Bed Pilates For Beginners: How To, Benefits And More

Does bed Pilates really work? Lots of people are wondering this exact thing.

When we think of Pilates, many of us primarily think of reformer Pilates or mat Pilates, the two most popular variations of this workout. Bed Pilates, while not as popular as the other two versions, can be a good way to increase your daily physical activity.

For those unfamiliar with this exercise, bed Pilates refers to performing Pilates exercises while lying in bed. While this may seem a little outside the norm, it is worth remembering that Pilates initially began on the bed. 

Before inventing the reformer, Joseph Pilates would attach springs to hospital beds to support the patient’s limbs while he worked them (1).

But how does one start doing Pilates in bed? 

Read on to learn more about bed Pilates for beginners, including benefits, simple exercises to try, and more.

What Type Of Pilates Is Best For Beginners?

Mat and bed Pilates are 2 of the best types of Pilates for beginners. 

The 2 main reasons that these Pilates methods are the best are:

• Cost Effectiveness

An unfortunate truth about Pilates is that many people, despite wanting to try the exercise, miss out on the opportunity because classes, especially those in studios that use reformers, can be costly. Doing bed or mat Pilates helps reduce this cost, making the workout accessible to most demographics.

If you already have a bed or even a mattress on the floor, you can easily do this exercise. With mat Pilates, the only cost you have to incur is purchasing an exercise or yoga mat, which is far less expensive than a month of studio classes.

• Accessibility 

Have you ever been home all week, realized that you needed to head to the gym, and simply wished that there was a way to work out in bed?

Bed Pilates offers a solution for this, providing a list of exercises that can be done in bed. 

Whether you are at home, on a boat while on a cruise, or in a hotel room during a fun or work vacation, as long as there’s a bed, you can do this workout without worrying about leaving the room or bed.

You can also perform mat Pilates anywhere as long as you have your mat and a flat surface. Mats are also easy to pack and carry, making them convenient for travel.

Read more: Pilates At Home: A 30 Day Challenge To Improve Your Mind And Body

How Effective Are Bed Pilates Exercises?

Pilates is highly effective, and it’s an excellent way to mitigate the effects of a sedentary lifestyle. If you’re considering starting a routine of bed Pilates for beginners at home, here are some benefits that you may experience.

Better Posture

According to research, bad posture leads to stress in the spine, which leads to chronic back pain (especially in the lower back), shoulder pain, and other musculoskeletal disorders. 

Improving your posture not only helps with pain management and prevention, but it can also: 

• Improve stability and control.
• Enhance your athletic prowess.
• Ultimately, enhance your overall quality of life.
• Promote a better flow of oxygen throughout your body (2, 3).

Studies done over the years and on different demographics (healthy adults, older adults, and persons with spine deformities) show that Pilates can help improve postural alignment and spine rehabilitation (4, 5, 6).

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Improved Core Strength

Bed pilates for abs is one of the biggest reasons why people look into this workout. 

While Pilates alone will not give you abs, doing this exercise can still help you achieve your fitness goals while improving your core strength along the way.

Research indicates that enhanced core strength can reduce the risk of low back pain, improve sports performance, enhance balance, and generally make everyday tasks and life easier (7).

Studies on Pilates exercise have shown that those who engage in this form of workout experience increased strength and endurance of core muscles, improved core stability, as well as better functional movement abilities and greater core muscle activation (8, 9, 10).

Improved Flexibility

If your goal for the New Year was to be able to do the splits by Christmas, then a bed Pilates challenge is precisely what you need. Research on this workout has demonstrated that it is an effective tool for enhancing flexibility (11, 12).

Note that improved flexibility through Pilates is not just good for helping you do the splits.

Studies on flexibility show that it’s essential for your health as it helps:

• Reduce the risk of injury
• Offers relief from low back pain
• Works to improve your posture
• Enhances physical performance and overall functioning (13, 14).

For more information on the benefits of stretching before bed, check out our article for the details!

Better Stress Management

According to a study published in the BMC Public Health journal in late 2024, the world’s population is more stressed than it’s ever been, and the conditions are worsening.

Regardless of individuals’ living or working conditions, we are all experiencing worsening emotional stress levels, with the psychological well-being of young people declining rapidly than that of other age groups (15).

The American Psychological Association has linked increased stress levels to adverse effects on the body in all demographics, such as the increased risk of:

• Anxiety
• Stroke
• Heart attack
• Hypertension
• Digestive issues
• Reproductive issues
• Sleep problems (16).

Studies on Pilates workouts have shown that participating in this exercise can help manage stress, which in turn reduces the risks mentioned above (17, 18).

Other Benefits

Doing bed Pilates for beginners could also help improve your:

• Sleep
• Mental health
• Cognitive function
• Balance
• Coordination
• Sports performance
• And much more (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23).

Can You Really Lose Weight Doing Bed Exercises?

If you live a sedentary lifestyle, bed exercises can help kick-start your weight loss journey. However, bed Pilates for weight loss is not enough for drastic results.

Bed exercises, such as bed Pilates, are low-impact workouts that help with calorie burning, although the amount burned is relatively low. 

Fat loss occurs when we burn more calories than we consume. With the calorie burn being relatively low for bed pilates, this means that it will take you much longer to reach your weight loss goals through this workout alone.

Instead of relying solely on bed workouts, we recommend adding more high-impact workouts to your routine. Cardio, as well as strength training and weightlifting, are more effective at burning calories and building muscle than simple bed exercises.

Aside from a balanced routine consisting of cardio, strength training, and bed Pilates, you also need to maintain a calorie deficit for visible, long-term weight loss results. 

Note that while exercise or diet alone can lead to weight loss, research indicates that a combination of both diet and increased physical activity leads to the best results (24, 25).

Read more: Home Pilates Workout Guide: Strengthen Your Core

Simple Bed Pilates Exercises To Do In Bed

Single Leg Circle

1. While lying on your back, raise your right leg as high as possible and keep your left leg straight on the bed.
2. Hold onto your right thigh (or calf or toes, depending on your flexibility). 
3. Keep the leg lifted and as straight as can be for about 10 seconds without moving.
4. Release the leg and drop your hands back to the bed, placing your arms and hands flat on either side of you.
5. Slowly make 10 small circles, both clockwise and counterclockwise, with the extended right leg.
6. Place the right leg back on the bed and lift the left leg to repeat the above steps.

Spine Twist

1. Sit up in the bed, keeping your torso straight and abs engaged.
2. On an exhale, turn your head and shoulders to the right. Ensure that your torso remains straight and imagine yourself getting taller as you turn. Hold for 3 seconds.
3. On an inhale, return your body to face forward again.
4. Exhale and turn to the other side, repeating the instructions in step 2.
5. Exhale and face forward again
6. Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4 up to 10 times.

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Pelvic Curl

1. While lying flat on your back on the bed, bend your knees and place your feet on the bed hip-distance apart.
2. Engage your core, then curl your pelvis towards your ribs, squeeze your buttocks, and lift your lower body.
3. Hold this position for 5-8 seconds.
4. Slowly lower your back down to the mattress till your spine is in contact with the bed. Do not suddenly and quickly drop back down. The movement must be slow and controlled.
5. Repeat this movement for 10 repetitions.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Can I do glute bridges on my bed?

Yes, you can. The glute bridge is similar to the pelvic curl mentioned above, with a significant difference being that glute bridges focus more on the gluteal muscles, where you tighten the glutes in the up position. In contrast, the pelvic curl does not involve glute tightening or squeezing.

• Can we do belly fat exercise on bed?

Yes, you can. Belly fat, or rather core targeting exercises like crunch variations, sit-ups, the cat-cow pose, plank variations, and lying leg raises, can be easily done while in bed. Just ensure that your mattress isn’t too soft, as that can interfere with your form and balance.

• Is planking on bed effective?

Yes, it is. If your bed is firm enough, you can effectively do planks on it, which may lead to increased stability, mobility, and core muscle strength (26).

• How to strengthen legs while lying in bed?

Simple lower-body exercises, such as straight-leg raises, ankle circles, glute bridges, and leg circles, can help improve leg strength while lying in bed and relaxing.

The Bottom Line

Bed pilates for beginners is a good workout option for novice practitioners as well as persons with disabilities and limited mobility. Remember that Pilates originally began in hospital beds before transitioning to the reformer and the mat, so do not disregard bed-based Pilates.

With that said, if you hope to see drastic or significant weight loss results from your workout routine, bed Pilates for beginners alone will unlikely be enough. 

Make sure to watch your diet and engage in both cardio and strength training workouts. Above all, always pay extra attention to your form to avoid and lower the risk of injury.