three women doing yoga

written by Nina Shantel, blog: RealDietHelp.com, published July 3, 2023

In this Pilates full-body workout, I’ve incorporated exercises such as plie squats, chair pose, cobra push-ups, and traditional weightlifting exercises with dumbbells for an all-around fun, strength workout. The equipment needed to perform it exactly as shown is a mat, a sturdy chair or a barre, a glute band, and one set of light dumbbells. I’m using 8-pound dumbbells, but you may prefer to use 5-lb or 3-lb dumbbells. You can also do this 35-minute workout without weights or a band.

All exercise involves risk (so does inactivity). You assume all risks of injury so go at your level.

Below are the exercises in order:

  1. 1st position plie squats (heels) together with calf raises
  2. Banded, standing donkey kicks
  3. Banded side-to-side plie squats with 1-dumbell, held vertically by the ends, by chest (weight is optional)
  4. Squats on toes, hold barre or chair
  5. Chair-pose with alternating heels lifts, arms overhead to airplane arms
  6. Calf raise hold at barre for 1-minute.
  7. Kneeling lunge with fingers behind ears. Rotate torso in a circular motion 4 times to the right & 4 times to the left. Repeat with other leg in a kneeling lunge position. (core exercise)
  8. Cobra pushups
  9. Strict lateral raises with 3-count eccentrics (lowering). This works the shoulders.
  10. Bent-over Y’s
  11. Standing single leg butt-kicks with biceps curls on one leg.
  12. Standing single leg butt-kicks with the other leg with alternating overhead triceps extensions (back of the arms) and W-press (shoulders)
  13. Side pulls: Hold one dumbbell in each hand, bring weight up to ribs, lower and repeat (back exercise)
  14. On back, put legs straight in the air, with toes pointed, bring legs togethers and pull them apart to work the inner and outer thighs and lower abdominal muscles.
  15. Side elbow plank, plus curl bent elbow to fist on each side. 8-reps.
  16. Plank with knee taps
  17. Lay on stomach and lift legs with pointed toes a few inches off the matt. Make sure to lift the thighs off the matt too (not shown in the video because I forgot).
  18. Plank, bring left foot outside of left hand, bring right arm up for a twist. Bring left foot back to plank. Downward dog. Switch sides. Repeating with the right leg.
  19. Child’s pose stretch
  20. Pigeon pose
  21. Quad stretch
  22. Mermaid stretch
  23. Hamstring stretch on back, point and flex feet
  24. Figure-four glute stretch (this stretches the butt aka glutes)
  25. Seated pec stretch (this stretches the chest muscles)
  26. Biceps and triceps stretches
  27. Seated butterfly stretch

Play the YouTube video above, or click the image below to join me in this workout.

If this post is located on any other website other than mine, which is RealDietHelp.com, it’s been unauthorized, plagiarized (copied without my permission). The other social media sites where my articles and videos are approved to be published are on my YouTube channel (Nina’s Nutrition & Exercise Videos), my Fit Girl Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/TheHighFiveDiet/ and my Twitter account https://twitter.com/medairyfree