Snap, crackle and pop. Nope, I’m not describing a bowl of Rice Krispies but the sound my hips make after a prolonged period of sitting.
On the days when I’m glued to my desk (which nowadays, seems to be more often than not), I’m constantly looking for at-home workout classes that can counterbalance my rather sedentary 9-5.
After taking a quick look on YouTube, I came across this 28-minute Pilates stretching routine from certified Pilates trainer and fitness instructor, Raven Ross, of Pilates Body Raven. Combining two of my favorite things — Pilates and mobility work — I just knew I had to try it out.
“This is a full-body pilates mat workout that you can do at home with no equipment at all,” Raven says. “This is the perfect daily routine to increase mobility and unwind after a long day or gym session.” Sold.
So I rolled out one of the best yoga mats for home workouts, turned my phone on ‘Do Not Disturb’ mode and got stuck in. Here’s what I learned and why I’ll keep coming back to these super satisfying hip-loosening Pilates exercises.
How to do the 28-minute stretching routine
One of the best things about this workout is there’s no extra Pilates equipment, like a ring, ball, or weights. Once you’ve rolled out your mat, and popped one of the best water bottles by your side so you can rehydrate during the flow, you’re ready to start.
During the workout, Ross uses a range of mobility exercises to enhance joint flexibility and improve overall movement efficiency, along with a heavy handful of core-centric Pilates exercises.
Here's what I found after doing this 28-minute core strength Pilates routine.
I felt better after five minutes
Yes, really! During the first five minutes, Ross encourages you to perform seated side bends, which primarily target the oblique muscles, along with neck and shoulder rolls in clockwise and anticlockwise motions.
It’s amazing how much tension you can hold in these areas. But after performing the moves, I can almost feel the tightness melt away, my body sinking deeper into each stretch and rotation and my mind only focusing on the present.
“We’re focusing on lengthening, strengthening, stabilizing and relaxing our body and mind,” Ross says. After just five minutes of the class, I can say with my chest, that Ross isn’t joking!
It will give you a full-body workout
The title of this workout might be based on mobility and core strength. But it will give your full body a blast too.
Pilates is known (and loved) for its focus on the core; this workout included many of the best Pilates moves for strengthening this region. So moves like the seated Pilates roll-up and bird-dog really put my abdominal strength to the test. But these compound exercises also test the strength in my back, hamstrings, glutes, hips and shoulders.
My back and hips felt so satisfied
From downward dog and child’s pose to thread the needle and frog pose, Ross even includes pigeon pose in this 28-minute session.
This helped ease some pressure off my back, loosen my thoracic spine and give my hips a very satisfying release. I’ll be coming back to it time and time again.
