Dumbbells may be hard to come by right now, but there are plenty of Pilates balls you can buy on Amazon Prime for a full-body, low-impact workout that will challenge muscles you didn’t even know you had.
“The use of a Pilates ball in your mat Pilates workout can be an extremely beneficial way to activate and isolate tiny deep muscles,” Club Pilates instructor Somer Connelly says. “These small muscle fibers are sometimes a little trickier to wake up without props like the Pilates ball.”
When searching for a ball, Connelly suggests opting for one that is slightly deflated to achieve deeper muscle connection while squeezing it between your thighs — Connelly suggests the brand Fit Ball, which is found in all Club Pilates studios.
Many Pilates balls, or stability balls used for toning workouts, come deflated, so you can achieve this setting for yourself while inflating whatever ball you end up choosing.
After you’ve secured your prop, feel the muscle fatigue for yourself with this 15-minute mat Pilates workout curated by Connelly.
Note: If you’re unable to secure a Pilates ball, you can also use a folded up pillow for the following moves.