5 Pilates Exercises You Can Do Every Day

These exercises are a great way 

to improve muscle tone and maintain mobility.

Pelvic Curl:

Lie on your mat with your knees bent

feet flat on the floor. 

Make sure your feet are hip distance apart. 

Now inhale and exhale; while you are exhaling 

articulate your spine up into a bridge position 

one vertebra at a time. 

Inhale again and pause at the top and reach your knees 

over your toes to open up your hip flexors. 

Exhale again and soften your chest and articulate 

your spine back down to the ground one vertebra at a time.

Repeat 8-10x

The Hundred:

Lie on your mat with your knees in tabletop position. 

Gently hold behind your thighs, nod your chin to your chest 

and lift your head, neck and chest up off the mat 

using your abs. Flatten your back into the mat, 

reach your arms forward and extend your 

legs on a 45 degree angle.

Inhale for the count of 5 pumping your arms as you go, 

exhale for the count of 5 still pumping your arms.

Repeat the breath cycle 10x

Single Leg Stretch:

Lie on your mat with your knees in tabletop position. 

Gently hold behind your thighs, nod your chin to your chest 

and lift your head, neck and chest up off the mat using your abs. 

Place both hands on your right knee as you extend 

your left leg out on a 45 degree angle.

Inhale; switch legs, drawing your bent knee 

in toward you and flexing at the hip crease. 

Exhale; switch legs.

Repeat 8-10x on each side

Teaser:

Lie on your back with your legs long and your arms 

down by your side.

Inhale; raise your arms up by your ears, 

exhale; drop your shoulder blades down onto the back. 

Inhale; raise your straight legs up off the mat 

and reach your arms toward your toes, beaming your chest to the sky. Exhale; lower your body with control and 

return to the starting position.

Repeat 8-10x

Swimming:

Lie on your stomach with your arms stretched out in front of you. Lengthen your lower back and pull your belly button off of the mat.

Float your arms, legs and head off of the floor 

keeping your gaze down toward the mat.

Perform a swimming motion by raising your right arm 

and left leg, then switch to the other side. 

Keep your trunk stable the entire time. 

As you move your arms and legs quickly 

the breath pattern in one inhale 

per two swims and one exhale per two swimming motions.

Repeat 8-10 breaths