If you’re looking for a great Pilates arms and abs workout that doesn’t take up a ton of time, this routine is one you’ll have to add to your mix. It takes just 20 minutes—and all you need is a mat to get it done.
In this installment of Sweat With SELF’s Beginner Mat Pilates series, arms and abs are on the schedule for the day. NASM-certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor Emilie Battle and Pilates instructor Zachary Bergfelt will take you through a routine that’s packed with traditional Pilates moves—and some fun new variations and modifications—to really work your core, as well as your shoulders and triceps.
Throughout the course of this bodyweight Pilates video, Battle and Bergfelt will lead a workout that starts with a warm-up to get your blood flowing and muscles warm before going into some challenging core and arms moves. You’ll begin with dynamic plank and bird-dog variations, which work the stabilizing muscles in your core as they fire to keep you steady. (Planks also challenge your shoulder muscles, especially in variations that include movement, like the plank walk-outs.) Arm work comes into play with the superhero with triceps kickback exercise, swimming pose, and kneeling shoulder raise. You’ll get a core-arms hit with combo moves like the modified push-up into mountain climber into kneeling walkout and the kneeling walkout into kneeling plank into Spiderman mountain climber.
The Pilates arms and abs workout finishes up with some dedicated core work—think criss-cross hold with leg extension, roll up, elbow plank reach, and kneeling side bend.
If that all sounds like a lot, don’t worry! Throughout the course of the video, Battle and Bergfelt give tips and modifications for moves to help make them more accessible and in line with your fitness experience.
Ready to get started? Turn your off 20 minutes, grab a mat, and hit play!
Related:
- Watch This Lower-Body Mat Pilates Workout That Will Set Your Glutes on Fire
- 13 Pilates Benefits That Will Make You Want to Switch Up Your Workouts
- Watch This Pilates Core Workout for Beginners So You Can Master Some Foundational Moves