Living

The #1 Pilates Workout Sequence That Builds Strength Beyond the Mat

By Alexa Mellardo Parade - Health Stories

Updated May 19, 2026 11:50 AM

There are many ways to build core strength without lifting heavy weights at the gym. Pilates may not be the first modality that comes to mind, but it's actually quite effective for developing real-world, everyday strength, mobility and flexibility. Another reason so many individuals are obsessed with Pilates? It's typically low-impact and easy on the joints, making it a stellar workout option as you age.

One of the main differences between Pilates and traditional weight training is this: Pilates focuses on muscular stability, endurance, control, mindful breathing and postural alignment, whereas weightlifting usually centers on progressive overload and muscle growth.

If you're curious what "strength beyond the mat" is all about, it means building a body that supports successful daily movement. According to Lily Collins-Sak, a Pilates instructor and the founder of The Daily Pilates, a brand born from her deep background in Kinesiology and Exercise Science, it's the ability to carry grocery bags without experiencing back pain, pick up your child or grandchildren while maintaining a stable core, sit with solid posture and age in a more graceful way.

"Beyond how we move, it's also how we breathe, handle stress and show up in life; it's really the ultimate wellness win," she tells Parade. "One of my favorite ways to build ‘real-world strength' through Pilates is focusing on controlled, full-body movement patterns that mirror how we move through life-pushing, pulling, rotating, carrying, balancing and stabilizing. Pilates teaches the body to work together as one connected system for all of these patterns."

Below, Collins-Sak shares a sequence she favors because it improves posture, stability, coordination and deep core strength in a manner that translates to daily life.

🩺SIGN UP for Parade's health newsletter with expert-approved tips, healthy eats, exercises, news & more to help you stay healthy & feel your best self💊

The Best Pilates Workout for Functional Strength, According to an Instructor

This sequence of five moves helps build strength beyond the mat.

1. Tabletop breathwork

"This teaches the body to stabilize and the mechanics of proper breath work," Collins-Sak tells Parade.

Begin lying supine with your legs lifted to 45 degrees, forming a tabletop position.
Bring one hand between your pubic bone and navel, and place the other over the center of your ribcage.
Take a deep breath in, expanding your ribcage out to the sides while preserving pubic bone and hip bone alignment.
As you exhale, continue to hug your lower abs up and inward and wrap your ribs down and in like a corset.
Repeat for three to five breaths.

2. Bicycle Crunches

"Real life happens in rotation. Reaching, twisting, lifting and changing direction all require rotational strength and control," Collins-Sak says.

Assume a tabletop position.
Lift your head, neck and shoulders with your hands supporting the back of your head.
Throughout the exercise, focus on maintaining a neutral pelvis and picture holding an apple between your collarbone and chin.
Stabilize your pelvis by hugging inward with your lower abs.
Exhale as you rotate through your ribs, bringing your right elbow to meet your left knee.
Gradually return to the center.
Repeat on the other side, completing 15 reps on each.

3. Side-lying glute series

Building strong lateral glutes improves walking mechanics, pelvic stability, hip support and overall balance.

Begin lying on your side.
Bend your bottom leg to 45 degrees and lengthen your top leg to line up with the back of the mat.
Lift through your bottom ribs and expand through your chest.
As you activate your core to stabilize, lift your top leg to hip level and start to swing the leg toward the front of the mat with a pointed toe.
With the next breath, flex through your heel and squeeze your glute to guide that leg back to the start position.
Repeat on the other side, completing 10 to 12 reps on each.

4. Bird dog to diagonal reach

"People tend to be overly chest-dominant from phones, desks and driving. Strengthening the posterior chain improves posture and reduces neck and shoulder tension," Collins-Sak tells Parade.

Building strength in this part of the body trains it to stabilize while you move a limb at a time. A good example is climbing stairs or walking.

Begin on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees below your hips.
Reach your opposite arm and leg out as you move slightly out onto a diagonal, keeping your ribs connected and hips stable, resisting the urge to shift from side to side.
On the next breath, return to the start position with control, focusing on elongating the spine.
Perform 10 to 12 reps on each side.

5. Forearm plank hip dips

This movement blends strength and mobility while training the body to produce power from the core rather than using the lower back. As you perform this exercise, pretend you're holding an apple between your chin and collarbone; this can help support neck and head alignment as well.

Start in a forearm plank with your head and neck aligned with your spine and feet parallel.
Keep your core braced and shoulders stable as you slowly rotate your hips to one side, lightly dipping them toward the ground while keeping the spine elongated.
Use your obliques to lift back up through your center and rotate to the other side with control.
Perform 15 to 20 reps.

What Makes This Workout More Effective Than a Standard Pilates Flow?

This Pilates sequence was designed with the intention of building from one exercise to the next, with every movement prepping your body for the following one.

"Beginning with breathwork helps create a deeper core connection, making it easier to engage through movements like bicycle crunches," Collins-Sak explains. "Once the obliques are activated, maintaining rib and leg positioning in side-lying work becomes more supported and controlled. Activating the hips and glutes then helps stabilize the pelvis and better connect the posterior chain for movements like the bird dog. The plank serves as the finale, bringing all of these elements together."

Moving through this purposeful progression helps boost strength, mobility, balance and coordination by enabling your body to establish control and connection.

While gym workouts certainly have their place, Pilates brings strength training to an entirely different level. Each movement prioritizes exactly what your body needs to move functionally. Add this sequence to your regular rotation to build strength beyond the mat!

Up Next:

Source:

Lily Collins-Sak, Pilates instructor and founder of The Daily Pilates

This story was originally published May 19, 2026 at 11:25 AM.