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Wall Pilates Exercises For Beginners

Wall Pilates Is Predicted to Be 2024's Biggest Fitness Trend — Worth a Try?

Jan 8 2024

It's predicted to be the biggest fitness trend of 2024, doesn't cost money, and needs very little equipment. In fact, just a blank wall. Yes, enter wall pilates. The hashtag already has over 22 million views on TikTok at the time of writing and PureGym labelled it as the workout to reign supreme this year with a huge 4,461 percent increase in interest. But what actually is it?

"Wall Pilates is a great full-body, low-impact workout that is safe for all fitness levels and will help with stability, balance, strength, and control," says Callie Jardine, certified Pilates instructor and creator of Sweaty Studio. (It's also gained traction as one of TikTok's newest obsessions.)

Wall Pilates is one of many ways to mimic reformer Pilates at home. "The wall is meant to mimic a foot bar of the reformer machine and will spice up your mat Pilates routine," Jardine explains. "Because your feet are typically elevated during this workout, you may experience increased circulation, improved digestion/sleep, and reduce muscle cramps, which is a vibe!" Not to mention, you'll get all the benefits of a Pilates practice, in general.

The workout started making waves last year when "Bare-minimum Mondays" began trending on TikTok. The movement encourages a soft, slow start to the week rather than coming out of your weekend with an exhausting vengeance.

Now sure how, exactly, to do Pilates on a wall? That's where Jardine comes in, with this 15-minute beginner-friendly wall Pilates workout. You can stream the entire follow-along routine from her YouTube channel below, or keep scrolling for a breakdown of every single move.

15-Minute Wall Pilates Workout

Equipment needed: a yoga or Pilates mat and wall

How it works: Warm up with some Cat-Cow and Thread-the-Needle stretch. Progress through the five wall Pilates exercises ahead, doing the designated number of reps for each move. Once you've completed all five exercises, repeat the circuit one or two more times. "Modify as needed and make sure to listen to your body!" Jardine encourages. "If you need to take a break, that's totally fine! Just hop right back in."

Image Source: Courtesy of Callie Jardine

Single-Leg Knee Crunch

This ab move isn't just a crunch. By focusing on one leg at a time and pressing the other foot into the wall, you're building core stability that keeps your spine protected even when your limbs are moving.

  • Sit about one foot away from a wall, and lie down on your back. Place your feet flat on the wall so your legs are in a tabletop position.
  • Extend your left leg at a diagonal so your toes are just hovering off the wall. Extend your arms overhead and press your lower back into the floor to engage your core. This is your starting position.
  • Draw your left knee in toward your chest while simultaneously curling your shoulders off the floor. Then, draw your arms toward the wall so they're next to your hips.
  • Slowly release the crunch, returning to the starting position. That's one rep.
  • Do 15 reps, then repeat on the right leg.
Image Source: Courtesy of Callie Jardine

Wall Bridge and Calf Raise

This wall Pilates move literally elevates the classic glute bridge, amping up the engagement of your glute muscles and core.

  • Sit about one foot away from a wall, and lie down on your back. Place your feet flat on the wall so your legs are in tabletop. This is your starting position.
  • Press your feet into the wall to engage your hamstrings and glutes, and lift your hips off the floor. (Make sure not to arch your back.) When your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees, lift your heels off the wall to balance on your toes, and do a calf raise.
  • Reverse the movement, lowering your heels to the wall and then your hips to the floor to return to the starting position. That's one rep.
  • Do 15 reps.
Image Source: Courtesy of Callie Jardine

Reach Backs

You've probably done this wall Pilates move before without the wall. The wall can actually help make this move easier by giving you something to press against with your feet and can also give you some tactile feedback that makes it easier to engage your core.

  • Start in a high plank position with the balls of your feet pressing into the wall, about mat-width apart. Your shoulders should be stacked directly over your wrists, and your body should form a straight line from shoulders to heels. This is your starting position.
  • Lift your hips up and back into a Downward Dog, reaching your right hand back to tap your left foot, ankle, or shin (whatever is within your reach).
  • Then shift your hips forward and down, returning your right hand to the floor to come back to plank and return to the starting position. That's one rep.
  • Repeat, this time reaching your left hand toward your right ankle.
  • Do 10 reps on each side.
Image Source: Courtesy of Callie Jardine

Marching Bridge

This wall Pilates move will challenge your core stability, Jardine says, as well as fire up your glutes and hamstrings.

  • Sit about one foot away from a wall, and lie down on your back. Place your feet flat on the wall so your legs are in a tabletop. Press your feet into the wall to lift your hips off the floor so your body forms a straight line from shoulders to knees. (Make sure not to arch your back.) This is your starting position.
  • Keeping your hips still (without allowing them to tilt or drop), lift your left foot off the floor and draw your knee in toward your chest. Maintain the same bend in your knee, only bending at the hip, and stop when your thigh is perpendicular to your torso.
  • Reverse the movement to return your left foot to the wall. That's one rep. Repeat with the right leg.
  • Do 10 reps on each leg.
Image Source: Courtesy of Callie Jardine

Wall Sit and Calf Raise

Spice up a basic wall sit with a calf raise (which will work your calves as well as your balance) and a shoulder raise to engage your arm muscles. "Make sure your ankles are directly below your knees," Jardine says, and think about "rolling through the balls of your feet to lift your heels off the mat."

  • Stand with your back to the wall. Walk your feet forward about a foot, lowering into a squat with your back pressed against the wall. Aim for your knees and hips to both be bent at about 90 degrees with your feet together. Extend your arms forward at shoulder height, palms facing toward each other. This is your starting position.
  • Holding the squat position, raise your arms forward and overhead so they tap the wall, biceps by ears.
  • Lower your arms to return to the starting position, then lift your heels off the floor to do a calf raise. Lower your heels to the floor. That's one rep.
  • Do 15 reps.
Image Source: Courtesy of Callie Jardine

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