Best Wall Pilates Exercises for Beginners
There are so many different types of Pilates out there — Mat Pilates, Reformer Pilates, Hot Pilates, Yogalates — and now there’s Wall Pilates to add to the collection. Like the name suggests, Wall Pilates is a type of Pilates that uses a wall to provide a solid surface for your Pilates exercises. Rather than using a Reformer or other equipment to add resistance, you can use the wall as a solid surface for leg exercises or to keep your alignment in check in tall standing postures.
Wall Pilates is beginner-friendly because you can always find a wall nearby (or a tree, for our outdoor fitness lovers), and it’s a low-impact workout that primarily involves bodyweight. You can also add in light weights to increase the sculpt and strength factor. We rounded up the best Wall Pilates exercises from Alo Moves Pilates instructor Tela Anderson. These exercises will target your arms, legs, and core for a well-rounded workout.
Want to try an online Wall Pilates workout? Access Tela’s Stand Tall class on Alo Moves with a free trial.
Benefits of Wall Pilates
Good for beginners
Low-impact
Cost-effective
Adds variety to your exercise routine
Builds strength and flexibility
Improves posture and spinal alignment
Who Is Wall Pilates Good For?
Anyone can benefit from Wall Pilates, but Anderson notes that it’s especially good for “anybody that sits at a desk or tends to have a rounded posture, or is texting on their phone with their head looking down.”
You can do wall Pilates to get you ready for the day with a tall spine, or practice it midday to release work-day tension.
What You Need To Practice WALL PILATES
All you need is a wall to practice Wall Pilates, but we also recommend having a mat and optional light weights (1-2 pounds). While you don’t necessarily need a mat for Wall Pilates, having one will cushion your back and feet when you’re lying in front of or standing against the wall.
Try These 10 Wall Pilates Exercises
Posture Reset
Grab light weights and lean against the wall with your feet one foot’s distance away from the wall. Bring your heels together and toes apart.
Press your lower back into the wall, then mid-back, upper back, and head. Pull your abdominals into the wall and open your shoulders wide into the wall.
Push your hands into the wall as hard as you can for 10 seconds.
2. Front Raises Against Wall
Grab light weights and lean against the wall with your feet one foot’s distance away from the wall. Bring your heels together and toes apart.
Lean your head into the wall. Pull your abdominals into the wall and open your shoulders wide into the wall.
Lift your arms out in front of you, hold steady for a moment, then bring them back down. Perform 10 reps.
3. Pilates Arm Circles Against Wall
Grab light weights and lean against the wall with your feet one foot’s distance away from the wall. Bring your heels together and toes apart.
Lean your head into the wall. Pull your abdominals into the wall and open your shoulders wide into the wall.
Lift your arms out in front of you, open your arms out wide, then drop your arms down by your sides. Complete 10 reps, then reverse the direction for 10 reps.
4. Pilates Lazy Circles
Grab light weights and lean against the wall with your feet one foot’s distance away from the wall. Bring your heels together and toes apart.
Lean your head into the wall. Pull your abdominals into the wall and open your shoulders wide into the wall.
Lift your arms out in front of you, open your arms out wide, then drop your arms down by your sides. Complete 10 reps, then reverse the direction for 10 reps.
5. Wall Reaches / Version A
Sit facing the wall with your feet against the wall. Pull your toes back toward you.
Reach your arms forward and round forward, dropping your chin to your chest. Place your fingertips on or toward the wall. If you can, press the heels of your hands into the wall and pull your navel back.
Hold for 3 seconds, then return to start. Perform three more reps.
6. Wall Reaches / Version B
Sit facing the away from the wall with your spine tall against the wall.
Bring your legs mat-width apart and flex your toes toward your face. Inhale lift tall, and exhale to push your lower back into the wall and reach forward.
Hold for three seconds, and return to start. Perform three reps.
7. Pilates Teaser On Wall
Face the wall lying down and place your feet on the wall. You might have to adjust your feet higher or lower after you perform your first rep.
Reach your arms to the ceiling. Bring your heels together and toes apart.
Inhale reach your arms overhead, and exhale to roll up and reach your hands to your toes. Hold at the top for three seconds with a tall spine, then articulate through your spine back down to the mat. Perform three reps.
8. Pilates Teaser On Wall with Arm Lifts
Find your lifted Pilates Wall Teaser position with a tall spine and active core.
Inhale to lift your arms up, and exhale to lower your arms.
Repeat for three more reps.
9. Pilates Swan Against Wall
Come to a kneeling position and press your hips and thighs into a wall.
Pull your abdominals in and lift your arms up to the sky.
Arch back for three seconds, keeping your hips pressed into the wall. Return to start and perform three more reps.
10. Chest Expansion
Grab light weights and face away from a wall. Make sure your feet are a foot’s distance away from a wall.
Push your hands into the wall, press as hard as you can into the weights.
Look to the right, look left, look center, then lift your arms in front of you. Return back to start and perform three more reps.
Practice this Wall Pilates workout for free and find more workouts with a free trial to Alo Moves.