Pilates in Bed Is What You Need for a Slow-Paced Day
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If you struggle to drag yourself out of bed and get your morning started, you must not have tried Pilates in bed yet. Since you spend one-third of your life between the sheets, it makes sense to use some of that time setting yourself up for a relaxed and healthy day.
Bed Pilates Workout – 10 Exercises You Can Do Without Leaving Your Bed
While the beauty of bed Pilates is that it can be done from the comfort of your mattress, or even on a mat alongside your bed, wall pilates anywhere is also an option for those who want to mix up their routine and incorporate different elements into their workout.
Throughout the exercises, breathe in through your nose and breathe out through pursed lips.
One-Legged Supine Spinal Twists
Targets: Stretches the back, shoulders, neck, chest, hips, and glutes
- Lie on your back.
- Inhale, right knee to chest.
- Exhale to take the knee across the body into a twist.
- The right palm rests gently on the knee.
- Bring your left arm straight out to the side.
- Gaze towards the left.
- Continue to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.
If the twist is uncomfortable:
- Gently roll more onto the outer hip.
- Keep a neutral upward gaze instead of turning in the opposite direction.
- Bring the extended arm closer to the body.
Hold the stretch for 1 minute.
Repeat on the other side.
Supine Butterfly Back Extension
Targets: Hips, groin, shoulders, rib cage, back, and abdominals
- Lie on your back with a neutral spine.
- Take the arms into a “T” shape.
- Bring the soles of the feet together while bending the knees. Allow them to open wide.
- Inhale to arch the lower back while tucking the chin.
- Exhale to press the lower back down to the bed or mat while tilting the pelvis and untucking the chin.
- Keep your core engaged as you repeat the motion.
Repeat 10 times.
Also, try these 10 lazy bed exercises for a toned body!
Alternate Knee Drops
Targets: Inner thighs, abdominals, lower back, and hips
- Lie on your back with a neutral spine and gaze up.
- Arms are down the sides of the body.
- Inhale to bend the knees and plant the feet slightly wider than hip distance apart.
- Turn the toes outward.
- Exhale as you drop the right knee inward towards the midline, rotating onto the inner right foot.
- Keep the left leg stationary.
- Inhale to return to the original position with both feet planted.
- Exhale to drop the left knee inward towards the midline, rotating onto the inner left foot.
- Repeat this motion, alternating between each side.
Repeat 5 times on each side.
Hip Pry
Targets: Opens the hip flexors
- Begin lying on your stomach with the forehead resting gently on the palms.
- Inhale to lift the right leg off the bed or mat and bend the knee.
- Exhale to reach the right foot across the midline.
- Tap the foot on the outside of the left side of the body.
- Return to starting position and repeat the motion using your breathing to guide you.
Repeat 5 times on each side.
Child’s Pose Cobra Rolls
Targets: Arms, shoulders, back, core, glutes, chest, hips, and legs
- Begin in Child’s Pose. Reach your palms out in front of you, settle your hips back towards the heels with your big toes touching and forehead resting gently on the bed or mat.
- Inhale to roll forward as you straighten the legs.
- Exhale to straighten the arms as you settle the front of your hips towards the bed or mat into Cobra Pose.
- Settle the hips back into Child’s Pose and continue the rolling motion back to Cobra using your breathing to guide you.
Continue this motion for 1 minute.
Four-Point Kneel With Scapula Push-Ups
Targets: Arms, shoulders, and back
- Begin in an all-fours position with a neutral spine.
- Plant your palms and the tops of your feet on the bed or mat.
- Stack your shoulders over the wrists, and your hips over the knees.
- Engage your core.
- Inhale to draw the shoulder blades together while you drop the chest slightly towards the bed or mat.
- Exhale to round and separate the shoulder blades while pressing the chest away from the bed or mat.
- Keep your arms straight as you slowly repeat the motion.
Repeat 10 times.
Cat-Camel Stretches
Targets: Loosens the spine while stretching through the torso and neck
- Begin in an all-fours position with a neutral spine.
- Plant your palms and the tops of your feet on the bed or mat.
- Stack your shoulders over the wrists, and your hips over the knees.
- Engage your core.
- Inhale to drop the belly and arch the spine while raising your gaze.
- Exhale to round the spine and tuck the chin towards the chest while pressing the bed or mat away.
- Slowly repeat this motion using your breathing to guide you.
Repeat 10 times.
Seated Spinal Twists
Targets: Chest, shoulders, back, abdominals, and hips
- Begin sitting up straight with your legs extended in front of you.
- Inhale, right knee to chest, and plant the foot on the outside of the left leg.
- Exhale as you twist towards the right, placing your left elbow outside the right knee.
- Gaze over the right shoulder.
- Continue to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.
If the twist is uncomfortable:
- Gently rest the left palm on the right knee instead of using the elbow.
Hold the stretch for 1 minute.
Repeat on the other side.
Supine Straddle Stretch
Targets: Inner thighs, groin, lower back, hamstrings, and hips
- Begin lying on your back.
- Extend your legs upward.
- Place your palms on the inner thighs.
- With an exhale, gently press your legs apart into a straddle.
- Keep your chin slightly tucked and spine pressed into the bed or mat.
- Continue to inhale through the nose and exhale through the mouth.
Hold the stretch for 1 minute.
Supine Twist Rolls
Targets: Stretches the back, shoulders, neck, chest, hips, and glutes
- Lie on your back.
- Take the arms into a “T” shape.
- Gaze towards the ceiling.
- Inhale to bend the knees towards the ceiling.
- The toes lightly touch the bed or mat. The heels are up.
- The legs now create an upside-down “V” shape.
- Exhale to let the knees fall towards the right into a twist.
- Keep the feet together.
- Inhale, knees back through the center.
- Exhale to let the knees fall towards the left into a twist.
- Slowly repeat this motion using your breathing to guide you.
Continue this motion for 1 minute.
Final Words
Throughout the circle of life, the bed plays a central role. There’s the marital bed, the death bed, and now – the Pilates Bed!
If you thought some of these moves seemed like yoga, you’d be right. Pilates and yoga share many similar exercises, several of which can be done in bed. If you want to try more, use a convenient yoga app to find other mattress-friendly moves.
Key Takeaways
- You don’t have to leave your bed to focus on fitness.
- Pilates in bed moves can also be done on a yoga mat.
- Breathe in through the nose and out through pursed lips.
- These 10 exercises provide full-body movement.
