Living
5 Pilates Moves For Busy People
Written by Erin Feher
Photography by Photography courtesy of Elaine Hayes
Jan 6, 2020
Anyone with a kid knows how hard it is to squeeze in time for self-care, let alone a full body workout. But fear not, because we’ve got you covered! We asked Elaine Hayes, a fellow busy mom and founder of MNTSTUDIO (with locations in San Francisco and Palo Alto), for five simple moves you can do anywhere, anytime, with just 5-10 minutes to spare. You can do them all together or split them up when you can steal a minute or two between busy mom-life activities.
For more fitness inspo, check out these Stylish Workout Clothes & Accessories for Breaking a Sweat in the New Year, 14 Free Fitness Ideas, and Yoga Moves To Try At Home.
-
- Lie on your belly with your hands planted down by your ribcage. Anchor your pubic bone and engage through your core.
-
- Inhale to lift your eyes, nose, and chest sequentially off the floor, keeping the back of your neck long. Focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together and really opening the chest. Exhale to slowly lower back down to your starting position. Repeat 10 times.
-
- Come into a forearm plank with elbows as wide as your shoulders and fingers interlaced. Make sure your core is engaged and that your hips are low. Extend through the crown of your head and breathe, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth. Hold here for 10 breaths.
-
- Begin on all-fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under hips. Engage through your core and focus on a neutral spine. Now, extend your right arm forward and left leg back, keeping the core engaged. Pulse the arm and leg up 15 times.
-
- Next, inhale to prepare, and as you exhale, draw your knee to elbow, elbow to knee, rounding the spine. Repeat 15 times.
-
- Lastly, tap your hand and foot down on the floor, then lift back up again. Repeat 15 times. Now repeat everything on the second side.
-
- Come into a side-kneeling position with your right hand and right knee grounded, left leg lifted and extended at hip height. Make sure your booty isn’t sticking out and that you engage through your core to keep your ribs from flaring open.
-
- Inhale to kick the leg forward, flexing the ankle. Exhale to bring the leg back into line with the hip, pointing the foot once again. Repeat 15 times.
-
- Lower the leg down to gently tap the floor, then lift the leg back up to hip height. Repeat 15 times.
-
- Bend the knee in towards your chest, flexing the ankle. Now press back out again to the starting position. Repeat 15 times.
-
- Come into a kneeling plank with hands under shoulders and knees as wide as your hips. Draw your feet in toward your set.
Share this story
