Pilates is a low-impact exercise designed to improve flexibility, build strength and enhance body awareness. While Pilates studios are accessible nearly everywhere, you can also undertake this mindful movement at home. Practicing Pilates at home provides a powerful and adaptable way to boost your physical and mental well-being. By embracing the convenience and versatility of home sessions, you can achieve significant fitness gains and maintain a consistent and enjoyable routine.
Benefits of practicing Pilates at home
Whether you're a beginner looking to start your fitness journey or an experienced practitioner aiming to deepen your practice, having a steady Pilates routine has tremendous benefits and can be the game-changer you need.
- Personalized pace: Tailor your workouts to match your fitness level and personal goals. This personalized approach helps you focus on yourself, your body and your breath.
- Consistency and convenience: You can easily get out of bed and roll out your mat to exercise. This convenience makes it easier to stick to a regular schedule, which is essential for achieving long-term fitness results.
- Focused environment: Creating a dedicated space at home to exercise can enhance your focus and mindfulness. A quiet environment allows you to connect more deeply with your body and movements, improving the quality of your workouts.
- Customizable setup: By selecting equipment and props tailored to your specific needs and space, you can ensure a comprehensive workout that addresses all aspects of fitness.
Basics for setting up a home studio
Creating a Pilates space at home can transform your fitness routine, making it more convenient, consistent and enjoyable. Whether you have a cozy corner or a spacious room, here’s a guide to help you get started:
- Find a quiet area: Select an area in your home where you won't be disturbed. This helps increase focus and relaxation, which are crucial components of an effective Pilates session.
- Ensure enough space: Your chosen space should allow you to move freely. You should be able to stretch out and move without any restrictions.
- Consider lighting: Good lighting is vital for maintaining focus and energy levels during workouts. While natural light is ideal, you can make do with artificial lighting.
- Curate good music: Choose music that boosts motivation and enhances your workout. Explore our Merrithew Music™ playlist, curated with tunes perfect for energizing your at-home sessions.
- Add a personalized touch: Add personal touches to refresh your space. This could include plants, inspirational quotes, or colors to create an inviting and motivating space.
Essential Pilates equipment & props for your home studio
It’s important to outfit your home studio with the right Pilates equipment and props. These essential Pilates items can significantly transform your sessions, helping you achieve a well-rounded and effective workout. Invest in Merrithew®'s cutting-edge equipment to experience unmatched quality for building strength, increasing flexibility and providing the ultimate full-body workout for any fitness level.
- Pilates Mat: A high-quality Pilates Mat provides adequate cushioning for floor exercises and protects your spine and joints during various movements.
- Resistance Bands: The Resistance Loop™ and Non-Latex Flex-Band® add resistance to your workout, helping you build strength and flexibility.
- Small Weights: Tone your muscles and increase intensity by incorporating Soft Dumbbells and Toning Balls™ into your routine.
- Stability Ball: The small Mini Stability Ball™ is excellent for enhancing balance and core strength. Use this wonderful prop to activate the muscles in sitting, standing or lying exercises that target arms, abs, glutes and thighs.
- Foam Roller: Activate your deep core muscles, improve balance and posture with our Foam Roller™. It is excellent for myofascial release and for working out muscle knots through self-massage.
- Stability Chair: Compact and versatile, our Split-Pedal Stability Chair™ is excellent for enhancing balance and strength. Achieve upper and lower body strength and conditioning, enhance stability and improve body control with this piece of equipment.
- Pilates Reformer: Replicate the studio-quality workout experience at home with the At Home V2 Max™ Reformer. This versatile equipment has a high-precision spring package for better, faster and stronger fluidity of movement.
Reformer exercises to try at home
Working out with a Reformer introduces an extra layer of challenge to your Pilates routine, making it more dynamic and effective. Whether your goal is to build strength, improve flexibility or enhance overall fitness, the Reformer—especially the SPX® Max Reformer with its convenient vertical stand for easy storage—is an invaluable addition to your home studio.
Incorporate these exercises into your routine to achieve a well-rounded Pilates session.
- Footwork series: Press the carriage out on the Reformer with your feet to strengthen and tone your leg muscles.
- Leg circles: Enhance your hip mobility and strengthen your core by doing the leg circles. Engage your core as you bring your legs away from the body in a circular motion.
- Elephant: This exercise helps create mobility at the hip joints and stretch the hamstrings as the carriage returns to the stopper.
- Long stretch prep: This exercise strengthens the abdominals and challenges stability on a moving carriage.
- The hundred: This exercise targets your deep abdominal muscles while enhancing coordination and breath control. This move challenges your stamina and stability by synchronizing your breath with precise arm pulses.
- Arm work: Utilize the Reformer's straps to sculpt your arms. These workouts help tone and strengthen your upper body, focusing on the shoulders, biceps and triceps.
- Mermaid: This side stretch enhances flexibility and opens up the sides of the ribcage, increasing the range of motion in that area. It also stretches the Lats and QL, which are typically tight.
- Short spine prep: This exercise aims to mobilize the hips, increase hamstring flexibility and improve coordination.
Additional tips for success
- Stay consistent: Consistency is vital in any fitness routine. Aim for regular sessions, even if they are short, to make it a habit and steadily improve your fitness level.
- Mix it up: Variety helps keep your workouts challenging and enjoyable. Try different exercises and routines to keep your workouts fresh.
- Listen to your body: Pay close attention to how your body feels during and after workouts. Adjust the intensity and type of exercise to suit your fitness level.
- Seek guidance: If you have questions, are unsure about an exercise or experience discomfort, consult with a Pilates instructor.
One of the most challenging aspects of practicing Pilates at home is staying committed and knowing what exercises to do and how to do them correctly. That’s why Merrithew Connect™ is there to help you gain access to a wealth of resources that make your practice effective and enjoyable, ensuring you stay motivated and reach your fitness goals. You can also find a studio and join their online classes from the convenience of your home.
Embrace the flexibility and convenience of practicing Pilates at home and watch your strength, flexibility and overall well-being flourish. Ready to set up a Pilates studio at home? Act now and grab huge discounts on all Reformers and select Pilates items!
Shop our top-quality Pilates equipment and accessories.
Find a Certified Pilates Instructor or studio near you.
Try these free Pilates and mind-body workouts on the Merrithew blog.
Learn more about instructor training to launch your Pilates career.