Pilates is all about strength and muscle control, meaning its mastery hinges on precise movement. And while many people use Pilates reformers to make the most of their workouts, others are increasingly turning to wall Pilates exercises to get fit without expensive equipment.
Wall Pilates offers a fantastic way to strengthen your core by helping you engage your muscles deeply and deliberately. The wall increases resistance and helps you maintain balance as you move, allowing you to focus on your core strength, posture, and flexibility. Perhaps best of all, wall Pilates is accessible for all levels. Ready to try it but not sure where to begin? Fitness experts say that a handful of moves are not only foundational but also effective at toning your core in no time.
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1. Wall Roll-Ups
In Pilates, roll-ups are typically done as floor exercises performed on a mat. However, NASM-certified personal trainer Maria Vazquez, head of training at MYWOWFIT, recommends trying wall roll-ups, a simple variation that activates the core while increasing spinal flexibility.
To try it, sit facing the wall with your legs extended and feet flexed. “Reach forward and roll down one vertebra at a time until you’re flat. Then roll back up to start,” Vazquez tells Best Life. “The wall provides support for deeper and more controlled movement, making it great for beginners or those recovering from injury.”
2. Wall Scissors
Wall scissors can also work your abdominal muscles—including the obliques and lower abs—helping to strengthen the full range of your core over time.
Vazquez says that to begin, you should lie on your back with your legs extended up the wall. Then, lower one leg towards your head while keeping the other against the wall before switching to the other side in an alternating pattern.
“The wall helps with alignment, reduces strain and makes exercise more effective,” she notes. Plus, it also improves hamstring flexibility.
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3. Wall Planks
Wall Pilates exercises can also serve as a way to scaffold your workout, building up strength until you’re able to do an exercise in its most challenging form.
Madison Collum, a certified Pilates trainer at BodyRok and a pilates expert for The Trade Table, recommends trying wall planks—modified planks that can help build core strength for those at all levels of fitness.
To try the exercise, place your arms against the wall with your elbows at a 90-degree angle, at shoulder-width apart. Then, step your feet back so that your core is engaged as you lean, holding this pose for 30 to 60 seconds.
“This exercise targets the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, internal, and external obliques, and lower back muscles,” Collum notes.
4. Wall Teasers
For an exercise that will build both core strength and leg strength, wall teasers can make a great addition to your routine, Vazquez says.
Sit with your back against the wall, with your knees bent and feet flat. Then, extend your arms forward and lift your legs into a tabletop position. Hold that pose, then lower your body back down into your original position.
“This exercise helps with balance and lower abs,” Vazquez says. “The wall provides support for better stabilization, and makes it accessible for all levels.”
5. Wall Pikes
If you’re ready to turn up the intensity of your wall Pilates workout, Vazquez recommends trying a wall pike.
This exercise begins in a plank position with your feet against the wall. Walk your feet up the wall while lifting your hips towards the ceiling, forming an inverted “V” shape with your body. Hold that pose, then return to a plank.
“This improves shoulder stability and the whole core,” Vazquez says. “The wall adds resistance, making it more challenging and promoting more muscle activation.”
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6. Wall Squats with Overhead Raises
Squats can help you achieve a more toned physique from the waist down, but experts say that all too often, people overlook the core benefits that also come with these workouts.
Collum recommends trying wall squats with overhead raises, a “dynamic exercise that works not only your lower body, but your core as well.”
Begin by squatting down, creating a 90-degree angle with your legs and your back pressed against the wall. Next, lift your hands over your head and bend forward over your knees, allowing the core to bend as your hands lower to the floor.
7. Wall Hundreds
The hundred is a foundational Pilates move that’s known for building core strength. Vazquez recommends trying a wall hundred, a slight variation in.
Begin by lying on your back with your feet propped up against a wall. Lifting your head and shoulders off the floor with your arms by your sides, pump your arms up and down while breathing in and out for five counts each.
“It builds endurance in the core and breathing control. Wall support means proper form, maximum benefit, and less risk of injury” says Vazquez.
