YouTube Has So. Many. Free Pilates Videos It's Unreal
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On the list of workouts that'll set your core on fire, Pilates is right up there with the best abs exercises of all time. In fact, its ability to sculpt your stomach like none other is one of seven Pilates benefits you don't want to sleep on.
What's more? It can do so with zero equipment (nope, not even a pair of wine bottles), which makes it a hero of at-home workouts. So, if you're looking for ways to make your obliques quake so good in the comfort of your own living room, consider cueing up one of the thousands of free Pilates videos on YouTube.
But since decision fatigue is real, rather than searching through all those options yourself, use this roundup of the best Pilates YouTube workouts to help you get to the good stuff ASAP. All of the videos on this list have lots of stans—at least a thousand likes and 50K views each. So, you can feel confident that they’re worth your time—whether you have an entire hour to spend on your mat (or just five minutes for a quick sweat snack).
Either way, you'll still reap some of the serious perks Pilates offers, such as improving your posture and increasing your flexibility. Oh, and because it’s a low-impact workout, Pilates is A-ok for all fitness levels. To get the most out of any move (read: all the gains), focus on going slow—you’ll activate your muscles more that way—and engaging your abs by drawing your belly button toward your spine. Sounds simple right? Well, trust that those two little tweaks are enough to next-level any of these exercises.
Keep reading for the top Pilates YouTube videos you can follow along with at home, whether you're a beginner or advanced student.
Pilates YouTube Workouts: Under 15 Minutes
If you want to target your lower abs
Time: 3 minutes
Rating: 10K likes
Views: 296K
Cassey Ho, founder of the Blogilates YouTube channel, is a go-to for quick, fun, and effective mat workouts like this one that focuses on those hard-to-engage core muscles below your belly button.
If you only have five minutes
Time: 5 minutes
Rating: 66K likes
Views: 6.7MM
This video is short and sweet. Plus, it happens to be the most viewed of all the Pilates abs workouts available on the super-popular channel, Blogilates.
If you're oh-so in to obliques exercises
Time: 8 minutes
Rating: 23K likes
Views: 2.2MM
Oh man, you'll feel the burn of this workout, targeting your abs and waist, well after it's over.
If you're looking for a hardcore challenge
Time: 8 minutes
Rating: 23k likes
Views: 1.3MM
Cassey Ho leads you through a series of challenging core moves in this series. Each one is ~intense~. But requires no special equipment.
If you want a quick abs and back workout
Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 2.3k likes
Views: 195K
Focus on toning and sculpting your complete core with this 10-minute workout.
If you want a sweat snack
Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 1.1K likes
Views: 78K
This short, lower-abs focused Pilates workout is a perfect add onto another workout, or when you want a quick sweat sesh to squeeze in to your day.
If you're trying to sculpt a six pack
Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 15K likes
Views: 1.2MM
Target your rectus abdominis and obliques with a beautiful beach landscape in the background.
If you want to learn advanced technique
Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 3.9K likes
Views: 258K
Trainer and fitness influencer Rebecca Louise has earned a mega YouTube following thanks to her advanced Pilates sequences like this one, which is all about working the waist.
If you want a badass butt workout
Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 7.8K likes
Views: 651K
You won't waste any time with this 10-minute Pilates workout since it targets the abs and glutes simultaneously.
If you want train your abs from every angle
Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 1.6K likes
Views: 41K
The Love Sweat Fitness online community is over half a million strong, and its founder Kaite Dunlop's take on Pilates will work your entire core in under 10 minutes. Newbies take note: You'll get plenty of modifications if you need them in this video.
If you want focus on the basics
Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 1K likes
Views: 55K views
Try a classic mat Pilates core workout in this 10-minute circuit.
If you want to cross train
Time: 10 minutes
Rating: 35K likes
Views: 3.1MM
Cassey Ho says she designed this 10-move abs sequence specifically for adding on to another workout (like cardio or HIIT). So bookmark this one to do after your next run or aerobic sesh to balance your workout and target your abs.
If you want an ~intense~ abs workout
Time: 11 minutes
Rating: 4.7K likes
Views: 514K
This video is sure to fire up every part of your core.
If you want a Pilates/HIIT mashup
Time: 13 minutes
Rating: 35K likes
Views: 3.1MM
Get your HIIT cardio session in while also toning and working those abs in this video with well over 3 million views.
If you want to train like a Victoria's Secret model
Time: 14 minutes
Rating: 46K likes
Views: 5.3MM
Look to the Victoria's Secret angels for fitspo (and love working out to Taylor Swift and Ke$ha)? Then this workout is for you.
Pilates YouTube Workouts: 15–30 Minutes
If you want a good abs and butt workout
Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 39K likes
Views: 4.5MM
Boho Beautiful's 15 minute Pilates sequence targets the core and glute muscles for a quick, yet effective, sweat session.
If you only have 15 minutes
Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 1.8K likes
Views: 97K
Short on time but want to get in a solid core workout? All you need is a mat and a little bit of time for this Pilates abs series with Pilates instructor and Bailey Brown.
If you want to look at snowy mountains while you sweat
Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 9K likes
Views: 706K
You're only 15 minutes away from a stronger core with this Pilates workout video from Boho Beautiful shot on a beautiful, wintery mountain landscape.
If you want a core quaking workout
Time: 15 minutes
Rating: 22K likes
Views: 2.7MM
Cassey Ho promises to help fire up your midsection in this challenging mat workout.
If you want your abs to feel the burn
Time: 17 minutes
Rating: 1.5K likes
Views: 214K
This Pilates workout leaves no core muscle untouched.
If you're a beginner
Time: 18 minutes
Rating: 17k likes
Views: 1MM
Learn the basics of Pilates and work every part of your core in this beginner's Pilates workout video.
If you want a no-frills workout
Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 14K likes
Views: 580K
This no-equipment workout is a great option for travel or at home when you want to get in a no fuss, abs-challenging sequence.
If you want to sculpt your abs AND arms
Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 22K likes
Views: 1.2MM
This workout sculpts both muscle groups at the same time–all in under 20 minutes. The best part is, it's designed specifically to do in an apartment (i.e. no jumping or angry neighbors required.)
If you want to focus on your breath
Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 1.8K likes
Views: 161K
In true Pilates fashion, you'll especially focus on the core and using breathwork to engage your abs muscles even deeper.
If you want a total-body workout
Time: 20 minutes
Rating: 35K likes
Views: 3.3MM
If you're new to Pilates, try this 20 minute beginners workout. Work the entire body (especially the abs) and learn the basics in this video.
If you're California dreaming
Time: 21 minutes
Rating: 4.7K likes
Views: 360K
Join Boho Beautiful for a Pilates abs challenge set in the beautiful Joshua Tree.
If you want a Pilates/yoga fusion class
Time: 22 minutes
Rating: 8.3K likes
Views: 915K
While technically a Pilates and yoga fusion combo, this workout contains plenty of Pilates-inspired abs moves. The sequence focuses on the core and legs specifically.
Pilates YouTube Workouts: 30 Minutes-Plus
If you want to sculpt from head to toe
Time: 30 minutes
Rating: 7.5K likes
Views: 996K views
Target the abs and get a full-body workout in with this 30-minute video from certified trainer Amy Kiser Schemper, founder of BodyFit by Amy.
If you want a good glutes workout
Time: 45 minutes
Rating: 10K likes
Views: 2.3MM
Tackle this one on days you want a full-body workout that pays extra attention to your core.
If you have an hour and a Pilates ring
Time: 55 minutes
Rating: 5.2K
Views: 1,068,862
This 55-minute Pilates video will work your entire body with a focus on your abs, back, and butt. To do this video you'll need a Magic Circle (a.k.a. Pilates ring).
These days I try to make sure every type of workout I do involves some abs exercises. And on the days when I really want to focus on strengthening my core, I'm torn between doing classic moves on the mat like crunches, or more full-body moves like planks, side-planks and twists. But when I want to get the most challenging ab workout (you know, the one you'll still feel days later) I turn to Pilates. Why? For starters, Pilates is literally one of the most ab and core focused workouts out there (if you've ever been to a Pilates reformer class, you know what I mean).But when time, location, (or my wallet) prevents me from hitting up a Pilates class IRL, I prefer to get in a workout from home. The only problem? I don't have many Pilates moves memorized (and I like to switch things up and keep it interesting) so only doing the same three moves I can remember seems pretty boring.So I naturally turn to the internet for inspo (more specifically, YouTube). When you search "Pilates Abs Workouts" on YouTube you'll find literally thousands of videos. And if you're anything like me, more options isn't necessarily a good thing. (Decision fatigue is real.) And if that isn't overwhelming enough, once you find a video that looks ok, how do you know if the workout is any good? And that's where the beauty of YouTube ratings and likes come in. All of the videos below are vetted for having at least 1K likes and most have over 50K views. Plus, all of the videos below can be done anywhere, with no or little equipment (like a yoga mat.)
Keep reading for the top Pilates YouTube workouts you can do at home, whether you're a beginner or advanced student.
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