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26-Minute Feel-Good Daily Mat Pilates Routine for Beginners

26-Minute Feel-Good Daily Mat Pilates Routine for Beginners — video by BASI Pilates Play · 25:54

Video by BASI Pilates on YouTube · Open on YouTube

BASI founder Rael Isacowitz teaches an unhurried daily mat routine: knee-hug stretches, pelvic curls, arm circles, knee sways, chest lifts, side lifts and side kicks, side bridge, single-leg kick, swimming, cat stretch and lunges with roll-downs. The side bridges are the hardest part.

  • 26 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • mat
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Step by step 13

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Lie down and settle: spread the feet, find neutral, then hug each knee in with the other leg stretched long. 0:28
  2. Pelvic curls: exhale to roll the spine up to the shoulders, pressing through the feet, then roll down slowly. 4:00
  3. Arm circles: arms to the ceiling, reach them overhead and around to your sides to free the shoulders. 5:30
  4. Knee sways: arms in a T, legs squeezed together as one, tip them side to side and exhale back to centre. 6:24
  5. Chest lifts with the head heavy in your hands, then lifts with rotation, then single-leg stretch. 7:54
  6. Spine twist with the legs in tabletop: small and controlled, abdominals protecting the lower back. 10:45
  7. On your side: side lifts with the underside of the waist flat, side kicks on the forearm, then side bridges. 11:43
  8. Other side: side lifts, side kicks on the forearm and side bridges with a five-count hold. 14:28
  9. Single-leg kick on the forearms, elbows under the shoulders, alternating kicks with the legs reaching long. 17:03
  10. Swimming: opposite arm and leg flutter, breathing in and out for five, then arm lifts and rest back. 18:00
  11. Cat stretch on all fours: round the lower back, then lengthen and arch the upper back. 19:40
  12. Low lunge, arms up: straighten and bend the back leg, then hold the hip flexor stretch; then the other side. 20:54
  13. Roll up through the spine from a forward fold a few times, then open the arms and finish with deep breaths. 22:48

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Let the head rest in your hands and lift with the abdominals, not the neck
  • Keep the legs together as one and let the abdominals protect the lower back in twists
  • In the side lift, flatten the underside of the waist and reach long through the feet

What it works Whole body

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 4 takes load

  • Shoulders takes loadside bridges on the forearm
  • Lower back takes loadswimming, single leg kick, chest lifts
  • Hips takes loadlow lunges with back-knee lifts, side kicks
  • Knees takes loadlow lunges, all fours
  • Neck moveschest lifts with the head in the hands
  • Elbows movesside bridge and prone kicks on the forearms
  • Wrists & hands movescat stretch on all fours, lunge hands down
  • Upper back movesarm circles, swimming, cat stretch
  • Kneeling. Pressure on the kneecaps — a folded towel or cushion under the knees helps.
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.
  • Rounding or twisting the back. With osteoporosis or a back problem, move smoothly and within comfort, and ask a physio which suit you.

Easier option from the coach: Stay in the hip-flexor stretch instead of the lunge leg work

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by BASI Pilates; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety