The most powerful anti-ageing secret isn’t found in a serum or moisturiser – it’s in how you move. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at the research, like this 2021 review of literature on exercise and longevity in Aging that shows how regular exercise can slow down cellular aging.
Pilates, both mat and reformer, ‘is a powerful, feel-good way to build strength, mobility, and confidence that supports you now and long into the future,’ says Pilates instructor Emma Stallworthy, the founder of Your Reformer. Because it’s low-impact, pilates builds strength without overloading your joints, making it safe, sustainable, and ideal for all bodies and ages.’
Meet the expert: Emma Stallworthy is a pilates instructor and founder of Your Reformer.
This form of exercise, which includes moves like planks and leg lifts, helps strengthen muscle, protect your joints, and improve bone density and balance – all of which are beneficial for longevity. Plus, pilates builds deep, functional core strength – the kind that betters posture, reduces injury, and makes everyday movement easier, Stallworthy explains. A strong centre means you can bend, lift, twist, and breathe better, which is ‘essential for feeling good at every stage of life,’ she adds.
Want to learn which moves are best for achieving these results? Ahead, Stallworthy shares her five favourite mat Pilates exercises for longevity you can do anytime, anywhere –including your own living room. Your future self will thank you for adding them into your routine.
The 5 best Pilates moves for longevity
Consistently building these exercises into your weekly routine is key for longevity. Stallworthy recommends doing one set of every exercise below two to three times per week.
1. Pelvic curl
Why it rocks: It works your glutes, hamstrings, spinal extensors (the muscles responsible for straightening your spine), and abdominals. Targeting these muscles can help improve spinal mobility and strengthen your lower body, which are vital for posture and injury prevention, Stallworthy says.
How to:
Lie on your back with your feet flat against the floor and knees bent.Squeeze your glutes and lift your hips off of the floor until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders.Pause at the top, then lower back down to the start position. That’s 1 rep.Do 10 to 15 reps.2. Single-leg circle
Why it rocks: This move targets your hip flexors, glutes, and abdominals and enhances hip mobility and core stabilisation simultaneously. All of these factors will help reduce your fall risk and improve your strength, says Stallworthy.
How to:
Lie on your back with your feet flat against the floor and knees bent.Lift right leg straight up so foot and toes are pointing toward the ceiling. Circle right leg in clockwise position. That’s 1 rep.Do 10 to 15 reps, then repeat on the opposite side.Related Stories3. Side-lying leg lift
Why it rocks: This move works your glute medius, glute minimus, and obliques. ‘It strengthens your lateral hip muscles, which are crucial for stability, gait efficiency [how effectively someone walks], and fall prevention,’ Stallworthy says.
How to:
Lie down on your right side, resting head on right arm and placing left hand on left hip. Bend right (bottom) leg to 90-degree angle. Lift left (top) leg off mat, then lower back to start position. That’s 1 rep.Do 10 to 15 reps, then repeat on the opposite side.
Pro tip: If you want to make this exercise harder, step it up by looping a resistance band around your legs.
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4. Plank
Why it rocks: Not only does this exercise work your core muscles, but it also targets your shoulders, arms, glutes, and quads, Stallworthy explains. ‘It builds whole-body strength and stability, from wrists, to core, to toes. It also trains posture,’ she adds.
How to:
Start on the floor on hands and knees.Place hands directly under your shoulders.Step feet back, one at a time. (For more stability, bring your feet wider than hip-distance apart, and bring them closer for more of a challenge.)Maintain a straight line from the top of your head through your heels, gaze down just above your fingertips.Now, tighten your abs, quads, glutes, and hold. Think about digging through your heels and squeezing your quads. That’s 1 rep.Hold for 30 to 60 seconds.Related Stories5. Mermaid stretch
Why it rocks: This move targets your obliques, quadratus lumborum (a deep lower back muscle), lats, and intercostals (muscles located between your ribs). ‘It keeps the thoracic spine mobile, supports healthy breathing mechanics, and releases tension from prolonged sitting or tech posture,’ Stallworthy says.
How to do it:
Sit on the mat with legs bent in a half straddle and chest upright.Bend at your waist, leaning over to the right, reaching left arm over the head.Reverse the movement to return to start position. That’s 1 rep.Do 8 reps, then repeat on the opposite side. Related Stories
Danielle Zickl is a freelance writer who has 10 years of experience covering fitness, health, and nutrition. She’s a graduate of Ithaca College. You can find her work here on Women’s Health, and in many other publications including PS, SELF, Well+Good, Runner’s World, Outside RUN, Peloton, Men’s Fitness, and more.