I don’t want to remortgage my apartment to afford a full Pilates membership, so instead I do home Pilates workouts to top up my once-a-week studio sessions. I don’t want to compromise on quality, so finding an instructor (and class) I like is top priority every time I roll out my exercise mat.
Sifting through YouTube takes time, and I’m always surprised by how unregulated the platform is, with many “instructors” not actually qualified to teach Pilates. But with some patience and time, I have found classes I’ve fallen in love with. Jacinta Brown, better known as Posure Tonic, is one of those people.
Her classes are powerful and dynamic, building full-body strength, mobility and stability while strengthening your core muscles and improving posture. I’ve slotted this dumbbell Pilates routine into my week to sculpt my entire body, and here’s how you can do it, too. You just need a set of light dumbbells and a yoga mat.
Watch the Power Pilates with weights workout by Posture Tonic:
“Sculpt your entire body in this 37-min(ute) Power Pilates workout using light dumbbells,” says Brown. She recommends 1-2kg dumbbells, which is roughly equivalent to 2-4lbs. “This session blends strength and flow to tone your arms, core, glutes and legs.”
Brown brings in a mix of standing and mat exercises to help increase endurance, improve posture and leave you feeling strong and more centered. The combination of deep muscle engagement, light weights and dynamic movement should help you activate your upper body, challenge your core, and work your lower body using compound exercises, which essentially involve multi-muscle movements, such as rows.
“With a focus on functional strength and controlled motion, this workout is perfect for building lean muscle, enhancing posture and boosting overall endurance,” she says.
Is this Pilates workout for you?
Exercises like donkey kicks, side-kneeling oblique crunches and a weighted abdominal series will test every inch of your body, which is perfect if you want to focus on functional strength and a full-body sculpt. Brown also says you’ll enjoy the class if you love Pilates and a mix of standing strength work, mixed with mat-based core exercises.
“Those aiming to tone arms, glutes, and abs using light resistance” will also benefit, as well as “People looking to improve posture, balance, and total body control.”
My verdict
I’ve noticed a lot of YouTube “Pilates” classes masquerade as a Pilates class without really following the true principles or philosophy of Pilates. They’re usually strength-based workouts that are Pilates-inspired, taught by personal trainers and fitness instructors.
And there’s nothing wrong with the classes per se, but just remember that if you’re looking for a true Pilates class, you might need to do your due diligence before following a free workout online, so that you know what you’re really getting from it. Think slow, controlled motion built on the OG principles: breathing, concentration, centering, control, precision and flow.
Think slow, controlled motion built on the OG principles: breathing, concentration, centering, control, precision and flow."
If you love Pilates, you’ll love this class. Firstly, it’s taught by a Pilates teacher and focuses on light weights and volume. Pilates often layers intensity by building from one exercise to the next. For example, you might find glute bridges easy, but another exercise will then be added to the glute bridges, then another, maybe some pulses, until your entire body is on fire and your muscles are trembling — and you’re only holding 2kg dumbbells at your hips!
This is a personal preference, but I like that Brown cues during this power Pilates class; I learn by doing, but need clear and basic cues to help me along the way with alignment, so listening to an instructor works best for me. If you don’t feel the same, you can mute the video and follow along with the visuals.
Brown leaves no stone unturned, and you’ll leave your mat feeling worked from head to toe. I used slightly heavier weights for moves like squats with calf raises (calf raises are the one exercise I want everyone to do daily over 50), but otherwise, you don’t need much load at all — trust me.
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