Pilates
  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Pilates

How to Vary Your Pilates Workouts
10 Ways to Keep your Pilates Workouts Interesting

By Marguerite Ogle, About.com

Updated: March 23, 2009

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

See More About:
Here are some ideas for varying your Pilates workouts so that they remain safe, balanced, effective and interesting:
  1. Mix it up – go to classes, but add in working out at home with DVDs or Books.
    Read DVD and Book Reviews

  2. Add new equipment to your mat work.

  3. Make up a new home workout for yourself.
    See, How to Create Your Own Workout
    Be sure to include warm up exercises. Also, be aware of counter balancing your exercises. Example: balance forward flexion with back extension exercises.
    Quick Pilates Workout 1 is a good example of a balanced workout you can do at home.

    Examples of forward flexion exercises:
    Examples of extension exercises:

  4. Do a day of serious focus on the Pilates Principles.

  5. Follow #4 with a day of pulling those principles into creating more flow in a challenging workout.
    20 Core Minutes of Pilates or The First 10 Classics

  6. Explore Pilates Combined with Yoga

  7. Try working out with a magic circle(exercise ring, fitness circle).
    There are many varieties of Pilates magic circles. Magic Circles often come with a DVD of sample exercises. Find some Magic Circles:
    Compare Prices

  8. Workout with a friend. Workout at home, or many studios offer an expanded version of a private, called a "duet". Don't be afraid to ask - duet workouts are quite common in Pilates.

  9. Sign up for private instruction. Privates are a bit more money but very worthwhile. I highly recommend them.

  10. Try out a new studio or style of Pilates.
More Pilates Quick Tips
Explore Pilates
About.com Special Features
Conquering High Cholesterol

Learn how you can reduce your your numbers with these nutrition and exercise tips. More >

Healthy Bodies, Healthy Minds

Keep yourself, and your family, happy and healthy this fall with these tips. More >

We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.
Pilates
  1. Home
  2. Health
  3. Pilates
  4. Pilates Exercises
  5. Pilates Workouts Tips for Keeping Your Pilates Workouts Interesting

©2009 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company.

All rights reserved.