41 Min Pilates Core Workout is Day 44 in Heather Robertson‘s HR12Week 5.0 program.
Pilates is no fun but I did get an intense workout. During the second circuit my abs started burning. No regrets now that it is over but I am definitely not motivated to do this workout again! Unfortunately I know there are more pilates workouts in the later days of this program.
This is a circuit-based workout. There are 3 circuits and each circuit is done twice. The first circuit has some standing exercises and the last two circuits are all mat based exercises The exercises are done interval style: 45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of recovery. There is a timer in the lower right-hand corner of the screen counting down your intervals and recoveries. During the recoveries Heather previews the next exercise.
41 Min Pilates Core Workout is 39:44 minutes; 30 second intro, 4 minute warm up and 4 minute stretch. Equipment: dumbbells and a fitness mat. Heather recommends light dumbbells (3 to 8 pounds). The weights listed below are what I used.
Circuit 1:
- Balance & twist (hold a DB in each hand, DBs pressed together in front of chest with elbows extended out to sides, raise one knee and balance while twisting torso/arms toward knee, alternate sides) (10# DBs)
- Side bend & tuck (stand holding DBs together in one hand, do a side band, reaching other arm overhead to other side while lowering DB arm down thigh, return to upright, lift one knee out to side while bringing elbow of non-DB hand to knee) (one 20# DB)
- Repeat #2 on other side of body
- Side leg lift & crunch (in modified straight arm side plank (one hand and same side knee on mat) with top leg extended straight and top arm extended overhead, lift top leg then bend knee, pulling it into chest while bringing top elbow to meet knee)
- Repeat #4 on other side of body
- Repeat #1-5
30 second rest
Circuit 2:
- Loaded dead bug (lay on back, legs are raised w/ knees bent at 90 degrees and arms/DBs are extended straight to ceiling, lower one arm/DB overhead while also extending the opposite leg straight) (15# DBs)
- Around the world crunch (lay on back with legs raised and knees bent at 90 degrees, hold one DB in each hand, extend arms/DBs overhead, as you crunch upper body extend arms out to sides so they meet behind thighs at top of crunch then extend arms back out to sides and overhead as you lower upper body, legs remain stationary the entire interval) (5# DBs)
- Frog toe tap (lay on back with hands behind head and head/shoulders elevated, legs are bent and raised to 90 degrees, insoles of feet are together and knees opened wide, keeping knees bent and insoles together, lower legs tapping feet to mat then return them to start)
- Sit up & press (start laying on back with knees bent and feet on mat, hold a DB in each hand at shoulders, do a full sit up, at top of sit up do a double arm overhead press) (12# DBs)
- Loaded 100s (pilates 100s holding light DBs in each hand) (3# DBs)
- Repeat #1-5
30 second rest
Circuit 3:
- Bear plank in reach (hold bear pose isometrically (on hands and toes w/ knees bent at 90 degrees and knees hovering a few inches off the mat), extend one arm straight in front of you, alternate arms)
- Superhuman (superman)
- Bird dog crunch (on hands and knees holding one light DB in one hand, extend arm w/ DB straight in front of you and opposite leg straight behind you, bring knee and elbow together under body the extend them both out straight again) (one 3# DB)
- Repeat #3 with other arm and leg
- Plank kick & tuck (in straight arm plank, lift one leg up straight behind you then bring knee to elbow outside of body, alternate legs)
- Repeat #1-5
For more info on Heather Robertson’s workouts and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.
