I tried this five minute deep-core Pilates workout and it fired up my abs

Pilates is great for strengthening your deep core muscles, which have the important job of protecting your spine and stabilizing your body during movement.

However, if practiced in a studio, Pilates can be quite costly. Fortunately, there are online Pilates workouts you can do at home without equipment, created by fitness influencers like Amanda Blauer. Now you can reap the benefits of Pilates without breaking the bank.

Lately, I’ve been skipping my deep core exercises due to a tight schedule and now I’m paying the price with niggles in my back. Knowing I needed to return to the basics, I decided to give Blauer’s five-minute deep core Pilates workout a try.

How to do Amanda Blauer’s deep core Pilates workout

All you’ll need for this workout is a yoga mat, some space on the floor and 5 minutes to spare. The exercises Blauer includes are gentle so the routine should be suitable for most experience levels.

The exercises are:

1. Alternating single-leg toe tap x10 repetitions
2. Alternating dead bug x10 repetitions
3. Slow abs curl x10 repetitions
4. Abs curl alternating march x10 repetitions
5. Articulated glute bridge x8 repetitions

Blauer doesn’t specify if 10 repetitions should be performed in total for the alternate moves or on each side. As a certified personal trainer, my recommendation is to do 10 repetitions in total the first time you try this routine, then slowly increase your reps until you can perform 10 on each side with good form.

What I found from doing this deep core Pilates workout

1. It’s great for beginners and experts

This is a fantastic entry-level Pilates workout with all the exercises designed to build awareness and core strength. The one drawback is that Blauer doesn’t include verbal cues. So if you’re a novice, I might start with this beginner’s Pilates workout that offers more form pointers.

Despite its simplicity, the workout would still be beneficial for those with experience. As a fitness professional, I’ve done my fair share of toe taps and dead bugs but I find revisiting the basics always worthwhile. If you’re familiar with the moves, you could use this routine to wake up your abs before a more intense workout.

2. The emphasis on breath was helpful

Breath is central in Pilates, so it’s great to see Blauer skip the high-energy dance music common in fitness videos in favor of audible exhales, helping you find your own breathing rhythm. I also found this focus on breath has a meditative effect, helping me establish a deeper mind-body connection from the start.

3. Simple doesn’t mean easy

Blauer performs the exercises in a slow and controlled pace, and if you dial into your form and tempo in the same way you’ll be able to feel your core muscles activate and even fatigue by the end.

With my reasonably strong core, my abs weren’t wiped by the end, but I still felt them working. To increase the difficulty, you could add repetitions or light weights to some of the exercises, which is something I may do when I try it again.

Exercise mats to try

A good exercise mat is the ideal companion for home workouts. The three options below feature in our list of the best yoga mats, but they're perfect for core workouts for beginners.