A Core and Legs Pilates Workout You Can Do Right in Your Living Room

Pilates isn’t only about your core, but it does hit that important area hard. And this core and legs Pilates workout is a perfect example of a routine that challenges your abs while recruiting a whole host of other muscles too.

In this Pilates video, which is the fourth installment of Sweat With SELF’s new Beginner Mat Pilates series, you’ll focus on the muscles that make up your entire core, as well as lower-body muscles like your glutes, quads, and hamstrings. NASM-certified personal trainer and Pilates instructor Emilie Battle and Pilates instructor Zachary Bergfelt will take you through a quick routine that will challenge your muscles—while still being super accessible thanks to the many modifications offered throughout.

And it doesn’t take tons of time, either: You’ll be done—warm-up and cooldown included—in 20 minutes!

In the core and legs Pilates workout, you’ll begin with a substantial warm-up that will get your muscles moving and your heart rate rising. These include moves like the shoulder bridge, single-leg shoulder bridge, bent-knee roll-up, single-leg stretch, and roll-up.

Then you’ll get into the actual workout. You’ll move through multiple rounds of moves that work your core and your legs at the same time, such as the lateral lunge with twist, glute bridge into double-leg stretch, and bent-knee walkout into push-up into plank-up. Spoiler: For that last one, you’ll be building on the push-ups each time, challenging yourself to crank out one more during each round.

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While some of these moves can be challenging, there are always modifications available  for you—and as always, be sure to go at your own pace to maintain proper form. If you feel another muscle taking over during a certain move that really shouldn’t be (say, your lower back), take a short rest or modify the move with an easier version until you feel the right muscles firing!

Ready to get started? Set aside 20 minutes, grab a mat, and get ready to smoke your abs, obliques, glutes, and legs!

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Source: SELF