Health

The 30-minute indoor Pilates workout

It’s easy to maintain a healthy body through winter with this Pilates based workout.

It’s easy to maintain a healthy body through winter with this Pilates based workout.

It’s easy to maintain a healthy body through winter with this Pilates based workout.

Designed by Pilates instructor Peta Serras, the sequence takes approximately 30 minutes to do and delivers maximum results.

Targeting every area of the body, this toning routine aims to strengthen your entire body, while at the same time, giving you the benefits of a Pilates class.

Peta says this workout is perfect to do when you can’t be bothered leaving the house on a cold winter’s day.

Aim to do this Pilates workout 3-4 times throughout your week for the best results!

 Always see a doctor or professional before starting anything new**

Bridging

Areas targeted: Bottom and backs of the legs Perform 8-10 times

Lay down on your mat with your legs bent and the feet hip distanced apart.

Inhale to prepare and as you exhale roll your hips towards you flattening your lower back into the mat and continue to peel through the spine until you are in a bridge position. You want to have a nice line from the knees to the shoulders.

Inhale at the top and as you exhale begin to roll down through the spine back to the start position. Make sure you have your tummy tight throughout the whole movement and you are squeezing your bottom for the best results!

Bridging with leg lower

Areas targeted: Bottom and backs of the legs

Perform 5-10 times each side

Come into a bridge position to begin this exercise.

Lift one leg to tabletop and then straighten it up to the ceiling. Ensure through the entirety of the movement that the hips stay level and you don’t drop them.

Exhale and flex the foot, lowering the leg so they thighs are in line. Inhale to point the foot, kicking the leg back up to the start position.

Bridging with leg pulse

Areas targeted: Bottom and backs of the legs

Perform 20-30 pulses each side

Come into a bridge position to begin this exercise.

As you inhale begin to lift one leg to tabletop and straighten it with the toe pointed towards the ceiling.

Inhale to lower the hips 4 inches and exhale to squeeze through the glutes and press the hips back to the start position. You will perform slow controlled pulses making sure you squeeze the bottom to lift the hips.

Chest Lift

Areas targeted: Abdominals

Perform 8-10 times

Interlace the fingers and place the hands behind the head. Feel the lower back gently press down in the mat when you activate your abdominals. Lift the legs to tabletop ensuring that the knees stay stacked directly above the hips with the shins parallel to the ceiling.

Inhale to prepare and as you exhale, begin to curl up with the head, neck and shoulders. Feel when you curl up that the waist cinches in further and avoid pushing the abdominals out.

Inhale at the top and breathe out to slowly relax the upper body down to the start position.

Assisted Rollup

Areas targeted: Abdominals and spine release

Perform: 8-10 times

Start lying on your back with your legs bent up in tabletop. Your hands will be holding the back of the legs.

Inhale to prepare and as you exhale begin to roll up to a seated position. You want this movement to be controlled with the belly muscles pulled to the spine.

Inhale as the feet touch the ground and sit up nice and tall.

Exhale to roll all the way down with control to the start position.

Double leg lowers

Areas targeted: Abdominals

Perform: 6-10 times

Start lying on your back with the arms reaching to the ceiling and the legs in tabletop with the inner thighs squeezing together.

Inhale to prepare and curl up with the head, neck and shoulders. Press the arms down so they are alongside the body. This is your start position.

As you exhale, move from the thighs as you tap the toes to the floor and reach the arms up to the ceiling and slightly behind you. Ensure the head, neck and shoulders stay lifted through this movement.

Inhale to return back to the start position keeping the head lifted.

Criss Cross

Areas targeted: Abdominals and obliques

Perform 8-10 times each side alternating

Interlace the fingers and place the hands behind the head. Imprint the lower back into the mat and lift the legs one at a time to tabletop.

Inhale to prepare and curl up into a chest lift position to begin the exercise.

Exhale to twist the upper body towards the left, taking the right elbow towards the left knee and allow the right leg to straighten.

Inhale to bring the legs back to tabletop and the body through centre. Breathe out to twist to the other side. Feel as you twist that you connect the opposite armpit to the opposite hipbone and avoid losing the height of your chest lift as you come through centre.

Clams

Areas targeted: Glutes and thighs

Perform: 15-20 times each side

Start by lying on your side. Your head can be relaxed down or propped up onto your hand if easier.

Have the legs bent with the feet in line with the back and lift the feet.

Focus on squeezing through the top glute as you lift the knee. Inhale to place the knee back down. The feet will stay lifted for the entirety of the movement.

One arm tricep push up

Areas targeted: The obliques and triceps

Perform: 8-12 times each side

Start on your side with the legs bent up and stacked. Both hands will be flat on the floor in front of you.

Take the hand that is furthest away from the legs and grab the top of the waist.

As you exhale, begin to side bend, taping the shoulder down towards the mat.

Inhale as you press through the arm to return to the start position. Keep the legs pressed together through the entirety of the movement.

Inner Thigh lift

Areas targeted: Inner thighs

Perform: 20-30 pulses each side

Start by lying on your side, propped up on your elbow. Your underneath leg will be straight and the top leg will be bent with the foot behind.

Flex the foot and keep the leg straight and strong. Begin by doing small and slow pulses of the leg, moving the leg up and down about 20cm.

You will breathe naturally through this movement and stay focussed on engaging the inner thigh.

Side Plank

Areas targeted: Shoulders, triceps, back and obliques

Perform: Hold for 20-30 seconds each side

Start in a straight line with the body. Your feet will be flexed, legs stacked and propped up onto your forearm. Ensure that the elbow is directly underneath the shoulder.

Exhale to press up into a side plank position creating a straight line from the crown of the head to the feet. Hold this position, breathing throughout ensuring that the hips stay lifted.

Dart

Areas targeted: Upper back and triceps

Perform: 8-10 times

Start lying on your belly with the legs straight and the arms alongside the body. Ensure the stomach muscles connected by feeling them lift off the floor and pull towards your spine.

Inhale to prepare and as you exhale lift the upper back into extension and float the arms up off the mat.

Inhale at the top and perform 5 slow arm pumps keeping the arms straight as possible.

Exhale to lower back down with control. Ensure that you have weight through the pubic bone for the entirety of the movement.

Straight leg pulses

Areas targeted: Back, shoulders, glutes and hamstrings

Perform: 20-30 slow controlled pulses each side

Start on the forearms with the hands clasped together. You should be on the knees with them hip distance apart. The elbows should be sitting directly underneath the shoulders.

Straighten one leg behind you, turning the leg out so the toes point out to the side of the body. Flex the foot and press through the heel to lengthen the leg.

Start by performing slow controlled pulses of the leg, lifting it about 20cm. Inhale to lift the leg and squeeze the butt, exhale to lower it.

Bent leg lifts

Areas targeted: Back, shoulders, glutes and hamstrings

Perform: 20-30 slow controlled pulses each side

Start on the forearms with the hands clasped together. You should be on the knees with them hip distanced apart. The elbows should be sitting directly underneath the shoulders.

Bend the leg and turn it out from the hip. You should have the ankle sitting behind the back of the leg and the knee turned out to the side of the body with the shin parallel to the floor.

Exhale to squeeze the glute and lift the leg up. Inhale to lower it back to the start position. Feel the movement come from the hip and avoid straightening through the knee.

Start by performing slow controlled pulses of the leg, moving it about 20cm. Inhale to lift the leg and squeeze the butt, exhale to lower it.

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