Pilates is a great place for beginners to start into the basics of exercise, but it's also a useful tool for athletes and hardcore exercisers, as well. Though it is not as effective for fat burning or building muscle, it is a building block that allows you to do more intense workouts, with a lessened likelihood of injury. This is because Pilates improves range of motion, core stability, and awareness of one's own body.

Daniel has been teaching Pilates since 2004 and credits it for keeping his back pain at bay. In this video, he walks you through this Pilates workout just like he used to teach his classes; you will move fluidly through a series of increasingly difficult exercises. A lot of these moves look very simple, but if you watch your form you will feel your body working.

You won't need a separate warm up or a cool down for this workout; it starts off nice and slow and finishes off with some feel good cool down stretches.

Each active interval is 50 seconds long, and there is a 10 second rest/transition period in between each exercise. You can always make this harder by adding ankle weights, and by continuing the exercises through the rest periods before switching to the next exercise. You can make it easier by sticking to the more beginner friendly modifications, instead of moving through the exercises that progress in difficulty.

Workout Structure:
- Pilates Intervals
- Core Focused

Equipment:
- Mat (optional)

Warm up / Cool Down:
- Both Included (warm up is integrated into the routine)

Workout: (50 On, 10 Rest/Prep)
- Imprint
- Toe Taps
- Chasing Toe Taps, left to right
- Chasing Toe Taps, right to left
- Toe Taps, Lv 2
- Double Toe Taps
- Leg Extensions
- Swimmers, Lv 1
- Swimmers, Lv 2
- Breast Stroke
- Back Bow
- Side Crunches
- Crunches

---- Water Break ----

- Leg Climbs, left
- Leg Climbs, right
- (Side) Leg Raises, left
- Inside Thigh Raises, right
- (Side) Leg Raises, right
- Inside This Raises, left
- Bridges, Lv 1
- Bridges, Lv 2, left
- Bridges, Lv 2, right
- Rear Leg Lifts, left
- Leg Lift Pulses, left
- Rear Leg Lifts, right
- Leg Lift Pulses, right
- Pilates Saw

Cool Down & Stretch
- Butterfly
- Deep Hip Stretch
- Single Leg Stretch + Side Bend (R)
- Single Leg Stretch + Side Bend (L)
- Seated Toe Touch
- Deep Glute (R)
- Deep Glute (L)
- Cobra
- Shell

What did you think about this workout? What was your favorite interval, and which one challenged you the most?