Challenging Pilates workout focusing on core, abdominal and glute muscles strength and control

The class begins in standing and continues onto the mat in four-point kneeling, side lying and on our backs. There are some tough exercise sequences throughout the class so please work to a level that feels suitable and safe for you.

This class includes:

• Standing arm opener and windmill arms
• Scissors with leg extension
• Side plie with side bends and heel raises
• Lunge with one leg kick
• Roll downs
• Four point kneeling – plank
• Child pose
• Leg lift and lower and leg fold and extend
• Side lying side kick with pulses
• Side lying one leg circles
• Arm scissors with combined scissor legs
• One leg stretch with abdo prep
• Criss-cross
• Rotation stretch
• Glute and hamstring stretches
• Sitting upper body reaches, mermaid stretch

The class begins in standing mobilising and stretching through the upper body with an arm opener and windmill movements. We then bring some leg control movements in with some standing scissors with leg extensions and side plie with heel raises. We then challenge our balance a little further in standing with a lunge and one leg kick movement. We then roll down into four-point kneeling where we test our upper body and abdominal strength with a plank adding an extra challenge of some knee bends. We then drop down onto one elbow and work our glutes with some leg lifts and leg fold and extend movements before stretching out into a child pose stretch.

Moving onto our sides we challenge our glute strength and control further with a side kick, adding in some pulses for an extra challenge, and a one leg circle. From here we come onto our backs we combine arm and leg scissors to work on our movement control and engage our abdominals with a one leg stretch and criss-cross exercises. We then cool down with some back rotation stretches, glute and hamstring stretches, finishing with some gentle upper body and back mobility in sitting.