Workout of the week: 30-min cardio Pilates workout

CAROLINA LÜTHI

Personal Trainer at EVO Fitness Zurich Enge

As a former Olympian rower and food scientist, Carolina knows what you need to get and stay in shape. Carolina is an experienced personal coach in the fields of training planning and DNA-based nutrition optimization. She has a long-time experience in weight and athletic training, Pilates, Yoga and mobility as well as in rowing and cycling. She is thrilled to get the max out of you.

Follow her on Instagram: @carolinaluethi

Book a PT Session: office@carolinaluethi.ch

30-MIN CARDIO PILATES WORKOUT

ALL LEVELS / cardio Pilates workout / 30 minutes

Equipment: Dumbbells & gym mat

At a first glance, cardio and pilates seem to have nothing in common. They are both excellent workouts and bring you great health benefits, but the combination of these might not seem natural. Pilates is usually associated with slower movements, mainly focused on posture and toning; cardio training, on the other hand, is the physical activity that raises your heart rate. Despite all these differences, they work super well together, and today’s workout is the perfect example of that.

Below you’ll find a cardio Pilates workout courtesy of Carolina Lüthi, our personal trainer from EVO Zurich Enge. It has 7 exercises, each performed for 60 seconds. Then, between each exercise, you have to perform a side mountain climber for 30 seconds. This workout has 3 rounds. You’ll get 1 minute to rest between rounds. In total, this session will take you 30 minutes to complete.

Seated leg pulls
Side mountain climber
Quadruped knees off the mat
Side bend knee to elbow – right
Side bend knee to elbow – left
Dynamic boat
High plank toe touch

When you’re ready, let’s try this cardio Pilates workout!

WORKOUT SETUP

7 exercises
60-sec for 6 exercises
Side mountain climber for 30 sec in between each exercise
3 rounds
60-sec rest between rounds
30 minutes
Equipment: Dumbbells & gym mat

WORKING OUT FROM HOME? NO PROBLEM.

If you don’t have the equipment originally needed for this workout, you can substitute it with these everyday items or use these alternative exercises.

Alternative equipment

Dumbbells = water bottles filled with water and / or sand

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

3 rounds

1 – SEATED LEG PULLS

60 sec

Grab a pair of dumbells and sit on a gym mat.
Stretch your arms up, lifting the dumbbells above your head.
Recline your torso, engage the core and lift your right leg while simultaneously lowering the dumbbells close to your knees.
Lower the right leg and bring the dumbbells back up. That’s one rep.
Repeat with your left leg and then for a whole minute, alternating sides.

2 – SIDE MOUNTAIN CLIMBER

30 sec in between each exercise

Start with your hands on the floor at shoulder-width, with arms extended.
The hands must be aligned with your chest line.
Try to maintain your trunk straight while you bring your knee to the outside of your right elbow.
Return to the starting position and repeat with your left leg, repeating this movement for 30 seconds.
Make sure you’re standing on your hands with a tight core.

3 – QUADRUPED KNEES OFF THE MAT

60 sec

Grab a pair of dumbbells.
Get on your hands and knees, all fours — knees beneath hips and hands beneath shoulders.
Make sure your knees never touch the floor during the exercise.
Maintain your head in a neutral position throughout the movement.
Now, kick your right leg back, fully stretching it, while simultaneously stretching your left arm.
Return to your starting position and repeat the same movement, this time with your left leg and opposite arm.
Repeat for 60 seconds.

4 – SIDE BEND KNEE TO ELBOW – RIGHT

60 sec

Grab a dumbbell with your right hand.
Then, incline to your left side, using your left knee and especially your left arm, with your palm facing the floor, to hold your body.
Engage your core, stretch your right leg and your right arm and you’re ready to start.
Bring your right knee and your right elbow together. They should meet in your midsection area.
Repeat for 60 seconds.

5 – SIDE BEND KNEE TO ELBOW – LEFT

60 sec

Same as the above, but using your left leg and arm.

6 – DYNAMIC BOAT

60 sec

Sit on your mat holding two dumbbells.
Assume a boat position, keeping your knees bent, back inclined and arms stretched.
Make sure you’re engaging your core.
Now, lift one arm at a time up above your head, bringing it to the starting position after.
Repeat with the opposite arm.
Repeat for one minute.