6 Pilates Exercises to Lose Weight and Tighten Your Body

Pilates exercises (Image via Unsplash/Ash Hayes)

Pilates exercises are effective low-impact workouts that can help lose weight and tighten the body.

These exercises also provide several other benefits, including building lean muscles, getting a toned body, enhancing posture, and more. However, there are six essential principles of Pilates exercises that need to be followed to reap maximum benefits.

Pilates Exercises to Lose Weight and Tighten Body

We have curated a list of the six best Pilates exercises that can help you lose weight as well as tighten your body:

1) Kneeling Side Kick

How to do it?

Begin in the kneeling position on the ground with your waist elongated.
Press onto your right palm on the ground, and extend your left leg towards the side in alignment with your hips.
You should position your left hand at the back of your head, with your hips positioned just over your knees and shoulders above your wrists.
Swing your left leg backward powerfully without moving your hips to the front of your knees. Do not move the position of your upper body during the movements.
Without moving your hips, elbow, or chest, kick your leg to the front.
Keep doing the kicking movement of the front and back. Switch the sides of your legs, and repeat.

2) Plank Jack

How to do it?

Start by bringing your body into the conventional high plank stance on the ground with your palms pressing onto the floor just beneath your shoulders.
Both legs should be kept apart and straightened while balancing on your toes
Make sure not to arch your back during the movement while keeping it completely straight.
While balancing your body, jump to the side and outward simultaneously.
Bring both legs back to the starting position by jumping back inward. Repeat.

#3 Swimming

How to do it?

Begin by lying down position on your stomach, with your pelvic region and forehead pressed on the ground along with inner thighs positioned together.
Extend your arms to the front with your palms facing the ground and feet pointing to the back.
Simultaneously raise your head, arms, chest, and legs, and hold this position.
Without touching the ground, alternate between lifting your right leg/left arm and left leg/right arm.
Try to reach higher with the progressions.

#4 Leg Pull

How to do it?

Begin in the tall seated position, with your legs properly extended to the front, pressed together tightly, and feet pointed.
Position your arms at the back with your palms pressed onto the ground and fingers pointed inwards.
Press onto your palms, and raise your hips upward so that the body creates a straight diagonal line from your head through your heels.
While balancing your body into this position, raise your left leg upwards as much as you can, and with control, lower it back to the ground.
Make sure to keep your chest wide. Swap sides, and repeat.

5) Pilates Saw

How to do it?

Begin in the seated position on your hip bones with both legs extended in front of you. Open your legs wide apart, at least at the distance from the mat.
Open your hands to the side at shoulder height while keeping your back straight and spine elongated. Make sure to keep your body elongated.
Bring your right hand to the outside of your left ankle while maintaining a straight posture. Assume the center position before switching sides and repeating.

#6 Heels Up

How to do it?

Begin in a straight standing posture with your elbows tucked in towards the sides of your body and abdominal muscles tightened.
Start by jogging the movements of your legs by raising your knees alternatively to hip height.
After completing a few reps, start driving your knees to your hips, with your chest lifted and elbows tucked in.

Bottom Line

The aforementioned Pilates exercises are great f you want to lose weight and tighten your body.

Regularly performing them can help you lose weight by burning a decent amount of calories. They can also tighten the body by maximizing the toning of muscles and cinching the waist. Hollywood actresses like Margot Robbie credits Pilates exercises for her strong abs and elongated muscles.

After getting the hang of these exercises, you can also try to incorporate Pilates reformer weight loss workouts which can be considered advanced versions of Pilates exercises.