When it comes to building strength, the first thing that may come to mind is lifting heavy weights, and the first thing that may come to mind when you think of lifting heavy weights is bulking up. But have no fear, the two are not synonymous, and bulking takes a lot of work and intention.
For a workout that builds more strength without lifting heavy weights, look no further than Pilates. This activity is a great way to build up your strength, while keeping the bulk at bay.
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"You're not going to get bulky even if you did pilates 10 hours a day," Sara Goldin, master Pilates instructor and owner of Pilates Lounge, tells LIVESTRONG.com. "Pilates really works the entire body because you're not focused on just one thing. No matter what exercise you are doing, it works multiple muscle groups of your body."
These compound movements, where you work many muscles during the same exercise, are more effective than single movements when it comes to building strength, according to a small January 2019 study in the European Journal of Translational Myology.
So, grab an exercise mat to try out this 20-minute Pilates workout that will engage all the muscles in your body and increase your overall strength at the same time.
How to Do This Workout
Perform the 4 sets of 10 reps per exercise listed below, resting as needed.
Check out more of our 20-minute workouts here — we’ve got something for everyone.
The Workout
1. Pilates Bridge
- Lie on your back with your arms resting by your sides, knees bent and feet flat on the ground hip-width apart. Your feet should be close enough to your hips that if you reach one hand at a time toward each heel, you can just touch it with your fingertips.
- Relax your arms alongside your body. Think of your shoulders being "glued" to the floor to help keep your spine neutral.
- Squeeze your glutes and core, and press your heels into the ground to drive your hips up toward the ceiling until you form a diagonal line from knees to hips to chest. Resist the urge to arch your lower back as you raise your hips. Focus on keeping your spine in a neutral position throughout.
- Hold this position for a few seconds with your glutes engaged.
- Slowly lower your hips back down to the ground and reset in the starting position for a second before lifting back up.
2. Sideline Booty Kick
- Lie on your right side with your hips stacked. Prop yourself up on your right elbow. Put your left hand on your left hip.
- Lift your left leg up, keeping it bent, and lift your left oblique slightly off the floor.
- Straighten your left leg and sweep it forward as far as you can.
- Reverse the movement back to starting position.
- Complete all reps on the left side, then repeat on the right.
3. Scissor Kick-Up
- Lie on your back with your arms resting by your sides, knees bent and feet flat on the ground hip-width apart. Your feet should be close enough to your hips that if you reach one hand at a time toward each heel, you can just touch it with your fingertips.
- Relax your arms alongside your body.
- Lift your head and shoulders lifted off the mat a few inches. (You can rest your head on a pillow or yoga block if you can't comfortably lift it off the ground.)
- Stretch your left leg out to about a 45-degree angle. At the same time, pull your right leg in toward your chest then immediately kick it straight up.
- Then, switch legs, pulling your left leg in toward your chest and up and extending your right leg toward the floor.
- Repeat.
4. Pilates Triceps Dip
- Sit on the floor with both hands in a diamond shape behind your back and keep the palms of your hands flat.
- Extend your legs straight out in front of you.
- Lean your torso back and bend your elbows as much as you comfortably can.
- Press into the floor evenly with both hands to bring yourself back up to starting position, using your triceps.
- Repeat.
5. Half Rollback
- Sit on your butt with your legs straight out in front of you.
- Reach your arms forward, palms facing in toward each other.
- Tuck your pelvis and curl your spine back as your lower your torso down to the mat about 45 degrees. Engage your core while lowering.
- Hold for 2 seconds.
- Lift your torso back up to starting position, leading with the chest.
- Repeat.
6. Pilates Kickback
- Get on your hands and knees with your hands directly in line with your shoulder and knees in line with your hips.
- Reach your left leg straight behind you, fully extending your knee and pointing your toes.
- Bend your left knee, then flex your toes and do 5 tiny glute pulses. That's 1 rep.
- Return your left leg back to starting position, then repeat.
- Perform all reps on your left leg before switching to your right leg.
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