I believe, even as a personal trainer and fitness editor, that your life shouldn't be spent in the gym (unless you want it to be). For that reason, routines that can be done at home or that are short but effective can help contribute toward your weekly exercise routine without taking away from other things you love doing.
Recently, I was chatting with Pilates instructor Bojana, who runs the Strong Pilates studio. She gave me a three-move Pilates routine you can do using the reformer or your mat if you don't have access to a studio or machine.
It's beginner-friendly and strengthens your entire body. In just three moves, I was shocked at just how effective and challenging this routine is. Here's how to access it for free.
As always, seek advice from a physical therapist, Pilates instructor, or relevant medical professional if you're unsure about an injury, health condition, or similar.
What is the 3-move Pilates routine?
This routine combines strength and mobility; using a reformer provides extra resistance, but there's no reason you can't use your mat or a smooth floor where you can slide a dish towel across it.
Work for 45 seconds, take 15 seconds to rest, then move to the next exercise. Aim for 5 rounds.
Plank hip dips
Hip dips use torso rotation to strengthen your obliques as you rest on your forearms and twist from side to side. You'll also feel this working your shoulders, glutes, hips and quads.
- Start in a forearm plank position with your shoulders over your elbows and hips aligned with your shoulders
- If using a reformer, attach springs and press the carriage away to create resistance as you hold the plank. Otherwise, perform on your mat
- Twist to the left and tap your outer left hip toward the mat or reformer
- Rotate back to center, then repeat on the right.
Sweepbacks
Sweepbacks extend the hip flexors and work the gluteus muscles as you extend your leg and kick behind you. Try to maintain a strong tabletop position and zip your belly in toward your spine, focusing on a smooth sweep of the leg.
For an advanced variation on the reformer, attach your springs and hook your working foot through your strap. You're going to position your body on the carriage, and as you sweep your leg back, the carriage will move. Your goal is to control the entire movement of the carriage back and forth as your leg moves.
- Start in a tabletop position with your shoulders over your wrists and hips over your knees
- On the reformer, place your right toes on the ground on your right side. If you're using a mat, extend your right leg behind you and tuck your toes. You won't get as much range of motion, but you can still perform the exercise
- Sweep the leg up and back behind you without arching your lower back. Pull your belly in and push out through your hands
- At the top, squeeze your glutes and core and point the toes down. Pause
- Slowly lower the leg, then switch sides.
Squat extensions
If you plan to use your reformer, stand on one leg on the platform for stability and place your other foot onto the carriage; your goal is to open and close the carriage with control. The more springs, the more resistance; the fewer springs, the less stability. Pick your poison.
If you're performing this exercise without a reformer, use a dishcloth or similar on a smooth floor; wood works well.
This exercise hits the outer glutes, core, and inner thighs hard, but overall, you're working your hips and lower body.
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Your back should be straight, chest proud, and hands clasped in front of you or resting on your hips
- Sit your hips back into a squat with your core engaged
- With control, place your weight into your left leg, then smoothly glide your right leg away from you, keeping your knees tracking with your toes
- Pause, then slowly draw your leg in again. Switch sides.
Here's what happened when I tried it
I'm a sucker for slower workouts that really test controlling your tension.
This workout targets your lower body and core primarily, but your upper body also supports stability. I love the focus on the glutes and hips, which are essential muscle groups for strength, stability, and healthy movement patterns.
Each exercise tests you to work one side of your body at a time, which I need because my left side is noticeably weaker than my right; something I've still not been able to iron out, despite years of training toward it.
Focus on keeping the movement smooth and controlled; the focus is on time spent working (45 seconds per move), rather than reps, so think about the quality of the ones you manage to do each round.
The idea of this short Pilates routine is to connect you with your core and build strength through your legs; it challenges stability and control and asks your body to control itself while moving through resistance, whether you use a reformer or not.
I'm not joking; I was shaking from head to toe after trying this. It blends strengthening with improving range of motion and forces you to focus on what your muscles are doing.
Here are three things it did for my body:
- 1. I felt more open in my body after: Sweepbacks help my hips open up, and I love the stretch down my inner thighs during the squats.
- 2. It gives me the good shakes: It doesn't matter whether you use the reformer or not, because either way, it will leave you shaking. That's down to the amount of control and slow tension you will create. There's no rushing here, just pure resistance.
- 3. My whole body felt worked: Although you're not specifically targeting your upper body, your entire body is working throughout, and I came away feeling like I'd managed a full-body workout in a short time.
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