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Pilates Sample Exercises

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Pilates Sample Exercises

Pilates Sample Exercises

Pilates is a workout routine that is designed to stretch and expand your muscles helping to tone and strengthen your body.  There are many pilates sample exercises that can help you ease your body into the, sometimes intense, pilates regimens.  These simple exercises will help you learn to develop your core strength and develop a basis for flexibility and stability.  It is wise to master these easy and simple exercises before attempting actual pilates routines.  Additionally these exercises will help you work focus on your mind and body connection because of their simplicity.  These are great workouts to perform from home and they are even great to prep your muscles for a full pilates workout. 

1- CHEST LIFT- First lay flat on the ground with your stomach facing upwards.  Next bring your legs to an upright position with your feet touching the floor.  Place your arms behind your head and slowly lift your upper back off of the floor while keeping your buttocks and feet on the ground.  This is not intended to be a crunch it is suppose to be slow and controlled so your core muscles are stretched and relaxed throughout the process. 

2- THE HUNDRED- For this pilates sample exercise lay on your back on a smooth but padded surface. Lift your legs off of the ground as well as your shoulders and upper back.  Hold in this position as long as possible while moving your straightened arms up and down slowly.  For this exercise it is important to focus on breathing and keeping balance to strengthen the abdominal muscles.  Use your abs to hold yourself up for as long as possible.  Keeping your entire body flexed will also help you through the exercise.

3- The ROLL UP- One of the most popular pilates sample exercises is the roll up, however it is also the hardest.  For this exercise one should lay flat on the ground in a padded area.  Flex your feet so your toes point upwards and hold your arms strait out in front of you.  While holding these positions lift your upper body upright as close to the sitting position as possible.  Rather than holding your body in a sitting position release your upper body back down to the ground as slowly as possible and repeat.  This exercise is important in focusing on control.  Do not rely on momentum to get your body into the sitting position make sure you go slow and steady.

4- ONE LEG CIRCLE- For this exercise you once again need to lay flat on the ground in a padded area.  Keep your shoulders and buttocks on the ground at all times.  Slowly lift one leg into the air and keep the other flat on the ground.  With the leg extended into the air slowly begin to move it in circles; first clockwise then counter clockwise.  After performing numerous rotations of the extended leg switch legs extending the leg that was previously on the ground and then repeat the process.  This is one of the only pilates sample exercises that focuses on your thighs and hip muscles and joints. 

5- ROLLING LIKE A BALL- This is the only one of the sample pilates exercises that is unique to pilates.  Sit on the floor in the cross legged positions and then raise your knees to touch each other in front of your chest.  Wrap your arms around your closed legs and raise your feet off of the floor.  Slowly rock your body back and forth getting your back as close to the floor as possible without actually touching it.  You can even switch up the routine by rolling to your sides without touching the floor with anything other than your buttock.  Throughout this exercise your buttock is the only part of your body that should come into contact with the floor. 

6- OPEN LEG BALANCE: For this exercise like the previous exercise your buttock is the only part of your body that should come in contact with the floor.  First sit on the floor legs and arms extended.  Then lift your legs to meet your outstretch arms.  With your arms grab your ankles and balance for as long as possible in this position.  From the side your body should look much like an upside down capitol letter A. To add difficulty to this exercise stretch your legs farther apart from one another and bring them back close together while still holding on to them.  Throughout this exercise you should focus on breathing to help you hold the position longer.