Latest news with #Pilates-style
Tom's Guide
20 hours ago
- Health
- Tom's Guide
I swapped my usual core workout for this 25-minute Pilates session — here's what happened
There are many training styles where working at a faster pace brings greater rewards, but when it comes to increasing your deep core strength, slow and steady wins the race. This 25-minute workout from Pilates instructor Nicole McPherson, who goes by Move With Nicole on YouTube, is the perfect example of this. It's a Pilates session where your core stays constantly engaged for long periods as you move through slow sets of exercises that will not only sculpt your abs and obliques but also build deep strength in your stabilizer muscles. As a runner, I'm always looking for sessions like this to help me maintain my form deep into longer training runs and races, but everyone can benefit from improving their core strength and the only equipment you need for this workout is one of the best yoga mats. The workout moves through a series of exercises to target the upper and lower abs, along with your obliques and deep core muscles. Nicole does the workout with you and provides advice on breathing as well, so make sure you can see and hear the video during the session. I gave it a go myself this week, swapping out my usual core routine for this slow and controlled session to see how it felt. Here are my main takeaways. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. I often go into workouts with the attitude that I just want to get through it, and end up rushing at times. With core workouts, that means I quickly exhaust my abs in particular and have to take breaks. I'm still getting a good workout done, but actually controlling my movements and maintaining a slow pace through the long sets in this session seemed tougher and also more effective. It maximized the time under tension for my core and pushed me to really engage the right muscles with each exercise. Don't be afraid to reduce your speed and let the deep burn come slowly. Nicole advises on how to breathe throughout each movement in the workout, and it's important to heed that advice, because I found it a lot easier to push through the harder sections when I was breathing correctly. It also helps you move at the right pace, moving slowly while you take long inhales and exhales, and lets you get deeper into stretches as well. I don't think this is a particularly beginner-friendly workout, because some moves require a fair amount of strength even to just get through a couple of moves, and there aren't really many modifications available for most exercises. If you're new to Pilates-style workouts, try this six-minute core session instead, or focus on building up your core strength in general before trying Nicole's workout. That goes for me too — I'd want to be a bit stronger before I did it again, as there were points where I had to rest for stretches during sets because I wasn't strong enough to maintain the movements. Along with the challenge to your core strength and endurance, this workout also requires some flexibility in your hips and legs I do not possess, which made some moves even harder. I already like doing a lot of yoga for runners, but clearly need to work on this more to get into a seated bend position or fully extend my leg above me when lying down. Pilates can be an intense workout that gets your heart rate up to burn calories, but that's not the case with this workout because of the slow pace you're moving at. I burned 52 calories in 25 minutes according to my Garmin Venu X1. It's a very effective workout for building strength, but if you're looking to burn calories, a faster training session like these HIIT workouts for beginners would be better.
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Aldi's £149 reformer Pilates machine is causing shopper frenzy– get one for £78
Aldi's SpecialBuy reformer Pilates bed launched over the bank holiday weekend and sold out within minutes Could Aldi have just launched the most popular SpecialBuy product to date? It seems so. Over the weekend, the supermarket debuted a reformer Pilates bed that had shoppers rushing to their local Aldi in an attempt to nab the £149.99 machine for themselves. However, most were met with queues, struggles and disappointment, and ultimately came home empty-handed. So what's the big deal, you wonder? Reformer Pilates – a workout done on a special bed that has hand and footstraps and adjustable resistance settings – is a huge fitness trend at the moment, with classes costing upwards of £25 per go. Most people want to go at least once a week, so you're paying a minimum of £100 every month for a few 45-minute classes. Aldi's £149.99 reformer bed is just one payment, and then you can do your own sessions right from your home. With most home Pilates beds costing a minimum of £400-£500 for a very basic model, and going up to £4k for one you'd find in a fancy studio, Aldi has made the machine affordable for all. But, as with all of its SpecialBuys, stock is limited and you won't be able to find everything new in your own local middle aisle, so what can you do if you want the bed but can't get your hands on it? You can call up other nearby Aldi stores to check for stock before you make the journey, or you can shop the next best thing for a low price point: Amazon's Foldable Pilates Reformer Board, £78.88. So if you've ever dreamed of the full-body toning magic of a reformer Pilates workout but couldn't quite justify the studio—or reformer bed—price tag, it could be for you, especially as an entryway buy if you're new to this type of exercise. Compact, versatile and coming in at well under £100, this clever kit offers multi-functional features like adjustable push-up bars and an automatic rebound ab roller—great for core strength, flexibility and balance. It's not a full sliding-bed setup, but it still brings a lot of that resistance-based goodness you'd expect from a reformer session. While Aldi's version more closely mimics a traditional reformer machine with a sliding mechanism, both products share a similar goal: delivering Pilates-style benefits in a space-saving, budget-friendly format. If you're tight on space or just starting out, Amazon's board is a brilliant, fuss-free way to dip into the trend. However, if you had your heart set on a more traditional reformer-style bed, Amazon's Pilates Reformer Machine, £341, is well worth the one-off payment. Sturdy and with all of the features that Aldi's bed has (plus more!), It'll last you years. Plus, if you're doing a class every week as a minimum, you'll make your money's worth in three months. It's worth noting that reformer Pilates is a form of exercise that typically involves guided instruction to ensure safe and effective movement. If you're new to it, it's worth heading to a few professional classes first to get your form right and learn about the machines. When using home reformer equipment, be sure to follow safety instructions, start slow and listen to your body to avoid injury.
