Here’s what you need to know about Pilates exercises

Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, Pilates exercises are useful for you. You just need to learn the moves and use your body weight.

Pilates exercises are about 500 moves inspired by gymnastics, yoga, and ballet. They stretch all main muscles in a balanced way, improving flexibility, strength, balance, and body awareness.

Pilates targets muscles in the core, back, stomach, and thighs.

You only need your body weight for these exercises. They help ease lower back pain, reduce body fat, and improve physical and mental health.

• Benefits of Pilates exercises:

1. They train your body as a whole, focusing on core strength and both lower and upper body parts.

2. They help build strength and muscles, leading to more flexibility and better joint movement.

3. It helps build muscles that work smoothly with your whole body and your functional fitness as you go about life.

4. It's found that Pilates exercises effectively strengthen the upper and lower body.

5. Doing Pilates exercises weekly for 3 months shows improvement in strength in the lower body.

6. Pilates includes a range of core exercises that not only improve core muscle strength but also their endurance.

7. Exercising generally boosts your energy and makes you more active.

8. Pilates helps burn calories, which supports weight loss.

• Types of Pilates exercises:

• There are two basic forms of Pilates exercises:

1. Pilates exercises you can do on a workout mat, done on the floor, mainly aimed at conditioning your muscles for balance and coordination.

2. Standing Pilates exercises done using machines, involving specific equipment.

• Here are the top Pilates exercises for the body:

1. Swan Prep exercise:

• How to do the exercise:

1. Lie on your stomach with your hands flat by your sides, then bend your elbows so they’re right under your shoulders.
2. Keep your feet stretched straight back, and lift your upper body using your hands so you feel a stretch in your spine and tension in your forearm muscles.

3. Repeat the exercise 5 times for 3 sets.

2. Child's Pose exercise:

• How to do the exercise:

1. Start on your heels, with the soles of your feet up, keeping your feet together.
2. Open your knees at least hip-width apart, then lean forward and bend your body over your thighs so your forehead touches the ground.
3. Stretch your arms forward so you feel your spine lengthen, without straining your neck, lower back, or hips.
4. Hold for a few minutes until you feel fully relaxed.
5. Repeat the exercise 5 times in 3 sets.

3.Bird dog exercise:

• How to do the exercise :-

1. Start in a table pose, rest on your wrists under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Your back should be straight and your neck neutral.
2. Pull your shoulder down your back toward your hips.
3. To start, lift your left leg and right arm at the same time, keeping your hips and shoulders stable.
4. Don't lift or lower your head, hold for two seconds.
5. Bend and lower your leg and arm back down to the starting position, keeping steady.
6. Then switch and lift your right leg and left arm.
7. Do three sets, each set 10 times.

4. Kegel Exercise :

• How to do the exercise:-

1. Lie on your back, knees bent so they’re almost flat on the ground.
2. Stretch your arms straight down by your sides, press your hands on the floor, and lift the upper part of your body up.
3. Make sure to keep your feet steady.
4. Keep your back tight and your head on the floor.
5. Repeat the exercise 3 to 5 times.

5. Standing Roll-Down Exercise:

• How to do the exercise :-

1. Stand straight and tight with feet hip-width apart, take a breath while raising both hands up behind your head.
2. Lower your back as you exhale and touch your toes with your hands, without bending your knees, then rise back up to the sitting-on-a-chair position.
3. Return to the starting position.
4. Repeat the exercise 5 times.

6. Dynamic Core Plank Series Exercise:

• How to do the exercise :-

1. Get into a plank position, face down supported on your hands, then lift your right foot up toward the ceiling.
2. Pull it toward the belly five times, then pull it toward the left shoulder five times.
3. Then toward the right shoulder five times.
4. Repeat the same steps for the other foot.
5. Repeat the exercise 15 times in 3 sets for each foot.

7. Thigh Stretch Exercise:

• How to do the exercise :-

1. Kneel on the ground with knees right under the hips, feet touching each other.
2. Move the upper body back at a 45 degree angle, making sure the whole upper part stays tight and straight.
3. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

8. Kneeling Side Kick exercise:

• How to do the exercise:-

1. Lean on your left hand, with your left knee on the ground, and place your right hand behind your head.
2. Lift your right foot to hip level and lower it 10 times, then hold your right foot at hip level and make a small circle with it while keeping it tight, do this ten times.
3. Repeat the steps with your left foot.
4. Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times, in 3 sets for each side.

9. Double-Leg Stretch exercise:

• How to do the exercise :-

1. Lie on your back and stretch your legs, lift your shoulders slightly off the ground.
2. Tighten your stomach muscles to reduce pressure on your lower back, then lift your hands up together and behind your head.
3. In one move, pull both feet towards your chest and move your hands towards them, then return to the starting position.
4. Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times in 3 sets.

10. Scissors Exercise:

• How to do the exercise :-

1. Lie on your back and lift your neck and shoulders slightly off the ground, also lift your left foot slightly off the ground.
2. Raise your right foot toward the ceiling, then move your hands toward your ankles.
3. Repeat the steps with the other foot.
4. Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times, in 3 sets for each side.

11. Hundred exercise:

How to do the exercise:

1. Lie on your back and stretch your hands beside you, with your neck, head, and shoulders slightly lifted off the ground.
2. Lift your feet so your thighs form a right angle with the floor, keeping your abs tight and your lower back on the floor.
3. Stretch your hands forward and lift them straight toward your knees.
4. Repeat the exercise 100 times.

12. Side Teaser exercise:

• How to do the exercise:

1. Lie on your right side on your elbow, twist your hip to the left while lifting your left hand and feet in one motion.
2. Keep your feet fully stretched when lifting them together.
3. Repeat the steps on the left side.
4. Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times, 3 sets on each side.

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13. Swan exercise:

• How to do the exercise :-

1. Lie on your stomach and lift your feet slightly off the ground so there is no pressure on the lower back, while raising your head and chest slightly higher than your feet.
2. Then start moving your hands forward without bending the elbows, then bring them back forming a W shape.
3. Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times, in 3 sets.

14. Roll-Up Exercise:

• How to do the exercise :-

1. Lie on your back and raise your hands up, lifting the upper part of your body slightly, keeping your back and stomach muscles tight.
2. Then complete the lift by extending your hands forward toward your toes.
3. Return to the starting position.
4. Repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times, in 3 sets.

You should do Pilates exercises at least two or three times a week. You'll notice improvement after 10 to 20 sessions to get the most benefit.

• Although Pilates is a low-impact exercise, you should check with your doctor in these cases, including:

• People who recently had surgery
• Pregnant women.
• People aged 40 or older.
• People with existing medical conditions like heart disease.
• People who have existing muscle or bone injuries or disorders.
• Anyone who hasn't done sports for a long time.
• People who are overweight or extremely obese.