I've always preferred lifting weights to other styles of resistance training. It's consistently delivered results for me, so the thought of trying something new feels daunting.
But I recently discovered Pilates—a style of mindful movement focused on strength-building, balance and coordination—and it's totally transformed the way I exercise.
Adding Pilates workouts into my exercise routine has helped me build core strength, improve my posture and work on my coordination. I've also seen results without dedicating tons of time to it—most of the workouts I do take less than 20 minutes.
One of my favorite Pilates instructors is Georgia Weibel, known online as Pilates With Georgia, and she recently shared a routine featuring moves I’d not tried before.
On a day I was feeling a little tired, I decided to swap my usual hour-long strength workout for Weibel’s Pilates session to move my body without pushing myself too hard.
How to do Georgia Weibel's Pilates routine
There are just four exercises in this routine and Weibel says that the whole thing should take around seven minutes.
Perform each move for six to eight repetitions (on each side where relevant) and complete a few rounds if you want a longer, more challenging workout. I decided to do just one round on this occasion.
My experience swapping out weights for Pilates
Pilates is a fantastic way to strengthen your core as it emphasizes slow, gentle movement that increases the time your mid-body muscles are under tension, promoting stability as well as strength.
I felt my core engaged throughout the routine and even experienced that famous Pilates 'burning' sensation during moves such as the half roll-down and double-leg stretch.
This routine also engaged my upper body, particularly my shoulders during the plank press.
On the flip side, I don't think this workout challenged my lower-body muscles enough. Although squats and lunges were included in the routine, I'm used to doing these moves with weights so doing them without equipment didn’t feel as challenging.
For this reason, I wouldn't consider this a full-body workout for myself. However, it's a great low-impact alternative to strength workouts on days I want to focus on my upper body without overexerting. It highlights why Pilates complements my weight training so well. They work together effectively—but I don't think one can replace the other.
Exercise mats to try
You don't need a lot of equipment to try Pilates, but I recommend investing in a soft and supportive mat to roll out underfoot. The three options below feature in our list of the best yoga mats, but they're perfect for Pilates routines like the one above.
