Pilates in Bed Is What You Need for a Slow-Paced Day

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Verified by Jonathan Valdez

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Personal Trainer, Certified Dietitian/Nutritionist in NYC, Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

If you struggle to drag yourself out of bed and get your morning started, you must not have tried Pilates in bed yet. Since you spend one-third of your life between the sheets, it makes sense to use some of that time setting yourself up for a relaxed and healthy day.

Get Yoga-Go, a convenient yoga app, for more simple pilates, yoga, and stretching routines.

Bed Pilates Workout &#; 10 Exercises You Can Do Without Leaving Your Bed

While bed Pilates is so tempting because it can be done from the comfort of your mattress or even on a mat alongside your bed, wall pilates anywhere is also an option for those who want to mix up their routine and incorporate different elements into their workout.

Throughout the exercises, breathe in through your nose and breathe out through pursed lips.

One-Legged Supine Spinal Twists

Targets: Stretches the back, shoulders, neck, chest, hips, and glutes

• Lie on your back.
• Inhale, right knee to chest.
• Exhale to take the knee across the body into a twist.
• The right palm rests gently on the knee.
• Bring your left arm straight out to the side.
• Gaze towards the left.
• Continue to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

If the twist is uncomfortable: 

• Gently roll more onto the outer hip.
• Keep a neutral upward gaze instead of turning in the opposite direction.
• Bring the extended arm closer to the body.

Hold the stretch for 1 minute.

Repeat on the other side.

Supine Butterfly Back Extension

Targets: Hips, groin, shoulders, rib cage, back, and abdominals

• Lie on your back with a neutral spine.
• Take the arms into a &#;T&#; shape.
• Bring the soles of the feet together while bending the knees. Allow them to open wide.
• Inhale to arch the lower back while tucking the chin.
• Exhale to press the lower back down to the bed or mat while tilting the pelvis and untucking the chin.
• Keep your core engaged as you repeat the motion.

Repeat 10 times.

Also, try these 10 lazy bed exercises for a toned body!

Alternate Knee Drops

Targets: Inner thighs, abdominals, lower back, and hips

• Lie on your back with a neutral spine and gaze up.
• Arms are down the sides of the body.
• Inhale to bend the knees and plant the feet slightly wider than hip distance apart.
• Turn the toes outward.
• Exhale as you drop the right knee inward towards the midline, rotating onto the inner right foot.
• Keep the left leg stationary.
• Inhale to return to the original position with both feet planted.
• Exhale to drop the left knee inward towards the midline, rotating onto the inner left foot.
• Repeat this motion, alternating between each side.

Repeat 5 times on each side.

Hip Pry

Targets: Opens the hip flexors

• Begin lying on your stomach with the forehead resting gently on the palms.
• Inhale to lift the right leg off the bed or mat and bend the knee.
• Exhale to reach the right foot across the midline.
• Tap the foot on the outside of the left side of the body.
• Return to starting position and repeat the motion using your breathing to guide you.

Repeat 5 times on each side.

Child&#;s Pose Cobra Rolls

Targets: Arms, shoulders, back, core, glutes, chest, hips, and legs

• Begin in Child&#;s Pose. Reach your palms out in front of you, settle your hips back towards the heels with your big toes touching and forehead resting gently on the bed or mat.
• Inhale to roll forward as you straighten the legs.
• Exhale to straighten the arms as you settle the front of your hips towards the bed or mat into Cobra Pose.
• Settle the hips back into Child&#;s Pose and continue the rolling motion back to Cobra using your breathing to guide you.

Continue this motion for 1 minute.

Four-Point Kneel With Scapula Push-Ups

Targets: Arms, shoulders, and back

• Begin in an all-fours position with a neutral spine.
• Plant your palms and the tops of your feet on the bed or mat.
• Stack your shoulders over the wrists, and your hips over the knees.
• Engage your core.
• Inhale to draw the shoulder blades together while you drop the chest slightly towards the bed or mat.
• Exhale to round and separate the shoulder blades while pressing the chest away from the bed or mat.
• Keep your arms straight as you slowly repeat the motion.

Repeat 10 times.

Cat-Camel Stretches

Targets: Loosens the spine while stretching through the torso and neck

• Begin in an all-fours position with a neutral spine.
• Plant your palms and the tops of your feet on the bed or mat.
• Stack your shoulders over the wrists, and your hips over the knees.
• Engage your core.
• Inhale to drop the belly and arch the spine while raising your gaze.
• Exhale to round the spine and tuck the chin towards the chest while pressing the bed or mat away.
• Slowly repeat this motion using your breathing to guide you.

Repeat 10 times.

Seated Spinal Twists

Targets: Chest, shoulders, back, abdominals, and hips

• Begin sitting up straight with your legs extended in front of you.
• Inhale, right knee to chest, and plant the foot on the outside of the left leg.
• Exhale as you twist towards the right, placing your left elbow outside the right knee.
• Gaze over the right shoulder.
• Continue to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

If the twist is uncomfortable:

• Gently rest the left palm on the right knee instead of using the elbow.

Hold the stretch for 1 minute.

Repeat on the other side.

Supine Straddle Stretch

Targets: Inner thighs, groin, lower back, hamstrings, and hips

• Begin lying on your back.
• Extend your legs upward.
• Place your palms on the inner thighs.
• With an exhale, gently press your legs apart into a straddle.
• Keep your chin slightly tucked and spine pressed into the bed or mat.
• Continue to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.

Hold the stretch for 1 minute.

Supine Twist Rolls

Targets: Stretches the back, shoulders, neck, chest, hips, and glutes

• Lie on your back.
• Take the arms into a &#;T&#; shape.
• Gaze towards the ceiling.
• Inhale to bend the knees towards the ceiling.
• The toes lightly touch the bed or mat. The heels are up.
• The legs now create an upside-down &#;V&#; shape.
• Exhale to let the knees fall towards the right into a twist.
• Keep the feet together.
• Inhale, knees back through the center.
• Exhale to let the knees fall towards the left into a twist.
• Slowly repeat this motion using your breathing to guide you.

Continue this motion for 1 minute.

Final Words

Throughout the circle of life, the bed plays a central role. There&#;s the marital bed, the death bed, and now &#; the Pilates Bed!

If you thought some of these moves seemed like yoga, you&#;d be right. Pilates and yoga share many similar exercises, several of which can be done in bed. If you want to try more, use the Yoga-Go app to find other mattress-friendly moves.

Key Takeaways

• You don&#;t have to leave your bed to focus on fitness.
• Pilates in bed moves can also be done on a yoga mat.
• Breathe in through the nose and out through pursed lips.
• These 10 exercises provide full-body movement.

WHAT IS TRADITIONAL PILATES?

Pilates involves a collection of low-impact exercises that coordinate movement and breath. The focus is on building strength and mobility, improving postural alignment and strengthening core stabilizing muscles.

HOW DID PILATES GET SO POPULAR?

The concept was born in the early s when Joseph Pilates, a German physical trainer, started using low-impact exercises to finely tune muscle balance and neuromuscular patterns and create optimal strength. He dubbed early iterations of his training &#;Contrology&#; as the focus was on using the mind to control muscles, in particular the core postural muscles that keep the body balanced, providing support and control for the spine.

While at first his exercise regimen was used for rehabilitation purposes, when Joseph Pilates moved to New York his novel approach to training became popular with ballerinas and gymnasts. He opened a Pilates gym on 8th Avenue, which was soon packed with society women looking to enhance flexibility, strength and stamina.

In the late s, interest in Pilates again surged when celebs like Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Jennifer Aniston were spotted heading to Pilates studios daily. Since then, it&#;s trendiness has continued to flourish. In , Mindbody reported Pilates as the most popular workout of the year, with Pilates class bookings up 92%, while Google searches for Pilates have soared by 71%. Mat Pilates, hot Pilates, HIIT Pilates, reformer Pilates, Stott Pilates, Winsor Pilates, Clinical Pilates, Classical Pilates &#; there are now a wealth of options to choose from. Whatever your exercise personality, there&#;s a Pilates workout to suit.

Read on and you&#;ll discover:

• The health benefits of Pilates

• The different types of Pilates

• Who Pilates is best suited for

• Simple ways to introduce Pilates into your exercise routine

• Expert advice for getting started with Pilates.

HOW YOUR BODY BENEFITS FROM PILATES

On top of being an incredible way to build core strength, increase mobility and enhance feelings of wellness, scientific studies show Pilates can do everything from improve sleep and better your sex life, to lift your cognitive function and boost immunity.

Pilates is also good for helping improve body awareness. Dancer and trainer Summer Bradley says this is such a powerful benefit: &#;Not only does it help me feel more in control, it helps me avoid injury and train more effectively in other workouts. Moving with control gives me the time to correct my alignment and has strengthened my core and glutes.&#;

If you want to learn more, please visit our website pilates bed exercises.

"Pilates improves function, alignment, core strength, posture, control, concentration, breath &#; there are so many benefits." Glen Ostergaard

6 OF OUR FAVORITE SCIENCE-BACKED WAYS PILATES BENEFITS YOUR BODY

1. Pilates can improve balance and body awareness. The focus on mindful movement and breath enhances proprioception and heightens awareness of how your body moves. This can prevent injuries and falls, which is particularly important as we age.
2. Pilates can increase mobility as you use slow and controlled stretching movements to improve flexibility and strengthen muscles at the same time. While improved flexibility doesn't necessarily provide any functional benefit, increased mobility is valuable as it improves the movement of your joints.
3. Pilates can reduce stress and boost your mood, energy and motivation. During Pilates, your nervous system responds to the focus on breathwork by lowering cortisol levels, which will reduce stress over time. And, like with any exercise, the increased oxygen flow and blood circulation stimulate feel-good endorphins and give you a boost of energy. A study of students showed Pilates can boost motivation, achievement and cognitive function.
4. Pilates can perk up your posture by strengthening postural muscles and bringing attention to your body alignment. With improved posture, you reduce the risks of headaches, as well as shoulder and back pain.
5. Pilates can reduce injury risk by using strength-building exercises to increase the support and stability of your joints as they move. This makes it particularly beneficial for sportspeople and exercisers.
6. Pilates can ease lower back pain. Physical activity is considered the magic lotion for back pain. Because Pilates engages the deep core and pelvic floor muscles, it&#;s a powerful way to build strength and this can help stabilize the back.

4 POPULAR TYPES of Pilates

1. Mat Pilates

Perfect for beginners, classic Mat Pilates provides a great introduction to popular Pilates movements. Using nothing but bodyweight, Mat Pilates exercises help improve core control, strength and stamina. Popular exercises include: hundreds, a variation on the common crunch where you do 100 pulses; leg circles, which challenge core stability; planks and side planks; plus single and double leg stretches.

2. Reformer Pilates

Reformer Pilates involves using a reformer machine, which is a bed-like sliding carriage with straps, springs and pulleys. Many of the exercises are similar to mat Pilates movements, but holding and pulling the straps adds resistance and increases intensity.

3. Contemporary Pilates

Considered by many as hybrid Pilates, this contemporary approach breaks the traditionally ridged sequence of classic Pilates moves by blending in other types of movement. Dance and Pilates is a popular Pilates hybrid, as are yoga and Pilates. You can experience a fusion of power yoga, barre and Pilates when you try LES MILLS SHAPES&#;, and a mix of yoga and Pilates when you try BODYBALANCE&#;.

4. HIIT Pilates

Tapping into the huge popularity of high-intensity interval training, HIIT Pilates mixes Pilates exercises like bridges, leg lifts and planks, with intervals of heart-pounding cardio. This means you benefit from controlled strength building while also sparking increased calorie burn.

Pilates teacher Yayoi Matches says Pilates is a remarkable way for people to improve awareness of their body. &#;Working out is not always about how much you sweat, how much strain you put your body through or pushing for fast results. Life is actually really long, and for us to live a long life filled with love and energy we must understand that this starts from the mind &#; a connection to body within.&#;

Yayoi uses Pilates as an opportunity to listen to her body. &#;It&#;s a time to understand your needs, to truly give what is calling. Whether it&#;s just to breathe and tune into your nervous system, or to engage your whole body and use energy to awaken and vitalize.&#;

Glen Ostergaard, who leads the creation of workouts like BODYPUMP&#;, RPM&#; and LES MILLS SPRINT&#; is also a big Pilates advocate. "With Pilates, you can improve your body&#;s function without having to exhaust yourself. It&#;s about how you do the move, not how many reps or how hard you go.&#; Glen says Pilates exercises are great in isolation and to complement other forms of exercise. &#;It improves function, alignment, core strength, posture, control, concentration, breath &#; there are so many benefits." Glen suggests that anyone just starting out begins slowly, identifies their own strength and flexibility ranges and works within them, as well as staying consistent.

DOES PILATES HAVE ANY DISADVANTAGES?

Pilates is undoubtedly a winning fitness formula. But it is just one element of a well-balanced routine. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) guidelines recommend a varied training program featuring cardiorespiratory, resistance, and flexibility exercises. In most cases, there is not a significant cardio element to Pilates, so it&#;s important to counter this when shaping a well-balanced routine.

IS PILATES REALLY THAT DIFFERENT FROM YOGA?

Pilates and yoga are often considered similar workouts, perhaps due to the fact they are both low-impact and require a focus on breathing. But there are plenty of differences. Most notably, during yoga, you typically adopt a pose and hold it, or flow through to another pose. During Pilates, you adopt a position and challenge the muscle groups by pulsing or moving your limbs as levers.

TOP PILATES WORKOUTS TO TRY

LES MILLS PILATES&#; features classic mat Pilates movements &#; with a twist. With core moves, unique music and supportive coaching it takes the Pilates experience to a whole new level. There&#;s no need for expensive equipment, and each workout has been tested and iterated to leave you feeling strong, uplifted and calm. LES MILLS PILATES is coming soon to a fitness club near you.

LES MILLS SHAPES&#; brings together elements of Pilates, barre and power yoga. It is intense and athletic, yet with low-impact movements that build endurance and control. Try LES MILLS SHAPES on LES MILLS+ or find a class near you.

BODYBALANCE&#; is a combination of yoga and Pilates-based movements with elements of Tai Chi. BODYBALANCE uses nothing but bodyweight exercises to improve strength and flexibility. The focus is not on muscular burn, it&#;s about moving well with a body and mind

WHAT EQUIPMENT IS BEST FOR PILATES?

You need a large (and expensive) reformer machine to do Reformer Pilates, which means it's often easiest &#; and cheapest &#; to do reformer work at a specialist Pilates

studio. You can do LES MILLS PILATES with no equipment at all (a mat is optional). Workouts like LES MILLS SHAPES make use of light weight plates, sculpt bands or resistance bands and slider discs to replicate the movements you do on a reformer (you can also use socks on carpet to get a similar effect).

LES MILLS Equipment is versatile, durable and effective and can help you increase muscle activation and maintain good technique during your Pilates workouts. See all LES MILLS Equipment.

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