If you’re looking to strengthen and tone your body, there may be no better workout than Pilates. The practice utilizes small, simple movements that are challenging when done correctly and repeatedly. It’s a low impact workout that focuses on using bodyweight resistance, and has plenty of benefits for the mind and body. Pilates is an incredible whole body workout that will improve strength, flexibility, balance, and posture. Want to get into it? Here are 9 at-home full body Pilates workouts from beginner to advanced.
Pilates 101
Invented in the 1920s by Joseph Pilates, and one of the most popular workouts today, Pilates aims to build strength and flexibility through low impact movements. It focuses specifically on the spine and core muscles, although it’s an amazing full-body workout. Pilates works on strengthening small muscle groups and prioritizes alignment, posture, and breathing. It’s ideal if you’re looking to lengthen and tone your muscles without bulk, and can improve your everyday movement. It’s awesome for improving your fitness level, and is also great for injury recovery. When injury or pain impairs movement, Pilates offers a very restorative effect on lower back pain and poor posture. It can also help prevent future injuries from any other workouts you do.
What Is the Difference Between Pilates & Yoga?
Pilates and yoga are both low impact exercises that build strength, flexibility, and a connection to the body. They’re both known as excellent stress relievers, teaching breathing techniques that can help combat stress and anxiety. Both workouts have plenty of mental and physical health benefits and can increase your overall quality of life.
While there’s some crossover between them, yoga and Pilates are inherently quite different. The biggest difference is the emphasis on the spiritual side in yoga. Pilates is focused more on building core strength through a series of small-movement exercises, while yoga focuses on mindfulness, deep breathing, and flowing through postures and poses. Pilates typically features faster paced, controlled movements, while yoga is slower and incorporates meditation and spirituality. Yoga focuses more on flexibility and broad muscle groups, while Pilates focuses on muscle toning, body control, and core strength.
13 Benefits of Pilates Workouts
- Low impact
- Improved flexibility and mobility
- Increased muscle strength and tone
- Improved posture and alignment
- Helps reduce chronic pain, especially in the lower back
- Increased core strength
- Reduced stress and anxiety
- Weight loss and healthy weight management
- Increased lung capacity and circulation through deep breathing
- Improved sleep
- Helps prevent injuries and improves speed of recovery
- Reduced stress and enhanced wellbeing
- Improved everyday movement
3 Beginner At-Home Full Body Pilates Workouts
1. 30 Min Full Body Workout | At Home Beginner Pilates | Move with Nicole
This Pilates workout is perfect for beginners. It’s great whether you’re brand new to Pilates or if you’ve been practicing for a while but want to return to the basics. She brings you through a range of classic Pilates movements, and also guides you through the proper technique and breath work. It’s a calming video that will make you feel relaxed and strong when you’re finished.
2. 20 Min Full Body Pilates Workout for Beginners (Realistic At Home Pilates) | IsaWelly
This is an awesome, mood-boosting, strength building Pilates workout. It’s slow placed enough for a beginner to keep up, but challenging enough to feel the burn! She really focuses on building a healthy spine and body through this practice, as well as a super strong core.
3. 20 Min Hourglass Full Body Pilates | No Equipment + Beginner Friendly | Madeleine Abeid
This full body flow tones everything from your arms to legs, abs and glutes and is super beginner-friendly. She brings you through a variation of movements in a slow and controlled manner. It will help improve your overall form and posture and utilize your muscles in a unique way.
3 Intermediate At-Home Full Body Pilates Workouts
1. 25 Min Full Body Workout | At-Home Pilates (Intermediate) | Move with Nicole
If you’re looking for a quick full body workout, this at-home Pilates class is perfect if you’re short on time, leaving you feeling strong and energized. You’ll do exercises including roll-ups, scissors kicks, planks, and more to strengthen and tone your body. She walks you through the proper breath work as well so you can get the most out of the movements.
2. 20 Min Full Body Intermediate Pilates Workout | Tone & Lengthen At-Home Pilates | Lidia Mera
This intermediate Pilates session will make you feel extremely energized and peaceful by the end. It lengthens and tones your entire body, including stretching and strengthening exercises. Set to upbeat yet relaxing music, follow her movements for a feel-good challenge.
3. 20 Min Express Pilates Workout | Power Pilates for Energy (Moderate/Intermediate) | Move with Nicole
This express workout is faster paced and perfect if you’re short on time but still want to sweat it out. It will energize you and work your entire body with lengthening and toning exercises. She takes you through each move and counts down so you know exactly what’s coming.
3 Advanced At-Home Full Body Pilates Workouts
1. 30 Min Full Body Pilates Workout – Advanced Pilates Mat | Flow with Mira
This advanced Pilates workout will strengthen your entire body with movements that will have you feeling stronger and more energized. You’ll also be left with a healthy post-workout glow. With a series of core exercises, twists, planks, flexibility movements and more, you’ll get a well-rounded workout in just 30 minutes.
2. 36 Min Pilates Advanced Full Body Workout | Tone & Shape At Home | Lilly Sabri
This advanced Pilates workout is intense and will make you feel the burn in the best way. It will help you sculpt your body, reduce body fat, and energize yourself from the inside out. You’ll need equipment including a Pilates ball, resistance band, and sliders for this one!
3. 30 Min Full Body Pilates HIIT Workout | Burn 300 Calories | Feel Strong and Balanced | No Repeat | Eleni Fit
This fusion Pilates HIIT workout includes a ton of Pilates inspired exercises for a full body sweat. The goal is to increase flexibility and create long, lean muscles while burning lots of calories. The workout includes a warm up and cool down, as well as a series of strengthening exercises that will leave you feeling strong and balanced.
If you’re looking to add Pilates into your weekly workout schedule, try these workouts whether you’re beginner, intermediate, or advanced!
This post contains affiliate links.
Did you enjoy these at-home full body Pilates workouts? We’d love it if you shared this post on Pinterest!
Looking for more strength building workouts? Make sure to follow our Fitness Board on Pinterest!
