Pilates Fusion // Full Body HIIT Workout

Pilates Fusion // Full Body HIIT Workout is another pilates inspired workout from Heather Robertson. She has created 3 to date and they all have very similar titles. So, like many of her other workouts, I have to keep track of them by not only my reviews (I access the workouts through these reviews since trying to differentiate them on a YouTube playlist is just confusing) but also by using the exact time/length of the workout.

This was a very impressive workout. This is the second of Heather’s pilates inspired workouts I have done so far. The first was HIIT Pilates Workout // Total Body Fusion Workout. That was a beautiful feel good workout. This workout was also beautiful but it was more challenging than HIIT Pilates. I was working much harder. This is a total body body weight strength workout that is so graceful it sneaks up on you. It wasn’t until the second circuit that I became aware of how hard I was working. I loved how I felt some of these exercises deep in my muscles. And one of them was very challenging (for me at least)–the Bear Kick Back (second circuit, exercises 6 & 7). Those hit your quads hard. I am not a fan of pilates and I did not expect to like these workouts as much as I do. But it is Heather Robertson, so I guess it shouldn’t surprise me. She consistently creates impressive workouts.

This workout is made up of 2 circuits. Each circuit is repeated once. This workout is done interval style. Each exercise is done for 40 seconds followed by 10 seconds of recovery. During the recovery Heather previews the next exercise. There is a timer in the lower right hand corner of your screen, counting down the intervals and recoveries.

Pilates Fusion // Full Body HIIT Workout is 35:32 minutes; 3 minute warm up and 4 minute stretch. Equipment: fitness mat.

Circuit 1:

1. Squat & reach (when in squat, arms flow out in front of you, when you stand, arms push back behind you)
2. Tuck & kick (get on hands and knees then lower onto one elbow, other arm is still extended straight, bring knee of straight arm side in to tap elbow then kick leg up straight behind you to ceiling)
3. Repeat #2 on other side of body
4. Push up extension (do one tricep push up then lower onto mat and, keeping hands in same position under shoulders, raise legs/chest/hands, alternate these two moves)
5. Pilates 100 bike (sit on bottom, torso leaned back slightly, arms extended straight to sides, raise and lower arms quickly in pilates 100 fashion while bicycling legs)
6. Clamshell reach (in modified side elbow plank (on one elbow and one knee), keep hips raised and reach top arm under body then reach arm to ceiling while opening top knee, keeping soles of feet together)
7. Repeat #6 on other side of body
8. Down dog burpee (start in straight arm plank, push back to downward facing dog, return to plank, walk feet into hands, stand and reach arms overhead)
9. Repeat #1-8

30 second rest

Circuit 2:

1. Inchworm climbers (start standing, hinge forward and walk hands out to plank, bring knee to same side elbow outside of body, once each leg, walk hands back to feet, stand and reach arms overhead)
2. Leg drop (lay on mat, knees bent and feet on floor, raise hips off floor and extend one leg straight to ceiling with toe flexed, lower leg slowly and when it is a few inches off floor, point toe and raise it back to start, hips remain elevated isometrically throughout in bridge pose)
3. Repeat #2 on other leg
4. Squat & squeeze (hold squat isometrically, arms are raised to shoulder level, extend arms straight in front of you then pull elbows back, squeezing shoulder blades together)
5. Butterfly twist (lay on back, hands behind head, legs are extended straight a few inches off floor and soles of feet are together, pull in knees, keeping soles of feet together and knees turned out, do a full crunch, bringing both elbows to both knees, then bring one elbow to opposite knee, repeat on other side and return to start position)
6. Bear kick back (in bear pose (on hands and toes, with knees bent and elevated a few inches off the floor), push one foot up to ceiling and bring back to start)
7. Repeat #6 on other side of body
8. Side lunge & reach (stand with legs wide and do stationary alternating side lunges, reach arms down so fingertips touch floor on either side of foot when in lunge and raise straight arms overhead when changing sides)
9. Repeat #1-8

For more info on Heather Robertson’s workouts and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.