After trying a full week of Pilates instead of my regular gym workouts I realized that Pilates creates mixed feelings for someone like me who loves the gym and running.
I definitely noticed the low-impact benefits and felt my muscles working in ways that made me stronger in unexpected areas. But as a busy mum & fitness writer I don’t have much time for exercise.
I struggled to dedicate a full hour to something that didn’t excite me. That’s when I discovered Zoe & Emily from @zoandemfit. Their six-move Pilates-inspired ab workout let me get all the stress-relieving and body-lengthening benefits of Pilates in just 15 minutes at home. Here’s how the workout works and what happened when I gave it a try.
This 15-minute Pilates ab workout combines six core exercises in a compact session. You work for 45 seconds on each exercise & rest for 10 seconds between them. The routine includes:
– Boat hold heel taps
– Side plank twists to dip
– Arm pulses
– Dead bugs
– Bear mountain climbers
– Leg raises with hip extension
You only need an exercise mat for comfort during floor exercises. No other equipment is required beyond your body weight and enough room to move freely. Beginners should not worry if these exercises seem unfamiliar. The workout moves at a steady pace with gradual transitions that are simple to follow when you watch Zoe and Emily demonstrate each movement. I grabbed a yoga mat and started the video to test the routine myself.
My core was absolutely burning during this workout. The session targeted my abs intensely and especially worked the transversus abdominis which is the deepest abdominal layer.
As I progressed through side plank twists & dips & arm pulses and then dead bugs I noticed my obliques and hip flexors joining in. Moving my arms and legs while keeping my core tight forced me to engage my abs even more to control each movement and I felt it throughout the entire session.
Many exercises in this routine are compound movements so even though my abs and core were the main focus my whole body got involved. The side plank variations & bear mountain climbers made my shoulders and upper back work hard to support me while I kept my midsection braced.
My quads were also burning during the boat hold heel taps and bear mountain climbers and my hamstrings got a good stretch during the leg raises with hip extension.
Even though this workout focuses on abs these other muscles still need to stay active to help you move smoothly through each exercise. Your body really does work as one unit. You notice this especially when you slow down and pay attention to all the muscles working together during every repetition.
If your hip flexors click during this workout it might mean your abdominal muscles are not working hard enough or that you are not engaging your core properly. That is not the only possible reason since it could also relate to your range of motion or mobility or even a health condition. If the clicking causes pain you should stop and talk to your doctor. During my barre teacher training I learned that when your hip flexors click during moves like heel taps or deadbugs it usually happens because the stabilizing muscles are not fully engaged to keep your pelvis steady. These stabilizing muscles are mainly your abs & glutes. The clicking sound is typically your hip flexor tendon snapping over bone. This is not harmful but it serves as a reminder to slow down and check your alignment & tighten your core a bit more. I found it useful to support my neck during the final 15 seconds of the arm pulses and to switch to pulsing one arm at a time. When things became too intense I paused for a quick reset which made a big difference. Taking a few seconds to correct your form is always better than pushing through and risking injury.
What struck me most was the amount of core training I managed to fit into a brief session without it feeling like a typical abdominal workout. Several exercises definitely targeted my abs but the mix of movements meant I hardly realized how intensely my core was engaged until I felt the burn.
There were no repetitive crunches or long plank holds. Instead I moved my arms and legs together while performing patterns that seemed unrelated to standard core training.
The flow between exercises worked well. I moved from lying down to side planks to bear planks and back to the floor again. I focused more on the next movement than on discomfort or boredom. The entire routine felt intentional and kept my attention throughout. It delivered the usual Pilates advantages without making me check the time constantly.
This routine delivers excellent functional training benefits in just 15 minutes. The exercises replicate common daily movements such as bending and twisting and reaching. This means you are preparing your body to handle real-world activities more effectively rather than simply completing a workout. Regular practice helps develop better body awareness and movement efficiency while enhancing your coordination & balance. Many people assume Pilates sessions need to last between 45 and 60 minutes. This workout challenges that assumption. I found it completely satisfying in only 15 minutes and it remained enjoyable throughout. When practiced regularly these shorter routines effectively strengthen your core while improving general fitness and flexibility.
