Goodbye weights! This no-equipment Pilates calisthenics workout will tone your whole body

Tom's Guide

2 days ago

Pilates is an excellent way to not only strengthen and tone your entire body but also improve your mobility, reduce pain, and enhance your coordination.
Fitness trainer fitness_kaykay combines Pilates, bodyweight strength moves, and calisthenics in her recent 40-minute workout. There are no repeats, no jumping, and no equipment besides a yoga mat, but you'll target all the major muscles in your upper body, lower body, and core.
I've been itching to get back to exercise after the birth of my son, but carving out the time to work out has been difficult. Instead of trying to rush through a gym visit, I decided to stay home and try fitness_kaykay's program instead.
In addition to a yoga mat, you may want a rolled-up towel or pillow nearby to further cushion sensitive joints.
You'll start with a brief warmup of eight exercises done for 30 seconds each. Then, you'll move through 47 different moves done for 40 seconds each with 10 seconds of rest in between. The workout ends with a three-minute cool-down and stretch.
Since I've been away from the gym for a while, I figured a bodyweight workout with a Pilates focus would be an easy way to reintroduce my body to exercise. However, this Pilates-strength-cardio workout is anything but easy. Here are my observations.
I've learned YouTube workouts are usually longer than advertised. There's a good reason for that, though, as many include both warm-ups and cool downs. That always adds a few extra (worthwhile) minutes.
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Fitness_kaykay's 40-minute program is closer to 48 minutes total if you skip past her brief intro and get right to work. You always have the option to bypass the warm-up and cool down, although I wouldn't recommend it. Still, keep those 8 extra minutes in mind — especially if you're on a tight schedule.
Even though the workout is almost an hour, it flew by. There are no repeated exercises, so that helps, plus the movements are unique and fun to do.
I don't love a lot of instructor banter, but I also recognize how beneficial verbal cues are for beginners. While fitness_kaykay stays quiet and lets some high-energy music do the motivating, she does offer a few written form tips before some of the more challenging movements.
The written reminders were helpful to me, especially since I hadn't worked out in a while. They probably wouldn't be thorough enough for a total beginner, but they're more than most fitness influencers offer.
Along with the form tips, fitness_kaykay gives some minor modification options as well. I ended up having to go that route a few times and modify even further on several exercises.
Even with the modifications, this workout was no joke. There were moments I had to pause and rest in the middle of work sets. Some of the Pilates exercises, like the Hollow hold into the teaser, were all but impossible given my postpartum status.
If you're a total beginner, this workout may not be for you right now. You can always revisit it once you've built up some strength, which is what I plan to do.
Fitness_kaykay mentions several times that this is a 'slower' workout, and to go at your own tempo. That advice really helped me to pace myself and focus on good form. Even some of the more basic movements took me some time to relearn, and I ended up doing much fewer reps in a set than I would have done pre-pregnancy.
That was all for the best, though, because I was only slightly sore in the days following. Soreness is never an indicator of a 'good' workout, but it can signify that you worked the muscle in new or more intensive ways. I figured I might be in pain after this workout, so I was glad to still have most of my mobility.
Depending on the workout and your goals, keeping your tempo slow is usually good advice — even if it means you get in fewer reps.
Both Pilates and bodyweight exercises come with loads of benefits, including improved range of motion, increased muscle strength and endurance, and better balance and stability.
Additionally, Pilates addresses deep core strength, which can correct poor posture, prevent injury, and reduce pain. It's low impact with plenty of modification options, making it accessible for most people regardless of experience or fitness level.
Bodyweight exercises are also accessible for anyone and don't require any additional equipment. Building strength through bodyweight exercises is functional and adaptable, and can improve flexibility, coordination, and even mental health.