Bodyweight exercises are a great way to build strength, particularly if you’re new to resistance training and don’t know where to start.
Personal trainer and Pilates instructor Katy Bath recently shared a beginner-friendly bodyweight routine that strengthens muscles across the body. It’s a Pilates-style workout, featuring seven slow, controlled movements designed to build strength and improve posture and coordination.
You don’t need any equipment for this workout except for a yoga mat, so it’s a great one to do from home or a quiet corner of the gym.
How to do Katy Bath’s workout
Complete 10 repetitions (reps) of each exercise, completing the reps on both sides of the body if it’s a unilateral exercise. Repeat this a few times to challenge yourself and maximize the strengthening benefits of this routine.
Benefits of this workout
Pilates is a brilliant, low-impact way to build strength without putting pressure on joints like the hips and the knees, as other weight-bearing exercises might do.
The practice puts a particular emphasis on strengthening your core muscles, which are your mid-body muscles located in your trunk and hips. Building these muscles can improve your posture and support your lower back. This is particularly important if you spend a lot of time sitting, which can weaken your core muscles.
Some of the moves in this routine, such as the opposite reach and waist lift, require you to move different body parts simultaneously while keeping a balanced core. Exercises like this can boost your coordination and help you develop your mind-muscle connection.
Practicing this workout once or twice a week will help you gradually build strength and eventually move on to more challenging Pilates routines, such as this power Pilates workout for core strength.
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