The most powerful anti-ageing secret isn’t found in a serum or moisturiser – it’s in how you move. You don’t believe me? Take a look at the research, like this 2021 review of studies on exercise and longevity in Ageing. It shows that regular exercise can slow down the ageing of cells.
Emma Stallworthy, the founder of Your Reformer and a Pilates instructor, says that “Pilates, both mat and reformer, is a powerful, feel-good way to build strength, mobility, and confidence that supports you now and long into the future.” Pilates is safe, long-lasting, and good for people of all ages and body types because it builds strength without putting too much stress on your joints.
This kind of exercise, which includes moves like planks and leg lifts, helps build muscle, protect your joints, and make your bones denser and your balance better. All of these things are good for living longer. Stallworthy says that pilates also builds deep, functional core strength, which improves posture, lowers the risk of injury, and makes moving around easier. She says that having a strong center makes it easier to bend, lift, twist, and breathe, which is “essential for feeling good at every stage of life.”
Want to know which moves will get you these results? Stallworthy shares her five favourite mat Pilates exercises for staying healthy that you can do anywhere, even in your own living room. Your future self will be grateful that you made them a part of your daily life.
To stay healthy for a long time, you need to do these exercises every week. Stallworthy says you should do one set of each of the exercises below two to three times a week.
1. Curl the pelvis
Why it rocks: It works your glutes, hamstrings, spinal extensors (the muscles that straighten your spine), and abs. Stallworthy says that working on these muscles can help your spine move better and make your lower body stronger, both of which are important for good posture and avoiding injuries.
How to:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor.
- Squeeze your butt and lift your hips off the floor until your body is in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.
- Stop at the top, then go back down to the starting position. That’s one rep.
- Do 10 to 15 times.
2. Circle with one leg
This move is great because it works your hip flexors, glutes, and abs all at the same time, and it also makes your hips more flexible and your core stronger. Stallworthy says that all of these things will lower your risk of falling and make you stronger.
How to:
- Put your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent. Lie on your back.
- Raise your right leg straight up so that your foot and toes are pointing up.
- Move your right leg in a circle to the right. That’s 1 rep.
- Do 10 to 15 reps, then do the same thing on the other side.
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3. Leg lift while lying on your side
Why it rocks: This move works your glute medius, glute minimus, and obliques. “It strengthens your lateral hip muscles, which are important for stability, gait efficiency [how well someone walks], and fall prevention,” Stallworthy says.
How to:
- Put your head on your right arm and your left hand on your left hip. Then lie down on your right side.
- Put your right (bottom) leg at a 90-degree angle.
- Lift your left (top) leg off the mat, then bring it back down to the starting position. That’s one rep.
- Do 10 to 15 reps, then repeat on the opposite side.
If you want to make this exercise harder, wrap a resistance band around your legs.
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4. Plank
Stallworthy says that this exercise works your core muscles as well as your shoulders, arms, glutes, and quads. It makes your whole body stronger and more stable, from your wrists to your core to your toes. “It also teaches you how to stand up straight,” she says.
How to:
- Get down on your hands and knees on the floor.
- Put your hands right under your shoulders.
- Take a step back with each foot. For more stability, spread your feet wider than hip-distance apart. For more of a challenge, bring them closer together.
- Keep a straight line from the top of your head to your heels and look down just above your fingertips.
- Now, hold your abs, quads, and glutes tight. Think about digging your heels in and squeezing your quads. That’s one rep.
- For 30 to 60 seconds, hold.
How long do you really need to hold a plank? “I did the plank every day for two weeks.”
5. Stretch like a mermaid
This move works your obliques, quadratus lumborum (a deep lower back muscle), lats, and intercostals (muscles between your ribs).”It keeps the thoracic spine flexible, helps with healthy breathing, and relieves tension from sitting for long periods of time or using technology,” Stallworthy says.
How to do it:
- With your legs bent in a half straddle and your chest up, sit on the mat.
- Bend at the waist and lean to the right while reaching your left arm over your head.
- To get back to the starting position, move in the opposite direction. That’s one rep.
- Do 8 reps, then do the same thing on the other side.
