Pilates for weight loss: 15 effective exercises to burn calories and tone your body

From Jennifer Aniston to David Beckham and Alia Bhatt to Deepika Padukone to Kareena Kapoor Khan, many celebrities have embraced the power of Pilates to improve their physique and overall well-being. What makes Pilates so unique is its emphasis on controlled, low-impact movements that target both strength and flexibility, making it an indigenous way to lose weight. Unlike traditional exercise, Pilates engages your body, tones your muscles, and improves your posture while keeping your joints safe. Although weight loss can be a challenging goal, Pilates classes along with a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle can set you on the right path. Know the best pilates exercises for weight loss and how to do them.

15 Pilates exercises for weight loss

Here’s how to do these 15 Pilates exercises for weight loss and their benefits:

1. Gluteal bridge

The glute bridge is a great exercise for strengthening the glutes, core and hamstrings. By activating these large muscle groups, the glute bridge helps burn more calories, making it an effective weight loss exercise. To perform a glute bridge:

• Lie on your back, knees bent, feet on the floor, hip-width apart.
• Engage your core and press your hips up, lifting your pelvis toward the ceiling.
• Squeeze your glutes and hold for a few seconds before lowering back down.
• Repeat for 10-15 reps, focusing on using your glutes and abs for the lift.

2. Twisting of the spine

This is a great Pilates exercise that works the obliques, shoulders and spine. This exercise helps improve posture by tightening the waist and abdomen. To perform a spinal twist:

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• Sit tall with your legs straight out in front of you.
• Extend your arms to your sides and keep your shoulders relaxed.
• Twist your torso to one side, keeping your hips stable and your core engaged.
• Return to the center and twist to the other side.
• Do 10 twists on each side, gripping the rod.

3. Stretching on one leg

The single leg stretch is an effective ab exercise that targets the lower abdomen and works on stability. This exercise helps strengthen your core and legs while increasing your overall calorie burn. To perform a single leg stretch:

• Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and your head and shoulders off the mat.
• Extend one leg as you pull the opposite knee toward your chest.
• Grasp the knee with both hands, pulling the leg to the chest.
• Switch legs by pulling the opposite leg in while extending the first leg.
• Alternate legs in smooth, controlled movements, aiming for 10-15 repetitions per leg.

4. Roll up

Curling is a challenging Pilates exercise that engages all the muscles, especially the abdominal muscles. This exercise also increases the flexibility of the spine, which contributes to overall functional fitness. To perform the collapse:

• Begin by lying on your back with your legs extended and your arms extended above your head.
• Slowly roll your body up, reaching your hands to your feet, and straighten your spine alternately.
• As you sit, slowly reverse the movement, one vertebra at a time, until you return to the starting position.
• Repeat for 10-15 repetitions, focusing on control and fluidity.

5. One-legged circle

The single leg circle is a great exercise for improving body stability and strengthening the legs, especially the hip flexors. It also helps in burning calories. To make a circle with one leg:

• Lie on your back with one leg extended towards the ceiling and the other on the floor.
• Keep your hands at your sides for stability.
• Make small circles with the raised leg, moving from the hip joint.
• Gradually increase the size of the circles and then change the direction.
• Do 10 rounds in each direction for each leg.

Read also: 8 ways to improve your Pilates practice and achieve better results

6. Cross-cross

The criss-cross exercise is a dynamic Pilates movement that targets the obliques and helps tone the core, especially the deep abdominal muscles. To complete the criss-cross:

• Lie on your back and pull your knees to your chest.
• Raise your head, neck and shoulders off the mat, keeping your hands behind your head.
• Extend one leg straight, twisting your torso to bring the opposite elbow toward the knee of the extended leg.
• Switch sides by bringing the opposite elbow to the knee while extending the other leg.
• Perform 10-15 repetitions on each side with controlled alternating movements.

7. Plank

This is one of the most effective exercises for engaging the entire body, especially the core. Holding a plank helps build endurance, strengthens your abdominal muscles, and activates your arms, legs, and glutes. To perform a plank:

• Start in a push-up position with your arms straight and your body in a straight line from head to toe.
• Engage your core by keeping your hips level and avoiding sagging or arching your lower back.
• Stay in the position for 30-60 seconds, trying to increase the duration over time.

8. Side bar

The side plank is a variation of the plank that targets the obliques, shoulders, and glutes. This exercise strengthens the sides of the body, improves body stability and helps burn fat around the waist. To perform a side plank:

• Lie on your side with your legs extended and feet together.
• Place your elbow directly under your shoulder and lift your hips off the floor, forming a straight line from your head to your heels.
• Hold the position for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then switch sides.

9. All four

The all-fours position, also known as the quadruped position, helps improve core strength, stability, and balance. The muscles of the abdominal press, shoulders and buttocks work. To complete all four:

• Start on all fours, wrists directly under your shoulders and knees under your thighs.
• Engage your core and lift your right arm and left leg off the floor, extending them straight.
• Hold the position briefly, then lower the arm and leg down.
• Switch sides and repeat, aiming for 10-12 reps per side.

10. Kick with scissors

The scissor kick targets the lower abs and hip flexors while working on leg strength and control. It also promotes flexibility in the hamstrings and hips. To perform a scissor kick:

• Lie on your back with your legs extended and your arms at your sides.
• Raise your legs toward the ceiling, keeping them straight.
• Lower one leg to the floor and keep the other up.
• Alternate your legs in a controlled manner, cutting your legs apart.
• Perform for 20-30 seconds, aiming for smooth, controlled movements.

11. Tapping the toes

Toe tapping is a simple but effective exercise that engages the lower abdomen and helps maintain balance and coordination. They also activate the legs and improve overall stability. To perform toe presses:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent at 90 degrees and your feet off the floor.
• Slowly lower one leg down to hit the floor, then return it to the starting position.
• Alternate legs, tapping each foot on the floor while holding the bar.
• Perform 20-30 presses, focusing on slow, controlled movements.

12. Side kicks

Side kicks are great for toning your hips and core while improving your balance and coordination. This exercise strengthens the entire lateral body and helps engage the glutes and legs. To perform side kicks:

• Lie on your side with your head on your hand and your legs extended.
• Raise the top leg to the height of the hips and make small swings back and forth while holding the bar.
• Do 15-20 kicks in each direction before switching sides.

13. Pilates push-ups

Pilates push-ups target the arms, chest, shoulders and body, making them great for upper body strengthening and weight loss. To perform Pilates push-ups:

• Start in a plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Lower your body down like a traditional push-up, keeping your body in a straight line.
• Push back, maintaining core engagement throughout the movement.
• Repeat 8-12 times.

14. Climber

Mountain climbers are a high-intensity exercise that engages the entire body, getting the heart rate up and promoting fat loss. This exercise improves cardiovascular endurance, core strength and coordination. To perform climbers:

• Start in a plank position with your hands under your shoulders.
• Quickly alternate bringing one knee to the chest, then extending the leg back while simultaneously bringing the other knee.
• Continue to alternate legs quickly for 30-60 seconds.

15. Runner’s lunge

The runner’s lunge is a dynamic stretching and strengthening exercise that works the legs, hips and body. It helps increase flexibility and strength while promoting overall weight loss by engaging multiple muscle groups. To perform a runner’s lunge:

• Start from a standing position and step one foot forward into a deep lunge.
• Lower your hips, keeping your back leg extended behind you, and engage your core.
• Hold for a few seconds, then switch legs and repeat 10-12 times per side.

While these exercises alone won’t help you achieve your weight loss goals, combining them with a balanced diet and an active lifestyle can help you lose weight.