Pilates on the wall: what it is, how it works, benefits and the best exercises for a toned body

Wall Pilates or Wall Pilates is a form of Pilates that involves using a wall as support during exercises. Wall Pilates has become one of the most popular low-impact disciplines also thanks to social media, such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube , where you can find many challenges and videos of wall pilates to practice both in the gym and at home.

The wall provides resistance , which can help increase strength and improve alignment .

It offers a myriad of benefits that can help you reach your fitness goals and improve your overall well-being. Just think that a Pilates class on the wall, in addition to toning you, allows you to work on stability, allowing you to align your spine and improve your posture.

What is wall pilates?

Wall Pilates is a new discipline born from traditional Pilates , which is practiced with a wall and a mat. The function of the wall in Pilates Wall is to offer support but also resistance. It is therefore a variant of classic Pilates, a bit like the Pilates plane and the Pilates ring also known as Pilates magic circle.

What makes this free body activity really engaging is that it allows you to work various muscle groups , allowing you to do a complete workout for the whole body. In a lesson, in fact, you will work the core , the muscles of the legs , biceps and triceps , those of the back, and also the glutes , obtaining a more toned, elongated and balanced physique.

The movements are slow and controlled , which makes this workout perfect for those new to Pilates or looking for a low-impact workout. Plus, you don’t have to worry about the cost of additional equipment or where to put it in your home—all you need is a wall and a yoga mat .

Why use the wall?

Using the wall as a support allows you to focus on specific muscle groups and target them more effectively. The resistance provided by the wall can also increase the intensity of the exercises, making them more challenging and effective.

Wall Pilates is especially helpful for people with back pain , as it can help improve posture and reduce pain. It can also be helpful for people with limited mobility, as the wall provides support and stability during exercises.

The role of the wall in Pilates is to provide support and stability, it helps to relieve the body in some of the more challenging positions, also providing a feeling of greater security.

For those new to exercise or those returning from an injury, the wall can be a great way to get back into exercise . More importantly, the wall support also provides extra resistance to help tone and sculpt muscles.

When performed correctly, Wall Pilates can be an extremely effective workout.

Benefits of Pilates on the Wall

But what are the benefits of Pilates on the wall ? One of the main reasons why people start practicing Pilates for the first time is because they need exercises that can help with health problems such as osteoporosis or arthritis .

This type of training is, in fact, known to increase bone density; in addition, it is gentle and carries a very low risk of injury.

Wall Pilates is an excellent way to lengthen the spine and help with better spinal alignment. The workout also places a lot of focus on the abdominals , glutes, and back muscles, improving core strength .

This will ultimately improve your posture, spinal alignment, and also relieve back pain and stiffness. Here are some other important benefits.

It’s a low impact workout

This means that it is “gentle” on your joints and muscles as it does not include any high impact movements.

In fact, Pilates is often used as a form of injury rehabilitation, and research shows that it is also an effective method for reducing the risk of sports injuries.

The wall provides stability

If you have poor balance , the wall will give you the support you need. The more stable you feel, the more likely you are to perform the exercises with proper form and therefore the more effective they will be. Therefore, Wall Pilates improves stability, balance and coordination.

Improves endurance

Don’t want to buy Pilates equipment? No need. In addition to adding support, the wall can provide additional resistance.

For example, when you do a bridge with your feet against a wall, your hips will be raised higher , and as a result, both your hamstrings and glutes will have to work harder to keep you stable. This is how the wall improves resistance , making the exercise more advanced.

Mind-body connection

With this discipline, a bit like in yoga , an excellent mind-body connection is also created since it improves kinesthesia (the ability to perceive where one’s body is and how it moves in space).

With a good Wall Pilates exercise routine, you will also improve your mobility and flexibility by lengthening your muscles and improving your range of motion. Being mindful during exercise will help you get more in tune with your body.

Pilates on the wall: the best exercises

Now let’s move on to the best Pilates wall exercises to do both at home and in the gym. Below we have collected some of the Wall Pilates movements suitable for both beginners and more experienced.

Heating

In a Pilates wall class there are many warm-up exercises; here are some of the most common ones.

1 – Roll down against the wall

This is a useful exercise to lengthen the posterior kinetic chain. To be performed while leaning against the wall with your back. From here, exhale and suck your navel towards your spine . Go down until you touch your feet with your hands, keeping your legs straight so as to lengthen the entire posterior kinetic chain.

2 – Calf Stretch

Perform standing in front of the wall, with your palms flat on the wall. Step back with your right leg while your left leg is slightly bent. This way, you should feel a slight stretch in your left calf. Stay in the position for a few minutes and switch legs.

3 – Back Stretching

Stand facing the wall, bend your torso in half with your palms resting on the wall. Hold this position, with your arms extended, for a few seconds to stretch your lower back muscles.

4 – Warming up the neck muscles

With your legs apart, your arms along your body and your back against the wall, rotate your neck first to the right and then to the left, passing through the center.

Perform the movements in a slow and controlled manner for at least 6 times.

Total body cardio and toning exercises

1 – Leg swing

With your palms flat on the wall, swing your right leg back and forth. Repeat 15 times and do the same with your left leg.

2 – Forward leg stretch

Rest your back against the wall and with your arms at your sides lift your right leg forward. Hold for 15 seconds. Return to the starting position and switch legs. Repeat 15 times.

3 – Push legs to the wall

Place your palms on the wall, bend your elbows slightly and bring your right leg behind you, keeping it extended. From this position, perform straight leg push-ups. Do 10-12 repetitions and switch legs.

Pilates on the wall: leg exercises

1 – Wall sit

Stand with your back to the wall and walk forward about a foot, lowering yourself into a squat with your back close to the wall. Try to bend your knees to about 90 degrees with your feet together.

Extend your arms forward at shoulder height, palms facing each other. Hold for about 20 seconds.

2 – Wall bridge

This wall Pilates exercise will challenge your stability, and works your glutes and hamstrings (hamstrings).

Sit about a foot away from the wall and lie on your back. Place your feet on the wall and push them into the wall to lift your hips off the floor so that your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. (Make sure not to arch your back.)

Hold the position for about 20-25 seconds and relax . To increase the intensity you can rest some weights on your hips, or perform the same movement as the bridge but keeping only one foot resting on the wall, as in the single-leg glute bridge. You can also perform the movement by resting your feet on a sofa.

3 – Wall lunges

Start standing with your back to the wall. Stand at least one meter away from the wall. Place the sole of your right foot on the wall and bend your knee as in a classic lunge.

Perform at least 10 repetitions and switch legs.

Pilates on the Wall: The Best Exercises for Shoulders, Arms and Abs

1 – Push ups against the wall

Stand facing a wall with your arms extended in front of you. Place your hands on the wall shoulder-width apart.

Lower your body toward the wall, bending your elbows, then return to the starting position. Repeat for 10 reps.

2 – Wall plank

Start in a plank position with your palms flat on the floor and your feet flat on the wall. Hold the position for a few seconds, keeping your core engaged.

3. Wall Shoulder Press

This exercise works your lats and shoulders. Stand with your back against a wall and your arms at your sides. Slowly raise your arms above your head. Hold for a few seconds, then lower your arms back to the starting position. Repeat for 10 reps.

To intensify the exercise, use dumbbells for your arms, so you can perform a full shoulder press.

Pilates Stretching on the Wall

Pilates on the wall is also a great way to stretch . The support of the wall can provide greater stability and improve posture and spinal alignment while performing the movements.

Here are 7 wall stretching exercises.

1. Stretching the leg muscles

Lie down with your back flat on the mat and your butt against the wall. From there, extend your legs straight above your head with your heels on the wall. Make sure your knees are straight. Your gaze is straight ahead and your arms are extended and open to the sides.

2. Leg opening

From the exact same position described above, bring your legs straight and rest them against the wall. Open them to form a V. Hold the position for a few seconds, and you will feel a stretch in both your hamstrings and inner thigh muscles.

3. Butterfly on the wall

Still with your back on the mat and your buttocks touching the wall, bring your leg into a butterfly position, placing your feet in contact with each other, with the outside part against the wall.

4. Shoulder opening

Now stand with your feet on the mat and your knees slightly bent. Rest your forearm on the wall and try to lengthen your spine and open your shoulders.

5. Leg stretch

Lying with your back to the mat, bring your legs against the wall and while one is stretched and open laterally, the other is with the knee bent. Stay in this position for a few seconds and then switch legs.

6. Posterior kinetic chain lengthening

To stretch the posterior kinetic chain, start from the standing position with your back firmly against the wall. From here, doing a roll down, bend your torso forward until your hands touch your toes. Your gaze is between your legs, so as to “turn off” the cervical tract.

7. Iliopsoas stretch

With your back on the mat and your buttocks touching the wall, bend your right leg to a 90° angle with your knee, and place your foot on the wall. Your left leg is bent and rests its foot on the knee of your right leg. Stay in this position for a few seconds and switch sides.