Pilates Moves for Weight Loss: A Comprehensive Guide

Weight loss is a common goal, with many seeking effective and sustainable methods to achieve it. Pilates, a strength training exercise developed by Joseph Pilates in the early 20th century, has emerged as a popular and effective solution to support weight loss goals. Beyond just weight loss, Pilates offers numerous potential health benefits, including increased muscle tone, strengthened psoas muscles, and powerful core muscles. This article explores the best Pilates moves for weight loss, how to perform them, and how to incorporate them into your fitness routine.

Why Pilates for Weight Loss?

A 2021 study revealed Pilates dramatically reduced body weight, BMI, and body fat percentage in overweight adults. Pilates provides cardio benefits while expanding mobility and strengthening the core. Its low-impact nature makes it relatively injury-preventative, allowing for consistent physical activity.

Benefits of Pilates

Pilates is a full-body workout that targets all muscle groups with slow, controlled movements. It builds strength by incorporating bodyweight resistance training and promoting proper alignment, which helps prevent injury. Pilates is considered a low-impact workout, which means these exercises increase your heart rate more slowly than a higher-intensity workout and put less pressure on your joints.

Pilates vs. Yoga

There are different types of yoga and Pilates, and exercises may overlap between the two forms of movement. Almost every Pilates practice features elements that help weight loss, whereas not all yoga classes will. Yoga practices like restorative or Yin won’t be appropriate for weight loss, but heated vinyasa classes and Hatha practices can be very beneficial if losing weight is your goal.

Types of Pilates

There are two main types of Pilates: mat Pilates and Reformer Pilates.

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Mat Pilates

Mat Pilates involves bodyweight exercises performed on a mat. This style focuses on core strength, flexibility, and control, making it a great low-impact workout.

Reformer Pilates

Reformer Pilates incorporates a special machine with springs, pulleys, and a sliding carriage to add resistance to exercises. The added resistance increases calorie burn and promotes muscle building, making it an effective option for those keen on shedding weight. The Pilates Reformer offers a dynamic platform for weight loss, combining the benefits of resistance training and full-body workouts.

Pilates Moves for Weight Loss

Here are some of the top Pilates moves for weight loss:

1. The Hundred

The Hundred is a classic Pilates move that engages your core and increases your heart rate, making it an excellent exercise for weight loss.

How to do The Hundred:

1. Lie on your back with your legs in a tabletop position and arms by your sides.
2. Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat, extend your legs, and start pumping your arms up and down.
3. Inhale for 5 pumps and exhale for 5 pumps, repeating this cycle 10 times.

This exercise warms up the body, boosts circulation, and engages the core.

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2. Plank

The Pilates plank position is the best move for toning your abdominals, while also using practically every muscle in your body. It’s like a full-body workout in one exercise.

How to do a Plank:

1. Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position.
2. Shift your weight forward over your wrists and press through your fingers to protect your hands.
3. For a supported plank, keep your knees grounded. Align your knees, hips, and shoulders in one straight line. To do this you’ll have to hold your core in strong and activate your gluteal muscles.
4. If you want to progress to a full plank, tuck your toes and straighten out your legs. Make sure your ankles are now in alignment with your knees, hips, and shoulders too.
5. Hold it here and breathe deeply.

Variations:

Once you’ve mastered the full body plank, try some of the fun variations that target other muscles. The one-arm side plank will work your obliques. While holding the side plank, you can try the one-legged plank to tone your lower abdominals. If you think they are all easy, add a Pilates pushup to your plank and that will get your arms working too.

3. Roll-Up

The Roll-Up is a great move for strengthening your core and improving flexibility. It’s effective for burning calories and toning your abdominal muscles.

How to do a Roll-Up:

1. Lie on your back with your arms extended overhead and legs straight.
2. Slowly roll up to a sitting position, reaching for your toes, and then roll back down.

This move strengthens your core and increases flexibility.

4. Crisscross

The Crisscross targets your obliques and helps in toning your waistline. It’s an excellent move for enhancing core strength and burning calories.

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How to do a Crisscross:

1. Lie on your back with your hands behind your head and legs in a tabletop position.
2. Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat and extend one leg while twisting your torso to bring the opposite elbow towards the bent knee.
3. Switch sides and continue alternating for a set number of repetitions.

5. Single Leg Stretch

The Single Leg Stretch is effective for working your core, improving flexibility, and burning calories. It’s a great addition to any Pilates routine aimed at weight loss.

How to do a Single Leg Stretch:

1. Lie on your back with your legs in a tabletop position.
2. Lift your head, neck, and shoulders off the mat and extend one leg out while bringing the other knee towards your chest.
3. Switch legs and continue alternating for a set number of repetitions.

6. Swimming

This move will tone your gluteal muscles, while also giving your arms, legs, and core the workout they deserve.

How to do Swimming:

1. Lay on your stomach with your forehead down, arms stretched forward, and legs stretched long.
2. Lift your chest, head, arms, and legs in one go and start to pulse the arms and legs up and down.
3. While pulsing, make sure you are alternating the right and left arms and legs without touching your hands or feet to the mat.
4. Keep swimming as you count down from 10 to 1. Try to swim a little longer each time you practice this move.

Variations:

Once you know how to swim forward by pumping the arms up and down, try a sideways swim with a criss-cross move for the arms and legs. Criss-cross the arms over one another and criss-cross the legs at the same time.

7. Leg Pull Up

This one is positioned as a reverse plank. A super move for your arms, core, gluteal muscles, legs, and all! Challenge yourself to a few rounds of these pull-ups.

How to do Leg Pull Ups:

1. Sit on the floor and place your hands behind you, fingers facing toward your body and legs extended long.
2. Press into your heels and lift your hips off the floor. This will open the front side of your body.
3. Hold it here and breathe deeply, embracing your reverse plank and feeling your active muscles.
4. To add on the leg pull-ups, practice lifting one leg up toward the sky, then set it back down. Swap sides. Repeat this movement, alternating the legs each time to find the ultimate tummy toning and glute loving move.

8. Glute Bridge

The glute bridge is an excellent exercise for strengthening the glutes, core, and hamstrings. By activating these large muscle groups, the glute bridge helps burn more calories, making it an effective exercise for weight loss.

To perform the glute bridge:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Engage your core and press your hips upward, lifting your pelvis toward the ceiling.
3. Squeeze your glutes and hold for a few seconds before lowering back down.
4. Repeat for 10-15 reps, focusing on using your glutes and abs to lift.

9. Spine Twist

It is a great Pilates exercise that works the obliques, shoulders, and spine. This exercise helps to improve posture while toning the waist and abdomen.

To perform the spine twist:

1. Sit tall with your legs extended straight in front of you.
2. Stretch your arms out to the sides and keep your shoulders relaxed.
3. Rotate your torso to one side, keeping your hips stable and your core engaged.
4. Return to the center and twist to the other side.
5. Perform 10 twists on each side, engaging your core throughout.

10. One-Leg Circle

The one-leg circle is a great exercise for improving core stability and strengthening the legs, particularly the hip flexors. It also helps in burning calories.

To perform one leg circle:

1. Lie on your back with one leg extended toward the ceiling and the other leg flat on the floor.
2. Keep your arms by your sides for stability.
3. Make small circles with the raised leg, moving from your hip joint.
4. Gradually increase the size of the circles and then reverse the direction.
5. Perform 10 circles in each direction for each leg.

11. Side Plank

The side plank is a variation of the plank that targets the obliques, shoulders, and glutes. This exercise strengthens the side body, improves core stability, and helps burn fat around the waist.

To perform a side plank:

1. Lie on your side with your legs extended and your feet stacked.
2. Place your elbow directly under your shoulder, and lift your hips off the floor, forming a straight line from head to heels.
3. Hold the position for 30 seconds to 1 minute, and then switch sides.

12. All Four

The all-four position, also known as the quadruped position, helps improve core strength, stability, and balance. It works the abdominal muscles, shoulders, and glutes.

To perform all four:

1. Start on all fours with your wrists directly under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.
2. Engage your core and lift your right arm and left leg off the floor, extending them straight.
3. Hold the position briefly, then lower your arm and leg back down.
4. Switch sides and repeat, aiming for 10-12 reps per side.

13. Scissors Kick

The scissors kick targets the lower abdominals and hip flexors while working on leg strength and control. It also promotes flexibility in the hamstrings and hips.

To perform the scissors kick:

1. Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
2. Lift your legs toward the ceiling, keeping them straight.
3. Lower one leg toward the floor while keeping the other leg up.
4. Alternate legs in a controlled manner, scissoring your legs.
5. Perform for 20-30 seconds, aiming for fluid, controlled motion.

14. Side Kicks

Side kicks are excellent for toning the hips, thighs, and core while improving balance and coordination. This exercise strengthens the entire side body and helps engage the glutes and legs.

To perform side kicks:

1. Lie on your side with your head resting on your arm and your legs extended.
2. Lift your top leg to hip height and make small forward and backward kicks, keeping your core engaged.
3. Perform 15-20 kicks in each direction before switching sides.

15. Mountain Climber

Mountain climbers are a high-intensity exercise that engages the entire body, boosting heart rate and promoting fat loss. This exercise improves cardiovascular endurance, core strength, and coordination.

To perform mountain climbers:

1. Start in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders.
2. Quickly alternate, bringing one knee toward your chest, then extending the leg back while bringing the other knee in.
3. Continue alternating legs rapidly for 30-60 seconds.

Incorporating Pilates into Your Routine

For the best weight loss results, you’ll need to rely on consistency. Practicing a few moves every day is the best way to shape up your body. To burn some fat and lose weight, try these moves daily, ideally repeating each move three times, for a total of one minute each repetition.

How Often Should You Do Pilates?

To see noticeable results:

• Beginners: start with 2-3 sessions per week to build a fitness foundation, increase your confidence, and level up your stamina.
• Intermediate to advanced: then gradually increase your sessions to 4-6 sessions per week, alternating between different types of Pilates.
• Complementary workouts: to increase your results you can add 2-3 days of cardio or strength training for a well-rounded routine.

The standard recommendation for losing weight is performing about 150 minutes of moderate exercise on a weekly basis. This translates to about five 30-minute sessions per week.

Combining Pilates with Other Exercises

Pilates is an excellent strength-building and toning exercise, but pairing it with cardiovascular workouts like walking, cycling, swimming, rowing, or the elliptical will increase your calorie burn.

Additional Tips for Weight Loss with Pilates

1. Combine Pilates with cardio: Pair Pilates sessions with cardiovascular workouts to increase calorie burn.
2. Focus on consistency: Aim for 3-4 sessions per week, increasing to 5-6 for quicker weight loss.
3. Eat a balanced diet: Pair your Pilates sessions with a nutritious, calorie-conscious meal plan to see better results.
4. Track your progress: Set measurable goals and regularly evaluate your progress to stay motivated.

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