7 Full Body Pilates Moves For Leaner Legs And Stronger Core

These full body Pilates moves will make you fall in love with Pilates. Their purpose is to engage the core and leg muscles, and to improve balance, coordination, and strength.

These full body Pilates moves contain several isolated movements to shape your leg muscles. But there are also some classic exercises, such as squats or planks, that help to tone the entire body.

The Pilates Ring aka the Magic Circle is imperative for its resistance. We’ll use it for a couple of moves to help reduce the saddlebag area and work the outer thighs.

The Best Full Body Pilates Moves

There are 7 full body Pilates moves that engage your entire body, and work every muscle in your legs to make them leaner and stronger. Check them out below!

1. Plank Jacks

1. Start by standing at one end of the mat.
2. Bring your arms up and inhale, while stretching your waist and squeezing in your inner thighs tightly.
3. Bring your arms and head forward and exhale.
4. Lower your hands to the mat and put your palms facing down on the floor, while touching your knees with your head.
5. Move forward with your hands to the entire length of the mat until you are in a plank position. Keep your abs scooped.
6. Now jump your legs open and close ten times, and maintain the same position of your shoulder and wrists.
7. From the plank position move your palms back to your feet with your knees meeting your head, and then stand back up.
8. Repeat the exercise 5 times.

2. Bridge With The Pilates Ring

1. Begin by placing your feet and your back on the mat. Hold the Pilates ring with your thighs. Make sure the ring is set just over the knees. Do NOT stretch the distance between your feet to accommodate for the ring.
2. Squeeze the ring and as you do make sure that the knees return to them lining back with the ankles.
3. One rep is squeezing and releasing the ring. You must complete at least 10 reps.

3. Jog Without Your Heels Touching The Mat

1. Start by standing tall with your elbows by your side and your chest lifted.
2. Jog in the same position but with the knees going as high as you can. Keep your chest lifted during the entire exercise.
3. Do it for one minute.

4. Mountain Climbers

1. Think faster versions of the “knee ins”. Start by getting yourself into a plank position.
2. While maintaining your body balance, bring a single knee forward, toward the elbow. Then switch legs.
3. All through the exercise do not make the common mistake of putting too much pressure and weight on your hands or your toes.
4. Do 20 reps on each side.

5. Thrust Squats

1. Stand with your arms in the air, and your torso stretched tall with your back to the length of the mat.
2. Squat and put your palms in front of you on the floor. Place them wider than the length of your shoulders.
3. Thrust back your legs as if you are going backward in a plank position. Make sure when you land in the plank position your belly is firmly pulled in.
4. Reverse the moves to get into the standing position.
5. Repeat 10 times.

6. Outer Ring Bridge

1. Begin the exercise by laying with your back on the mat. Put both of your legs through the Pilates ring and pull it up just over your knees.
2. Bend up the knees by putting your feet flat on the surface of the mat. Do not place them any wider than the distance of your hips. Make sure that your ankles and knees are correctly aligned.
3. As you lift your pelvis to complete the bridge position, keep pressing on the ring till you feel pressure in your saddlebags.
4. Exhale as you bring your pelvis down.
5. Repeat 15 times.

7. Rollups

1. Start by lying on the mat (on your back). Squeeze your legs together. Flex your feet to make both the ankles meet.
2. Stretch your arms back next to your head. Bring them forward while keeping them apart and bring them parallel to your feet.
3. This will lift your torso too, with every lift try to make your head reach your knees, and your hands cross your feet.
4. Repeat 10 times.

There you have it, all the exercises you need to keep your joints healthy, abs engaged and thighs leaner. These full body Pilates moves are perfect for making your body more flexible.

If you’re not into Pilates and more into cardio and weight lifting, then a routine that is a combination of both can also help your body evade workout injuries too.