Pilates by Rebecca

5-minute Pilates mat workout-no equipment needed

Do you consider yourself tight or inflexible in your body?

Me too! Here is a foundational workout 🎁you can do in 5 minutes with some hamstring lengthening and front body opening variations.

You’re welcome 😇

Share this with a friend…maybe one who says they don’t have time to workout.

Do you wake up in the morning with low back pain?😩

I use to have nagging back pain despite hours of exercise and ‘core’ movements. I was a Personal Trainer, and I could do planks and hanging ab curls all day long. 🏋️

It wasn’t until I found Pilates that I learned how to release my back pain.🥳

This side body routine is a go to for me when it feel tight and achey. I love ❤️ using the ladder 🪜 barrel 🛢 to open up my spine in all the right places.

Send me a DM if you wanna learn more about how I can help eliminate your back pain.

This tank is for 20% off for Labor Day until the end of the week. You can get your own organic bamboo tank on Etsy.com under LovePilates

Thinking 🤔 about mixing up your routine and trying Pilates?

You might just fall in love 🥰 like I did! (In more ways than one)

I remember learning bridging and that yummy feeling that I was giving myself a massage.

Today this is still one of my fav ❤️movements!

If you need to open up the front of your hips, massage your back and work your bottom, this is a great exercise. If your hips are tight, try elevating your feet 🦶

I am using the small barrel, but you can try at home with some thick 📕 or anything you can stand on.

The mini magic ⭕️ from Balanced Body is a great prop and use often to help with engaging the new knee and outer thighs. Check out my website Pilates123.com under Shop to purchase your own

Have you caught your reflection in the mirror and noticed you are slouching? Try this quick standing wall series to improve your alignment and release tension.

Tag your fitness buddy and let me know how you feel?

Parakeet, shoulder roll-down, bottoms up or the Shari.

What do you call it? ❓

My prescription from

I am working to build my roll-up and specifically the articulation thru my ribs. This is a break down of the rolling stomach massage. The cue I remember most was to pull my knees to my ears 👂 and to not allow the knees to go up.

The other cue I learned I was not getting, but as to keep the pelvis up when the knees reach up to the ceiling.

Breaking it up is so much harder! Try this breakdown and comment below 👇

Looking to upgrade your matwork?🏋️‍♀️

In addition to the amazing foot/toe 🦶exercises you can do with the rescue loop, you can use it to challenge your matwork.

I ❤️ my rescue loop because it connects my feet 👣 to my seat 🍑

It also squares the box 📦 and gives you body symmetry.

Go to my website Pilates123.com to find a Discount code and link to purchase under Shop

Footwork Transition on the Reformer

Attention Pilates Teachers 👩‍🏫

Try this transition to get more flow and more abdominal work.

⭐️ pull your knees into your chest Between each position
⭐️ try to lift both feet at the same time and lower both feet at the same time
⭐️anchor your tailbone as your pull your knees in
⭐️ anchor your navel as you lower your feet to the foot-bar

Share this with a Pilates friend

Towel exercise

Have your arches fallen? Or do you over probate when you walk/run?

Try this towel exercise to strengthen and lift your arches. You can also do it seared in a chair with your feet flat in the floor/towel.

Prep for High Scissors and Bicycle on the mat

Do you wish 🧞‍♀️you could do Advanced Pilates exercises like high scissors ✂️ and high bicycle 🚴?

Me too! That is why the spine corrector (shown here) is so amazing!

It lifts your bottom up for you (in more ways than one) and prepares you for the challenge of keeping your hips suspended in air against your moving legs 🦵

What Pilates exercise do you wish you could do?

Share this with a friend who wants to advance their practice ❤️

These days I am using my barrels 🛢more than ever!

I did a workout with my teacher this am and we used the small barrel for almost the entire workout!

All the Pilates Barrels are for opening any tight spots you have.

Where are you feeling tight? 👇

One Leg Kick on the small barrel

The single leg kick back, aka is number 6 in the stability thread of the Pilates mat.

Before working on this exercise, you will need to master the Single leg pull straight aka Scissors ✂️

You need the flexibility and strength built in the previous thread. In addition to practicing the previous thread, you can use the small barrel to open the front of your hips and make this exercise more stable.

Share this with a friend who needs hip opening or has a hard time with the one leg 🦵 kick

Book Opener

Do you have tightness in your mid/back or thoracic spine?

If so try this book 📕 opener exercise to open up your mid-back.

Tips for success:

1️⃣Keep your knees and hips hugging together and on mat
2️⃣ follow the twist with your head
3️⃣Think about moving from your rib cage

Share this with a friend who complains of back tightness or trouble breathing

Side bend with the roll-back bar.

Need a side body stretch?

Try this exercise with the roll back bar. I love ❤️ this exercise because stretching out your side body helps the body twist easier and therefore breathe easier.

Save this exercise to try on a rainy ☔️day

Twisted Swan on the Wunda Chair

Hahaha, yes I realize my chair 🪑 needs some oil!

Hopefully that does not distract from the thread a fellow student in Kathi Ross-Nash’s master program helped me discover when threading for our corkscrew.

What is threading? It’s the line that connects one exercise to another. It is what helps guide Pilates teachers to choose the exercise that will build the skill needed for a mat exercise.

All the exercises on the equipment are to build your exercises on the mat. Both mat abs apparatus exercises need to be practiced to build a uniform body.

What skills are your working on? 👇

Hahaha, yes I realize my chair 🪑 needs some oil!

Hopefully that does not distract from the thread a fellow PPATT student helped me discover when threading for our corkscrew.

What is a thread? It’s the line that connects one exercise to another. It is what helps guide Pilates teachers to choose the exercise that will build the skill needed for a mat exercise.

All the exercises on the equipment are to build your exercises on the mat. Both mat abs apparatus exercises need to be practiced to build a uniform body.

What skill do you need to develop? 👇

Hahaha, yes I realize my chair 🪑 needs some oil!

Hopefully that does not distract from the thread a fellow PPATT student helped me discover when threading for our corkscrew.

What is a thread ? It’s the line that connects one exercise to another. It is what helps guide Pilates teachers to choose the exercise that will build the skill needed for a mat exercise.

All the exercises on the equipment are to build your exercises on the mat. Both mat and apparatus exercises need to be practiced to build a uniform body.

What skill do you need to build? 👇

If you are new to Pilates by Rebecca, I coach high achieving fitness oriented women achieve the body of their dreams. I use Pilates, Feet-ness and plant-based nutrition as a vehicle to this destination.

Push Thru Seated Variation-Spine Stretch

Try this variation of push thru seated to get a better arm to back connection and to lengthen your lower back.

Share this with a friend who needs it. ❤️

Footwork with Push through bar

Need to open and stretch the front of your hips⁉️

Here is a variation of the footwork 🦶series with the push thru bar that will work your core and open your hip flexors.

There are so many variations and so little time! The key 🔑 is knowing which is the best exercise and variation for your body.

That is where I can help you by teaching you the exercises you need to progress and finally open up your hips!

DM me to schedule a Private session

Need to open and stretch the front of your hips⁉️

Here is a variation of the footwork 🦶series with the push thru bar that will work your core and open your hip flexors.

There are so many variations and so little time! The key 🔑 is knowing which is the best exercise and variation for your body.

That is where I can help you by teaching you the exercises you need to progress and finally open up your hips!

DM me to schedule a Private session

Single Leg kick back-focus on length in 2 directuons

Ever feel like you are you are not progressing fast enough?

Maybe you feel like you should be further along…in your life, your body, your career, etc.

I felt this way with many of the Pilates poses and I still do, but I found that focusing on the foundation would get you to move along much faster.

I ❤️ teaching the details so you get lightbulb 💡 moment when everything feels lighter yet stronger.

Learn how to deepen your practice and join me Mondays at 10 am MST for virtual Pilates & Feet-ness

Easy plant-based foods

If you’re thinking about a transition to a plant-based diet or want to decrease your animal protein and increase your plant consumption, I can help! This is not a trendy way to eat. I truly believe this is the best way to live.

Did you know I’m a plant-based expert?

After going plant-based in 2011, I decided to dive deeper and obtained my certification in plant-based nutrition through eCornell and Colin Campbell’s program. I’ve got lots of tips and fact based information to help you make the right amount of change for you and your lifestyle.

I like making simple foods that will last me through the week. It takes a little prep time to make your own hummus, some yams and some quinoa, but then you have some easy plant-based meals ready to go when you are hungry.

If you want to make a change towards a plant-based diet, comment below 👇 or send me a DM

Give yourself a break!

If you cannot sit up straight when seated on the floor, prop yourself up ⬆️

I say this all the time to my virtual Pilates & Feet-Ness class.

Should you be able to sit up straight with you legs 🦵 extended in front of you? Yes, but you need to get the spine stretch first 😉.

That’s why this exercise is called Spine Stretch Forward.

You can sit on a firm pillow, a bolster or anything that lifts you up a few inches or more.

Share this with a friend who cannot sit on the floor comfortably

Got grippy hip flexors? 😩

Whether you have been sitting for too long or you run 🏃‍♂️ hike or bike 🚴, you may have short and tight muscles connecting your hips to your legs 🦵

You probably have noticed how uncomfortable it is to sit criss cross apple 🍎 sauce on the floor or with your legs extended in front of you.

This exercise called the foot slide is one of many remedies I use for my students 👩‍🎓with grippy hips.

I use the small barrel, but you could get creative and elevate your hips with props around your house 🏡 like a couple of yoga blocks (shown here) or big firm pillow.

Share this with a friend who has grippy hips.