You don't need weights to build strength, just this 30-minute wall Pilates routine

Pilates is a great way to build strength at home, because it requires very little equipment. Most routines only need you to have a yoga mat and a little bit of floor space, but there's a new trend emerging which makes use of a common house feature: your walls. 

Wall Pilates involves doing bodyweight exercises using walls to support you or to increase the resistance of certain exercises (the amount of force applied against your muscles). If you're looking for an introduction to the trend, you can't go wrong with this 30-minute routine created by Beth Sandlin, founder of Trifecta Pilates. 

The workout is part of a seven-day wall Pilates challenge, with each session introducing you to different moves. This first-day beginner routine is a good all-rounder, which will fire up muscles across your body.  

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Watch Trifecta Pilates' wall yoga workout

There are 30 minutes of stretches and strength exercises crammed into the video above, which you can follow along with in real time. 

Try to engage your core throughout the entire workout in order to maximize muscle activation. Keeping your core tight will also increase your stability and make the movements in this workout feel easier and more balanced.

To engage your core, think about tucking your ribcage in slightly and squeezing your glutes and abdominal muscles.

In some of these exercises, you'll be using the wall to support you for balance. Try not to lean all of your weight into the wall when doing this, as that will stop you from targeting the right muscles. 

Other moves will require you to push against the wall so you can deepen a stretch. Try to challenge yourself by moving into each movement as deeply as you can, but avoid moving so far that it causes pain as this could lead to injury.

If you enjoyed this workout, try these Pilates exercises for back pain or add this 30-minute Pilates for abs workout into your weekly routine.

Need help deciding which yoga mat to buy? See our guide to the best yoga mats