Like anything else, it can be intimidating to jump into a Pilates routine for the first time, what with all the props, machines, tools and techniques involved. It doesn’t have to be so complex, though. In fact, there are plenty of simple moves that require just using your own body that you can do to get started in a practice and on your way to a more grounded sense of self. But before you get on the mat (or carpet, or grass, or basically anywhere), Phelan advises us to remember it’s called a “practice” for a reason. “I always say learning Pilates is like learning an instrument, except the instrument is your body—it’s not something you master day 1, in fact, you don’t master it period!” she tells Parade. “It can feel really overwhelming in the beginning to learn terminology like the neutral spine and learn 3D breathing. Though Pilates tends to attract a perfectionist type of personality, know that it’s not meant to be done perfectly, and that your movement practice doesn’t need to be any sort of performance—it just has to make you feel better at the end of it!” If you want to get started on a Pilates routine, here are three moves Phelan says are a great entryway, plus video examples to help visualize how to do it yourself. Best of all, they can all be done right at home.
Pilates for Beginners
1. 3D breathing
“Breath is a foundational concept in Pilates and the main reason why it is so effective at strengthening the core and calming the nervous system (when done correctly),” Phelan says. “Imagine breathing equally into the low belly, sides of the ribs, and crucially, the backs of the ribs so that your diaphragm is able to expand in all directions which relieves tension in the back and promotes core and pelvic floor integration.”
2. Pelvic curls and articulated bridge
“Learning the difference between neutral pelvic and tucked pelvis is an important part of the pilates vocabulary and bridges are not only wonderful at building core and lower body strength, but they help develop that skill,” Phelan says. “Laying down on your back, with your knees bent and feet planted on the floor, exhale and curl the tailbone under, engage the glutes and roll your spine up to a shoulder bridge. Inhale to pause and imagine pulling your pelvis away from your ribs to decompress the low back, and exhale to lower bone by bone (trying not to skip the low back) before returning to the floor. The curled under position is ‘imprint’ or ’tuck’ and the starting position, where your pubic bone is level with your hip bones, is neutral.”
3. Toe taps
“Once you’ve figured out neutral pelvis, adding tension through movement like toe taps helps cultivate spinal stability and deep core strength,” Phelan says. It’s one of the first ’exercises’ I teach beginners once we’ve learned to breathe correctly and how to set up alignment." Most important of all to remember is that Pilates is a great workout for everyone—not just a select group of people. Just be sure to go in knowing what you’re looking for. “When looking for a Pilates class, keep in mind your goals, injuries, and life stage,” Phelan says. “For instance, prenatal and postpartum Pilates are incredible to make labor more manageable and ease the recovery process, but a lot of the movements in a typical class (that isn’t designed specifically for that population) are contraindicated and can make things like diastasis worse. That said, wellness, and Pilates in general has a bad rep of being just for thin, rich, white ladies because of how expensive it can be to access and how alienating the marketing can feel. But absolutely everyone deserves to experience how much body awareness and core connection can enrich your life, and I hope that that reputation is changing.” Up next, Simple at-Home Butt Workouts That Will Give You the Strong, Toned Backside You’ve Always Wanted
Sources
Helen Phelan, mindful eating coach and Pilates instructor
