The stress-busting Pilates workout you’ve been looking for, and it only takes 10 minutes

Pilates has re-emerged as a popular workout trend in 2024 (interest in floor Pilates, for example, has grown 37 percent in the past year, according to consumer data firm Glimpse), and there is a good reason for this. Not only is Pilates designed to improve your strength and flexibility, but it can promote a mind-body connection that can help reduce stress.

Here’s what you need to know about the link between Pilates and feeling calmer, plus a 10-minute workout to try at home.

First things first: Why does Pilates relieve stress?

It’s not just anecdotal: Research shows that Pilates can help you feel calmer and better overall.

Pilates can help improve anxiety symptoms through mechanisms such as increasing blood and oxygen flow to the brain, relaxing muscles and increasing sleep quality, according to a 2015 study in He studied Social and Behavioral Sciences.

In another 2019 study published in Exercise rehabilitation magazine, 90 volunteers were randomly divided into three groups: a Pilates group, a yoga group and a control group (no exercise). Participants in the Pilates and yoga groups did their respective exercises for one hour three times a week for two months.

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The researchers found that Pilates was significantly more effective at improving functional movement and individual health (which includes factors such as emotional and mental well-being) than yoga or no exercise.

Practicing physical activity, such as Pilates, can help lower levels of stress hormones like cortisol and increase the production of endorphins, which are natural mood boosters, says Elma Panagaki, RYT -500, a certified 500-hour yoga and Pilates instructor at the Bay Club. .

It also helps you control your breathing to reduce stress, increases your heart rate without the need for a high-intensity workout, and helps you better understand the signals your body sends you through greater awareness, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

“Pilates emphasizes the mind-body connection through focused movement and controlled breathing techniques,” says Panagaki. “By paying attention to proper form and alignment during exercises, you develop a greater awareness of your body, which can help you better manage stress and anxiety by staying present in the moment.”

The fluid movements of Pilates sequences, combined with coordinated breathing, can also promote relaxation and a sense of calm.

“It incorporates stretching and lengthening exercises that help improve flexibility and release muscle tension,” says Panagaki. “Tense muscles are often associated with stress and anxiety, and by promoting flexibility and relaxation, Pilates can help relieve the physical symptoms of stress, such as muscle stiffness and tension.”

Both Pilates and yoga offer numerous (and similar) stress-relieving benefits. However, if you have trouble slowing down, you may find that Pilates is a more active but just as effective workout for de-stressing.

“Some people are afraid to try to relax, and because yoga is most often associated with stress relief, attending a yoga class can seem quite difficult,” says Panagaki. “In these cases, Pilates may be more appropriate than yoga, as yoga typically involves holding static positions for longer periods.”

A 10-minute Pilates workout to relieve stress

This short routine created by Panagaki is designed to help relieve stress by promoting relaxation, releasing tension from the body and encouraging a sense of awareness and well-being.

“Incorporate it into your daily routine as needed to help manage stress and improve your overall health and vitality,” says Panagaki.

A few tips while you’re at it:

• Focus on quality of movement, rather than speed, and remember to engage your core during each exercise for stability and support.
• Listen to your body and modify the exercises as needed to suit your flexibility and strength level.
• Pay attention to your breathing, inhaling deeply through your nose and exhaling completely through your mouth. Let your breath guide your movement and help you be present in the moment.

If any movement doesn’t feel right or causes pain, talk to a trainer to help with alignment and modifications.

1. Cat-cow stretch

1. Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
2. Inhale as you arch your back, lifting your chest and tailbone toward the ceiling (cow pose).
3. Exhale as you circle your spine, tucking your chin into your chest and drawing your belly button toward your spine (cat pose).
4. Flow smoothly between cat and cow poses, coordinating your movement with your breath.
5. Repeat for 1 minute.

2. From elbow to knee

1. Start in a tabletop position on your hands and knees, with your wrists aligned under your shoulders and knees under your hips. Find a long, neutral spine and engage your core.
2. Raise your left arm and right leg parallel to the floor without relaxing your core. Inhale and stretch as far as you can go.
3. Exhale and deepen your stomach towards your spine and bring your left elbow to your right knee.
4. Repeat 10 reps on each side.

3. Seated spinal twist

1. Sit tall on a mat with your legs extended and spread out as wide as you can. Flex your feet.
2. Engage your core and open your arms out to the side, like a T, with your thumbs up.
3. Inhale and lengthen the spine.
4. Exhale and turn, aiming to reach the left pinky finger with the right arm, without rounding the back.
5. Do 8 reps on each side, alternating sides.

4. Scissors

1. Lie on your back on a mat with your legs extended straight up toward the ceiling.
2. Engage your core muscles by drawing your navel toward your spine and pressing your lower back into the mat.
3. Lift your head and shoulders slightly off the mat, keeping your neck long and relaxed.
4. Lower one leg toward the mat while keeping the other leg raised toward the ceiling, maintaining a straight leg position. Grasp the raised leg with both hands behind the calf, ankle, or thigh, depending on your flexibility.
5. Inhale as you switch legs, lifting your lower leg toward the ceiling while lowering your other leg toward the mat.
6. Exhale as you switch legs again.
7. Continue alternating legs in a scissor motion; repeat for 10 repetitions.

5. Bridge

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat, hip-width apart. Keep your arms relaxed at your sides with your palms facing down.
2. Engage your core muscles by gently drawing your navel toward your spine.
3. Press into your feet as you exhale and lift your hips off the mat, aiming to create a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
4. Roll your spine off the mat one vertebra at a time, focusing on articulation through each segment of your spine.
5. Inhale at the top of bridge pose and exhale as you slowly lower your spine toward the mat, one vertebra at a time.
6. Repeat 10 repetitions.

6. Pose of the child

1. Start in a kneeling position with your toes together and your knees apart.
2. Sit back on your heels and lower your chest toward the mat, reaching your arms forward.
3. Rest your forehead on the mat and relax your entire body, allowing your breathing to deepen and your muscles to release tension.
4. Hold the pose for 1 minute, focusing on deep belly breathing and surrendering to any remaining stress or tension.

7. Stretching of figure-4

1. Lie on your back. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the mat, hip-width apart.
2. Cross your left ankle over your right thigh, creating a “figure 4” shape with your legs. Flex both feet.
3. Keep your head and shoulders relaxed on the mat and continue to breathe deeply and evenly throughout the stretch.
4. Hold the stretch for 40 seconds, then release and switch sides, crossing your right ankle over your left thigh.
5. Repeat the stretch on the opposite side, again holding for 40 seconds.

8. Supine spinal torsion

1. Lie on your back on a mat with your legs extended.
2. Bend your knees and bring them towards your chest.
3. Open your arms out to the side, like a T.
4. Bring your knees to the left side of your body. Turn your head to look over your right shoulder, feeling a stretch through your spine and outer hip. Keep both shoulders on the floor.
5. Hold the stretch for 1 minute, allowing your body to relax into the twist.
6. Inhale as you bring your knee back to center and exhale to switch sides.