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Dr Michele du Plessis

Please note, you don't need to buy equipment, there are plenty of workouts using things you'd readily have at home included.

Workouts that need home based equipment include:

- Matwork

- Metabolic

- Weights (tinned food or water bottles will be perfect)

- Wall (A wall, door or cupboard door)

Workouts that include equipment are:

- Ball (stability ball usually 65cm or 75cm for taller people)

- Small Ball (10 to 15cm ball)

Read more

Please note, you don't need to buy equipment, there are plenty of workouts using things you'd readily have at home included.

Workouts that need home based equipment include:

- Matwork

- Metabolic

- Weights (tinned food or water bottles will be perfect)

- Wall (A wall, door or cupboard door)

Workouts that include equipment are:

- Ball (stability ball usually 65cm or 75cm for taller people)

- Small Ball (10 to 15cm ball)

- Band (therapy band, any color that you have is great.. if you go get  a band Blue is the average resistance) Grey or black are stronger and every other color is lighter resistance)

- Foam Roller (90cm  or longer in length)

It is recommended that you have a mat or soft surface to work on, carpeting or using a couple of towels will be perfect.

Pilates is a type of exercise system where you place your body in the correct alignment for each exercise. By doing this you lower exercise related risks and improve the quality of each move is increased ten fold.

When you can hold the correct positions while performing an exercise, you start to work multiple muscle groups and those muscle groups are the precise ones that correct your posture. Do you want to make your workout more effective? This is the method for you.

There are Six Principles that oversee your Pilates practice. These include:

Breathing

Rib Placement

Shoulder Placement

Activating your Core muscles effectively

Head Placement

Lower Back placement

Better than just improving your Pilates exercises you can then start to use these Six Principles when you do any other kind of exercise as well - Optimizing any fitness regiment you do.

Once we've learnt these Principles we'll start to build the foundation matwork exercises (one at a time) incorporating all six optimizers simultaneously.

This may sound daunting but you will get the hang of it easily. You can then spend time repeating these steps to grow your confidence or go on to do the full workouts provided.

Once you are proficient in the basics you can start working with the full workouts. I hope you enjoy the workouts. Please remember that Pilates is slow and controlled. Movements are usually smaller and less quick than what you'd expect.

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What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Pilates breathing
  • Exercising in the right placements & positions
  • Correct warm up routines
  • Three matwork workouts
  • Three stability ball workouts
  • Three over ball workouts (small ball)
  • Two foam roller workouts
  • Two band workouts
  • Two pilates circuits workouts
  • Two wall workouts
  • Two light weight workouts
  • Three stretch workouts
  • One ab attack workout
  • One leg workout
  • One upper body workout
  • Two pilates metabolic workouts
  • Cool down routine
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Syllabus

Swimming
Introduction
Once you know where it came from, you'll understand why we do it.
A history of Pilates
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Activities

Coming soon We're preparing activities for A Comprehensive Series of Pilates Workouts from Home. These are activities you can do either before, during, or after a course.

Career center

Learners who complete A Comprehensive Series of Pilates Workouts from Home will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Pilates Instructor
A Pilates Instructor guides individuals or groups through Pilates exercises, focusing on movement quality, posture, and core strength. This course is an ideal foundation for a future Pilates Instructor, as it encompasses the "A to Z of Pilates," starting with introductory lessons and progressing to numerous workouts using various equipment and no equipment. It provides a deep understanding of the Six Principles that oversee Pilates practice, such as Breathing, Rib Placement, and Activating your Core muscles effectively, which are crucial for teaching correct alignment and preventing exercise-related risks. Learners gain practical experience with matwork, stability ball, foam roller, and band workouts, alongside specific routines for different body parts and metabolic conditioning. This comprehensive practical and theoretical knowledge helps build the necessary skills to effectively instruct and demonstrate Pilates techniques, empowering others to optimize their fitness regimens.
Fitness Coach
A Fitness Coach works with clients to improve their overall physical health, set and achieve fitness goals, and develop sustainable exercise habits. This course helps build a foundation for a Fitness Coach, as the core principles of Pilates, such as correct body alignment, effective core activation, and controlled movement, are universally applicable to broader fitness training. Understanding these principles, including Head Placement and Lower Back Placement, allows a coach to help clients optimize any fitness regimen and reduce injury risks. The course’s focus on various workout types, from matwork to exercises with light weights and stability balls, provides a versatile toolkit. While specific to Pilates, the methodical approach to building foundational exercises and understanding how to target multiple muscle groups for posture correction can significantly enhance a coach’s ability to guide clients toward better form and more effective workouts across different modalities.
Personal Trainer
A Personal Trainer designs and implements individualized exercise programs for clients, providing guidance on form, technique, and motivation. This course offers valuable insights for a Personal Trainer by thoroughly covering the Six Principles of Pilates, which include precise body placements like Shoulder Placement and Rib Placement. These principles are fundamental to ensuring clients perform exercises correctly, enhancing effectiveness, and minimizing risk of injury across various fitness activities. The course's progression from foundational exercises to full workouts using diverse equipment, such as bands and foam rollers, equips a trainer with a broad repertoire of movements. Its emphasis on slow, controlled movements and proper alignment can help a personal trainer refine their clients' technique, correct posture, and activate specific muscle groups effectively, providing a solid grounding in teaching precise and impactful exercise methods.
Group Exercise Instructor
A Group Exercise Instructor leads multiple participants through various fitness routines in a class setting, ensuring safety and engagement. This course is highly relevant for a Group Exercise Instructor, as it provides a comprehensive array of complete workouts and circuits, explicitly designed for both equipment-based and no-equipment scenarios. The detailed instruction on the Six Principles of Pilates, such as Breathing and Core Principle, is transferable to leading any group fitness class, helping the instructor cue participants toward correct form and alignment. With specific routines for matwork, stability balls, light weights, and metabolic workouts, an instructor gains a rich catalog of exercises. The course's structured approach to building foundation exercises ensures that an instructor can effectively break down complex movements, allowing participants to grow confidence and perform exercises safely and effectively within a group environment.
Sports Conditioning Specialist
A Sports Conditioning Specialist designs and implements training programs to enhance athletic performance and prevent injuries for athletes across various sports. This course provides highly relevant principles for a Sports Conditioning Specialist. Pilates' emphasis on core strength, precise body alignment, flexibility, and controlled movements directly translates to optimizing athletic prowess. The course's detailed Six Principles, including Activating your Core muscles effectively and Shoulder Placement, are critical for improving athletes' biomechanics and stability, which are foundational for powerful and efficient movement in sport. Learning various workouts, from matwork to exercises with bands and stability balls, equips a specialist with tools to develop targeted strength and conditioning programs. Understanding how Pilates can "optimize any fitness regiment" makes this course valuable for enhancing an athlete's physical capabilities and reducing vulnerability to sports-related injuries.
Physical Therapy Assistant
A Physical Therapy Assistant implements treatment plans developed by a physical therapist, guiding patients through therapeutic exercises and modalities to restore function and reduce pain. This course's comprehensive approach to correct body alignment, controlled movement, and injury prevention is highly relevant for a Physical Therapy Assistant. The Six Principles of Pilates, which detail precise placements like Rib Placement and Shoulder Placement, offer a profound understanding of optimal body mechanics essential for therapeutic exercise. The course's progression through foundational exercises, such as Spine Twist and Hip Rolls, provides practical knowledge of movements that can be adapted for rehabilitative purposes. Its emphasis on optimizing movement quality and building core stability directly supports a Physical Therapy Assistant's role in helping patients regain strength, flexibility, and mobility while minimizing the risk of re-injury. Specific licensure is necessary, but the underlying knowledge is invaluable.
Rehabilitation Aide
A Rehabilitation Aide works under the supervision of therapists, assisting patients with therapeutic exercises and daily activities to recover from injury or illness. The principles of correct body alignment, controlled movement, and risk reduction, which are central to this course, may be useful for a Rehabilitation Aide. The course meticulously details exercising in the right Placements and Positions, crucial for safely guiding patients through movements. Knowledge of activating specific muscle groups for posture correction and the systematic approach to building foundational exercises, such as the Hundreds or Leg Circles, can directly apply to assisting patients with targeted restorative movements. The course's emphasis on slow, controlled movements helps an aide understand the precision required in a rehabilitative context, supporting patients in achieving better movement quality under professional guidance. While formal education is typically required for higher therapist roles, this course provides foundational knowledge.
Wellness Coordinator
A Wellness Coordinator develops and implements programs to promote holistic health and well-being within organizations or communities. This course may be useful for a Wellness Coordinator by providing a deep understanding of Pilates, a widely recognized modality for physical health. Knowing the "A to Z of Pilates," including its history, foundational principles like Rib Placement and Head Placement, and various workout types, enables a coordinator to effectively design or recommend physical activity programs. The course's focus on improving posture, activating core muscles, and optimizing overall fitness aligns perfectly with wellness objectives. This knowledge can help a coordinator advocate for and integrate mindful movement practices into comprehensive wellness strategies, addressing a broad spectrum of physical health needs within the population they serve and contributing to a more balanced and active lifestyle.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
An Occupational Therapy Assistant works under a therapist to help clients develop, recover, and improve the skills needed for daily living and work. The course's rigorous focus on correct body alignment, controlled movement, and specific muscle activation for posture correction may be useful for an Occupational Therapy Assistant. Understanding the Six Principles, such as Head Placement and Lower Back Placement, is crucial for assisting clients in performing exercises and functional tasks safely and effectively. The variety of workouts, including those using light weights or home-based equipment like a wall, provides practical insights into adaptable exercises. The emphasis on slow, controlled movements and improving movement quality can help an assistant guide clients in regaining motor skills, improving strength and flexibility, and performing activities of daily living with greater ease and reduced risk of injury. While specific certification is required, the principles are highly complementary.
Corporate Wellness Specialist
A Corporate Wellness Specialist designs, implements, and manages wellness programs for employees within a company, aiming to improve health, reduce stress, and boost productivity. This course is highly relevant for a Corporate Wellness Specialist. Pilates is a recognized form of exercise that promotes core strength, flexibility, better posture, and stress reduction – all vital components of any comprehensive corporate wellness program. The course provides a "comprehensive series" of workouts, from matwork to exercises using minimal home equipment, which can be easily adapted for office settings or virtual employee wellness initiatives. Understanding the Six Principles of Pilates, such as Activating your Core muscles effectively and Lower Back Placement, allows a specialist to introduce employees to safe and effective ways to improve physical well-being, combat sedentary lifestyles, and reduce common workplace ailments.
Dance Instructor
A Dance Instructor teaches various dance forms, focusing on technique, choreography, and artistic expression. This course may be useful for a Dance Instructor due to Pilates' profound impact on body awareness, core strength, flexibility, and precise movement control. The Six Principles, including Shoulder Placement and Lower Back Placement, are directly transferable to enhancing a dancer's alignment, balance, and stability – critical elements in all dance genres. The course's emphasis on slow, controlled movements, muscle activation, and improving overall quality of movement can help a Dance Instructor guide students in developing a stronger foundation, preventing injuries, and achieving greater fluidity and control in their performance. Understanding the body's mechanics through Pilates can significantly complement traditional dance training, offering a deeper insight into efficient and expressive movement.
Health Educator
A Health Educator teaches individuals and communities about behaviors that promote wellness and prevent disease, often developing and implementing health programs. This course may be useful for a Health Educator by providing a strong foundation in Pilates, a recognized and respected form of exercise. Understanding the "A to Z of Pilates," including its history, core principles, and the numerous physiological benefits like posture correction and core strength, enables an educator to effectively articulate the importance of physical activity. The course's focus on correct technique and optimizing "any fitness regiment" aligns with promoting safe and effective exercise practices. This knowledge can empower a Health Educator to inform and motivate others to incorporate mindful movement into their lives, contributing to broader public health objectives and encouraging active lifestyles.
Yoga Instructor
A Yoga Instructor leads individuals or groups through yoga postures, breathing exercises, and meditation, focusing on flexibility, strength, and mindfulness. This course may be useful for a Yoga Instructor, as Pilates shares common ground with yoga in its emphasis on controlled breathing, body awareness, core stability, and precise alignment. The Six Principles of Pilates, particularly Breathing and Head Placement, directly enhance an instructor's understanding of how these elements contribute to effective poses and movement transitions. While different in origin and specific poses, the course's detailed focus on correct placements and activating muscle groups for posture correction can enrich a Yoga Instructor's ability to cue students, deepen their understanding of anatomical alignment in various postures, and prevent injury, thereby optimizing the physical aspects of a yoga practice.
Ergonomist
An Ergonomist designs or modifies workplaces, jobs, and equipment to fit the worker, aiming to optimize efficiency and prevent injury or discomfort. This course, with its profound emphasis on correct body alignment, posture, and the Six Principles of Pilates (such as Rib Placement and Shoulder Placement), may be useful for an Ergonomist. Understanding how the body should ideally be positioned and how to activate specific muscle groups effectively can directly inform ergonomic assessments and recommendations for seating, workstations, and movement patterns to reduce musculoskeletal strain. The course's focus on optimizing any movement and preventing exercise-related risks provides practical insights into maintaining proper body mechanics in daily tasks, which is central to an Ergonomist's goal of creating safer and more efficient work environments. This role often typically requires an advanced degree.
Biomechanist
A Biomechanist studies the mechanics of living organisms, analyzing forces and movements within the body. This course provides a practical, experiential understanding of human movement that may be useful for a Biomechanist. While the role typically requires an advanced degree, the course's detailed exploration of the Six Principles of Pilates, focusing on aspects like accurate Head Placement, Rib Placement, and Activating your Core muscles effectively, offers a deep insight into how specific body placements influence movement efficiency and stability. Learning systematic foundation exercises, alongside the emphasis on slow, controlled, and precise movements, provides a real-world context to theoretical biomechanical concepts. This hands-on understanding of optimal alignment and muscle engagement can complement a Biomechanist's analytical work, helping them better interpret and apply mechanical principles to human performance and injury prevention.

Reading list

We've selected 22 books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in A Comprehensive Series of Pilates Workouts from Home.
Commonly used as a textbook for teacher training, this book provides deep anatomical insights into how specific muscle groups are activated during Pilates. It is particularly useful for the course's focus on 'correct alignment' and 'activating core muscles effectively.' The detailed illustrations help learners visualize the internal mechanics of the foundation exercises like the 'Hundreds' and 'Swan Dive.'
Written by a world-renowned authority, this comprehensive guide serves as an industry-standard reference for the entire Pilates repertoire. It covers both matwork and the use of various apparatus, providing technical depth that goes beyond the course's introductory videos. It is highly recommended for students who wish to transition from casual home practice to a more professional understanding of the method.
Perfect supplement for the course sections involving the small ball, foam roller, and resistance bands. It provides a wide array of exercises for each prop, adding significant breadth to the course's specific 'equipment' workouts. It acts as a useful reference tool for modifying exercises when students have limited space or specific physical constraints.
This is one of the most popular and reputable books in the field, specifically tailored for home practitioners without expensive studio equipment. It aligns perfectly with the course's 'Pilates from Home' theme and emphasizes the six principles of Pilates. It provides additional breadth by offering various levels of intensity for the matwork routines found in the syllabus.
This comprehensive volume popular and highly reputable resource that covers the 'A to Z' of Pilates, similar to the course's intent. It includes hundreds of photos and variations that can supplement the matwork and prop sections of the syllabus. It useful reference tool for creating personalized workout routines beyond the course's pre-set videos.
Published within the last five years, this book is an excellent current reference for those just starting their home practice. It mirrors the course’s introductory approach by breaking down fundamental movements into manageable steps. It is more valuable as a practical daily guide for students who need clear, modern photography to supplement the course's video lessons.
Is widely recognized for its reputation and authority, covering everything from basic principles to advanced sequences. It provides a structured approach that mirrors the course's progression from introductory lessons to full workouts. It valuable additional reading for those who want a printed 'manual' to accompany their digital learning experience.
The authors are highly respected 'second-generation' instructors who bring immense authority to this work. acts as a comprehensive reference for the entire system, including the equipment-based exercises described in the course. It is an excellent textbook-style resource for those looking to deepen their professional development in fitness.
Is highly relevant to the course's multiple 'Stability Ball Workouts' and the 'Ab Attack' section. It details how the ball can be used to challenge balance and core stability, which aligns with the course's core principles. It classic reference for incorporating the 65cm/75cm stability balls mentioned in the course description.
As the course emphasizes 'correct alignment' and 'lowering exercise-related risks,' this book provides the professional-level background needed to understand injury prevention. It useful reference tool for students taking the course for therapeutic reasons or to correct posture. The author highly respected physical therapist and Pilates instructor, adding significant authority to the reading list.
Published in 2020, this book addresses the course's goal of improving posture and correcting alignment. It is particularly helpful for the 'Cat Stretch' and 'Lower Back Placement' principles discussed in the syllabus. It serves as a practical guide for students using Pilates as a corrective exercise for spinal health.
Published in 2020, this book focuses on the 'metabolic' and 'strength' aspects of Pilates, which matches the course's inclusion of metabolic and circuit workouts. It is geared toward building power and flexibility, making it a great choice for professional development in the fitness field. It adds breadth by showing how the course's principles can be applied to high-performance training.
Published in 2020, this book provides a rich biographical and historical context for the 'A History of Pilates' section of the course. While not a workout manual, it offers deep insight into why the exercises were developed and how they evolved. It is more valuable as additional reading to foster intellectual curiosity about the method's origins.
Provides clear, color-coded anatomical diagrams for each exercise, which is very helpful for the course's 'Principles' section. It reinforces the importance of 'Rib Placement' and 'Shoulder Principle' by showing the muscles involved. It serves as a great visual review tool for students after they have completed the course's video modules.
As one of the first books to popularize Pilates for the general public, it has a high reputation within the field. It provides a solid foundation in the matwork exercises that form the core of the course's syllabus. It useful reference for students who want a classic, no-frills explanation of the movements.
Since the course includes two specific Foam Roller workouts, this book serves as an excellent technical supplement. It explains the myofascial release benefits of the roller, which adds depth to the course's 'massage stretches' and 'full body workout' segments. It practical guide for students who want to maximize the use of their 90cm roller.
Written by a famous ballerina, this book emphasizes the grace and control mentioned in the course's 'slow and controlled' movement instruction. It popular and accessible guide that focuses on the long-term benefits of the practice. It is excellent additional reading for students who want to see how Pilates principles apply to overall body movement and posture.
This short book provides the prerequisite philosophical knowledge regarding the 'Six Principles' mentioned in the course. It explains Joseph Pilates' vision for total body health and the importance of head and spine placement. Reading this helps students understand the 'why' behind the 'how' of the course's foundational exercises.
Offers a contemporary take on the original method, making it a good fit for a course designed for modern home use. It provides additional breadth by discussing the evolution of the exercises and how to adapt them for modern sedentary lifestyles. It reputable resource for those looking to understand the academic side of Pilates evolution.
Provides deep background knowledge on the psoas muscle and core activation, which is central to the course's 'Core Principle.' It is more technically challenging and offers a more academic look at the 'Transverse Abdominus' mentioned in the syllabus. It adds significant depth for students who want to understand the somatic side of Pilates.
While not exclusively a Pilates book, this is an excellent academic resource for the 'Stretch' and 'Joint Mobility' sections of the course. It provides the scientific background for why the course's stretching routines are effective for posture and range of motion. It valuable reference for students interested in the kinesiology behind their home workouts.

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