The Pilates Basic 10

Reps: 1 set of 10 breath cycles (100 pumps)  ·  Breath: Inhale (nose) 5 pumps · exhale (mouth) 5

“Pump the water.”

Your arms vigorously slap the surface of a pool — the waves come from the back and armpits, not from loose hands.

Reps: 5–6 repetitions  ·  Breath: Inhale arms up · exhale roll up · inhale · exhale roll down

“Peel off like tape.”

The spine is a strip of heavy tape peeled slowly off the floor one inch at a time, then taped back down in reverse.

Reps: 5 clockwise, 5 counter — each leg  ·  Breath: Inhale as it crosses · exhale as it circles

“Stir the cauldron · anchor the opposite hip.”

The leg is a heavy wooden spoon stirring a thick pot. The opposite hip stays heavy like a dropped anchor so the pelvis never rocks.

Reps: 6–8 repetitions  ·  Breath: Inhale to roll back · exhale to roll up

“Freeze the frame.”

Locked in a rigid barrel, the forehead-to-knee distance never changes. Look into your own center, brake with the abs, roll only to the shoulder blades.
Alternative — The Roll-Over (3–5 each way) for deeper lower-ab control: “roll over a giant beach ball,” weight on the shoulder blades, never the neck.

Reps: 6–10 sets, alternating  ·  Breath: Inhale 2 switches · exhale 2

“Shoot arrows · anchor the tailbone.”

Shoot an arrow out of the hip through the big toe. The tailbone stays heavy like a lead weight in the mat.

Reps: 6–10 repetitions  ·  Breath: Inhale to reach · exhale to hug in

“Take off your top hat.”

As the arms sweep back past the ears, circle the hands as if lifting a top hat off your head — shoulder blades wide and flat.

Reps: 3–5 repetitions  ·  Breath: Inhale grow tall · exhale round forward

“Peel away from a wall.”

Sit flat against an imaginary brick wall. Peel head, shoulders and ribs forward while the low back and belly stay scooped, pressing into the wall.

Reps: 3–5 each side  ·  Breath: Inhale to twist · exhale to saw

“Wring out the wet towel.”

The spine is a wet towel wrung in opposite directions. Reaching to saw off the pinky toe, look back at the rear hand to deepen the spiral.

Reps: 5–10 each side  ·  Breath: Exhale to kick forward · inhale to sweep it back

“Long from the waist.”

Lying on your side, keep the torso perfectly still — press the bottom arm into the mat and lift the waist. Reach the top leg long and kick only as far as you can stay rock-solid from the hips up.

Reps: 6–8 repetitions  ·  Breath: Inhale roll back (clap ×3) · exhale roll up

“Clap from the hips, not the ankles.”

Don’t flip-flop the ankles — the clap comes from deep in the hip sockets, opening and closing the thighs.