Welcome! This 5 Day Pilates Challenge is designed to improve your overall strength and stability by focusing on the smaller stabilizing muscles that often get overlooked. Moreover, Pilates can also help with flexibility and overall body control and awareness. (Want a preview of the week ahead? Day 1 of this Challenge is free!)

Who is this challenge for?
I created this challenge with a few different purposes in mind. One is for those of you who love Pilates and can't get enough of it, and therefore want five days of back-to-back Pilates-based strength and stability. On the other end of the spectrum, this challenge is perfect for people who are new to Pilates and want to become more familiar with it to see if it is something they want to incorporate into their fitness routines more often. Finally, right in the middle of those two, this challenge is excellent for those who want to shake up their routine with low-impact, mostly floor-based exercises.

Why complete this Pilates Challenge?
I mentioned earlier that this challenge can help you build strength and stability, improve flexibility, and enhance your body's overall sense of control and awareness. However, it is also worth mentioning that this challenge can help improve posture, increase energy levels, and promote relaxation.

• Pilates emphasizes proper alignment and body awareness, which can positively impact your posture. As you strengthen your core and become more aware of your body positioning, you may find that your posture improves both during exercise and in daily activities.
• Regular physical activity, such as Pilates, can boost energy levels. Combining movement, increased blood flow, and controlled breathing can leave you feeling more energized and alert.
• Pilates can be a great stress reliever! The mind-body connection encouraged in Pilates, combined with controlled breathing, can contribute to a sense of relaxation and mental well-being.

What to expect
Each day the focus will be on core strength and stability, including the stabilizing muscles of your upper and lower body. Day 2 is the only day that is not in a bored-easily format. Days 1, 3, and 4 include a warm-up and a cool-down. Days 2 and 5 do not include a warm-up, but there is a cool-down at the end; these days, we start slowly and build up from there, but if you feel your body needs extra time to warm up, you can choose a warm-up from any other day in the challenge or Fitness Blender's Warm-Up/Cool-Down Library.  

Each workout is a level 3 difficulty, but there are ways to modify some of the exercises to increase or decrease the challenge. I discuss some of these modifications during the workouts and include more details in the workout write-ups. While a majority of the exercises in this challenge are performed lying on an exercise mat, there are some exercises we will do standing up.

Equipment needed

• Exercise mat
• Resistance band for Day 3 — the band will go around our knees for many of the exercises, so tie your band in a loop if it is not already like that. No band? No problem! You can get a great workout without using a band.
• Light dumbbells for Day 5 — I used 3 lbs/1.36 kg in this routine. If you don't have light weights, use two water bottles or canned goods or forego the weights altogether. You can still get a great workout without using weights.

I am excited for you to embark on this challenge with me! I am proud of you for taking this time to move, breathe, and connect with your body.

Happy Exercising!

-Amanda