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10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

Combine it as a sequence, or pick and choose your faves, either way this gentle workout will build strength and instantly soothe you.
10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

At home Pilates moves

Get back to your centre

Stressed out? Don’t be! Mind-body exercise is perfect for drowning out stress. Swap headaches for serotonin with these 10 at-home moves from Stott Pilates.

Equipment needed:Pilates mat12” mini stability ball

woman doing child's pose on a yoga mat(Photo by Masterfile)

1. Bridge

1. Lay on your back, with a neutral spine and pelvis, with knees bent, feet on the floor, holding the Mini-Stability Ball overhead

2. Inhale to prepare

3. Exhale and extend hips, lifting the pelvis off the floor, reaching the ball over the knees

4.  Inhale and return to the starting position

5. Repeat four times, slowly

10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

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2. Imprint and release

1. Sit on an incline with the Mini Stability Ball under the middle back, and arms reaching forward, inhale to prepare

2. On an exhale, flex the spine forward and into the ball

3. Inhale to pull the elbows back and release into a small spinal extension over the ball

4. Exhale to flex forward, repeat four times

10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

3. Shell stretch

1. Inhale, sitting back on the heels, with the spine rounded and hands on ball

2. Exhale to release, lengthening the spine

10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

4. Hip release

1. Sit on an incline with the ball under the middle back, knees bent and feet on the floor, inhale and prepare

2. On the exhale, let one knee drop out to the side then slide foot along floor

3. Inhale and return the leg then repeat in the reverse direction

4. Repeat on the other leg, completing four reps on each leg

10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

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5. Mini pushups

1. Lay in a prone position (on your front) with the pelvis on the ball, legs shoulder-distance apart, toes tucked under. Hands and elbows on floor with elbows angled back, one long line from feet to head

2. Inhale and extend the elbows a little, lifting the torso slightly

3. Exhale, and return to the starting position

4. Repeat eight times each with elbows at 45 degrees, and then arms reaching forward

10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

6. Ab preps

1. Sit with the ball behind the middle back, knees bent, feet on the floor and hands behind the head.

2. Inhale to release back over the ball, extending the upper spine

3. Exhale to flex the spine forward

4. Repeat slowly four times

5. On the final flexion, stay flexed, holding for eight breaths

6. Repeat the moves quickly, releasing slightly and pulsing for eight breaths

7. Inhale to release, exhale to flex

10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

7. Mermaid stretch

1. Sit with legs crossed, one hand resting on ball by side, other arm reaching out to side

2. Inhale to reach free arm overhead

3. Exhale and flex sideways rolling the ball away

4. Inhale and return to vertical with arm overhead

5. Exhale returning to the starting position, repeat four times on each side

10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

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8. Rotation

1. Sit with the ball behind the upper back, knees bent, feet on the floor and hands behind the head

2. Inhale and rotate the upper body to one side3. Exhale returning to centre4. Repeat slowly eight times5. On the last one, stay rotated, release back slightly over the ball, curve forward for eight pulses 6. Inhale, and release slightly back over ball7. Exhale and pulse forward for eight reps8. Inhale and return to centre, releasing slightly back over ball9. Exhale, and pulsing forward for eight reps 10. Repeat the set, rotating to the opposite side

10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

9. Single leg lifts

1. Lay with the ball behind the upper back, knees bent, feet on floor, exhale, slide one leg out along floor then lift the leg.

2. Inhale to lower the leg and slide the foot in.

3. Repeat on the other leg, alternating to complete eight reps on each leg

10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

10. Up, up, down, down

1. Lay with the ball behind the upper back, knees bent, feet on the floor, inhale and lift one leg, keeping the knee bent.2. Exhale and lift the other leg to meet the first.3. Inhale and lower one leg4. Exhale and lower the other5. Repeat slowly four times, and hold both legs up on the last rep for four breaths

Click here for an at-home yoga routine to improve digestion. Learn more at merrithew.com.

10 stress-busting Pilates exercises you can do at home

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