, plus you only need a mat and a routine to follow like the one below!

In the 1920s, physical trainer Joseph Pilates introduced Pilates to Americans to help injured athletes and dancers safely return to exercise and maintain their fitness. Since then, it became adapted to suit anyone and everyone—from beginner to advanced. Pilates exercises use controlled movements to improve your strength, flexibility, and posture. These movements mainly use your body weight and focus on your core to build stronger and more sculpted muscles without bulking up.

There are many health benefits of Pilates. Aside from improved flexibility and stronger muscles, it stabilizes your spine, prevents injury related to muscle imbalances, increases your lung capacity and circulation through deep breathing, and even helps manage stress.

If you’re ready to start your fitness journey with Pilates, below are beginner-friendly exercises that all ages and body types can follow.

Glute bridges are great for strengthening your core and shaping your butt. It helps decrease lower back pain as well. If you have knee problems, it can alleviate the pain, too. Athletes who do glute bridges can sprint faster and jump higher since it strengthens the hip and leg muscles.

Lying leg extensions work your core and help tone your leg muscles. It can be done on a bench or a mat, with or without resistance bands. If you’re a beginner, try doing the exercise without resistance bands first. But if you want the extra challenge, go ahead and do lying leg extensions with resistance!

8 out of 10 people in America experience lower back pain at least once in their lifetime, according to doctors at Cleveland Clinic. This makes strengthening the back and preventing pain a priority in health and fitness. Doing back extensions helps reduce the likelihood of lower back pain by targeting muscle groups in your lower back to improve mobility and core strength.

Side-lying leg lifts help give your hips better motion range, stabilize your body, and improve muscle endurance. Doing this exercise allows you to use muscles that aren’t usually active, especially when you sit for prolonged periods every day.

This exercise is designed to activate your core stabilizing muscles—particularly your obliques and abdominals. It engages your glutes as well, which helps stabilize your hips. This restores your normal range of motion and the motor control on your hip joints and muscles.

As with any exercise, be sure to stay sweat and odor-free by using a deodorant like Rexona Women Natural Brightening Fresh Rose Roll-on. Formulated with Motionsense Technology, it’s guaranteed to keep you fresh for up to 48 hours, so that you can move confidently. 

After doing your Pilates exercises, take a cold bath with Dove Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash to flush out lactic acid and help your muscles recover. Cleanse your scalp of sweat and oil with CLEAR Complete Soft Care Anti-Dandruff Shampoo, which uses amino acids to prevent and get rid of flakes! 

Make these Pilates exercises a regular ritual, and you’ll look and feel stronger and healthier.