Core strengthening Pilates workout with soft ball
Mat-based class using the Pilates soft ball to add variety and challenge to our movements.
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Length: 38 minutes
The class starts with a warm-up in standing then continues down onto the mat. This class focuses on strengthening our core muscles as well as movements to stretch and mobilise through the body. Please always work to a level that you feel comfortable and safe to do.
This class includes:
- Standing balance series
- Side bend with leg lift sideways
- Squats using ball between knees
- Single leg dip
- Roll downs
- One leg stretch
- Supine pike
- Bridge with ball under feet
- One leg circle ball under leg
- Clam
- Double leg lift
- Sitting upper body rotations
- Seated roll downs
- Spine rotation stretch
- Glute and hamstring stretches
- Sitting spine twist
We start with a warm-up in standing and use the soft ball as a prop in our hands for our balance series. We then use the ball to assist a mermaid stretch and bring in our legs with a leg lift sideways movement. We then place the ball between our knees to get our legs work with some squats. We then challenge our single leg control and balance further with a single leg dip. Rolling down onto our backs on the mat we use the ball to modify a one leg stretch and supine pike movements. Staying on our backs we then use the ball under our feet to challenge our core control further with a bridge and one leg circle exercises.
Moving onto our sides we then work on some glute strengthening with a clam and double leg lifts, giving an extra challenge to our muscles placing the all between our feet. Into sitting we then work on some upper body mobility and leg control before coming back down onto our backs to cool down with some gentle stretches. Finishing with a spine twist in sitting.
10 COMMENTS
Hi Vicky, I’d love to do this class but need to get a soft ball. The APPI link shows a 7″ and a 10″ ball. Is the 7″ the best to have please? Thank you, Marilyn
Hi Marilyn. Lovely to hear from you. Mine is a 7″ soft ball 🙂
I really think you are a great Pilates teacher. the classes that come by email like this one, can i see them on You Tube on a tv screen? I have found some but not the ones that come to my email. But anyway i have tried several and all really good. I have been doing Pilates for a while and continued after a hip replacement ….and that helped both before and after. ..best from sheila
Hi Sheila,
Thanks for your comment. Interesting question. Sounds like you have a smart TV. So you could access the website on your tv via the tv browser and then watch the class from there (on your tv) – i admit this is a bit fiddly as you have to type in the url with the controller. Otherwise, all the classes are available on Youtube, but they are about 3 weeks behind the website / newsletter. I tend to have a bit of a gap between new classes going out on site and them being published on YouTube as it takes a little extra work to upload them onto another channel! The calendars are also available on YouTube as ‘playlists’ (although I stil need to add April’s upper body series 🙂 ).
I’ve only just done this class as I was waiting for my soft ball to arrive. It definitely made the exercises more challenging!
Please can you do more classes using the soft ball Vicky?
Hi Roz, glad you enjoyed using the soft ball. I will certainly plan to do some more classes using the soft ball. We do have another class using the soft ball which you may like to try which can be found here https://pilateslive.co.uk/pilates-classes/full-body-workout-using-the-soft-ball/ best wishes, Vicky
I was even later coming to this class but thoroughly enjoyed it. Great mix of exercises. Thanks Vicky!
😅🙏👍
Another brilliant class that gave me the stretch and balance I needed as well as some core work. I enjoyed using the soft ball and it’s always interesting to do a range of moves. You’re great at keeping the classes varied- not sure I’d ever go back to in person ones again. Thanks Vicky.
Thank you Alison 🙂