We have TikTok to thank (and perhaps unthank) for lots of health and wellbeing trends this year - we're looking at you, soft hiking and shadow work. The latest hyped-up fitness trend to add to the list? The Pilates wall workout - which got us thinking, does wall Pilates actually work?
You only need to take a quick look on Instagram, TikTok or Google to notice that Pilates is booming. Not a day goes past without spotting a wellness influencer reeling off the many benefits of Pilates, while on TikTok, the hashtag #WallPilates has had more than 21m views over the last 30 days. So what is it about this type of low-impact strength training that’s so appealing to the masses?
According to Abby McLachlan, Pilates teacher and founder of East of Eden the fact wall Pilates is super low impact, needs only a yoga mat and a wall, and no expensive classes or equipment, could be the reason for its popularity. “It’s also great for beginners and can offer all the benefits of Pilates – core strength, flexibility, better posture, spine,” McLachlan adds.
Anything that requires minimal equipment and maximal gains is a massive tick in our books. So to find out if wall Pilates works and if it can be an effective workout, I took on a seven-day challenge, completing this low-impact form of exercise every day. Keep scrolling to find out how I got on and while you’re here, do read over our guides to Pilates for beginners, the easiest 30-minute Pilates workouts to do from home and the best Pilates exercises to add to your workout routine.
Does wall Pilates work? I tried it
First things first: what exactly is wall Pilates?
Valid question. In a nutshell: “Wall Pilates is simply traditional Pilates exercises done against a wall to add resistance,” McLachlan tells us.
It works by mimicking a foot bar you might use in a Reformer Pilates class. By doing so, you can add some extra resistance to your workouts, making the exercises harder and therefore helping you to build strength.
What did wall Pilates originate from?
Pilates is the brainchild of physical trainer Joseph Pilates and is a slow and low-impact workout originally designed as a form of rehab for the whole body.
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“Pilates is more popular than ever today, with group workouts using the reformer equipment, particularly having surged in popularity this year,” McLachlan tells us. “If you can’t afford to get to a studio class, or afford your own reformer —and let’s face it, who can —there are other options to mimic the benefits of the reformer at home.
“One is Pilates with sliders (small discs that slide across the floor and another, even cheaper to get started with, is wall Pilates.”
Since 2023, wall Pilates has exploded in popularity across TikTok and YouTube, with numerous 28-day challenges available, like this popular workout by Rachel’s Fit Pilates which has gained just under 2m views.
@karolinaxje♬ f*ckumean - Gunna
Is wall Pilates an effective workout?
Wall pilates can be an effective workout. “By pressing your feet against the wall instead of the reformer footbar, you can replicate lots of reformer exercises,” McLachlan says. “This can improve core strength and flexibility and posture, but is also a great whole body exercise, working all of your muscles.”
McLachlan notes that you could also use the wall to focus on popular static isometric exercises used within Pilates, like plank holds and a glute bridge. As according to a 2023 piece of research, these exercises are proven to be effective at reducing blood pressure and therefore your risk of heart attacks and strokes. Not bad, right?
What I thought doing wall Pilates for a week
First things first: if you're new to Pilates or have an injury, it’s best to head to a class with an instructor to make sure you have the correct form and you feel confident in your movements. Ok, here’s a confession: when I first spotted wall Pilates trending I thought it sounded like another TikTok fad just there for the likes. So when I took on this challenge, I was a little dubious about how this would turn out. Oh, how I was wrong.
Day one rolled around and I found a 20-minute beginner wall Pilates session, courtesy of Trifecta Pilates. Pulling out my mat, I find a wall and begin. It was a full body workout with standing and seated exercises, involving push-ups, lunges, and heel-raised squats. At first, I was a little unsure why we needed the wall for this. But five minutes later, I was performing glute bridges with my feet against the wall and let me tell you, the burn was real.
For Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s workouts, I turned to the YouTube channel of Rachel’s Fit Pilates for my inspo. The slow exercises, like a wall glute bridge, focused on activating my core and hitting each vertebra in my back one at a time as you came up and down into the movement. While the added window wiper move and leg circles helped to engage my hips, glutes and core.
Thursday and Friday, I decided to stick to another beginner workout, this time from certified Pilates instructor Callie Jardine, which I believe, helped me improve the range of motion (ROM) in my back, thanks to the crunch rotations, and work some tension out of this area because of the toe taps.
(Image credit: Rebecca Shepherd)
So, does wall Pilates work?
If my achy core, fired-up glutes and more flexible back could speak: absolutely. Depending on what workout you do, wall Pilates will target just about every muscle in your body. But thanks to the slow and super-controlled range of movements, it will hit muscles you didn’t even realise were there.
You might not be able to dial up the resistance with springs if you were on a usual reformer machine, but you can make use of dumbbells and ankle weights to mimic this added resistance at home.
But either way, one of the best things about wall Pilates is the fact minimal equipment is needed. All you really require is something supportive and comfortable to wear and a sturdy and non-slip mat for your base to get going. Finding a spare wall with no pictures on which you can lean and perfect your Pilates practice is, however, a different ball game…
Shop MC UK's go-to wall Pilates gym kit now:
Pilates Grip Socks
Don’t make the same mistake that I did: by wearing socks that will have you gradually sliding down the wall. Or if you do, invest in proper Pilates options that will help you better your grip and therefore help you perfect your form.
Yogi Bare Paws mat
Featured in our guide to the best yoga mats, this Yogi Bare Paws is made from all-natural rubber sourced from sustainable forest, but it's free from animal testing and 100% vegan. Plus, the packaging is 100% recyclable.
Bala ankle and wrist weights
Heard of the Bala ankle and wrist weights? These Pilates accessories went viral for a reason. Not only do they look great, but they help take your workout up a notch by adding extra weight to your lower body.
Is 20 minutes of Pilates a day enough?
It might not sound like it, but around 20 minutes of Pilates a day is more than enough, especially when you consider the current Physical Activity Guidelines set out by the NHS which state that adults should complete at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity a week.
“Why not check out a 28-day challenge?” Abby McLachlan, Pilates teacher and founder of East of Eden says. “These tend to be videos between six and 20 minutes a day for 28 days and there are lots of options on YouTube. Stick with it, and you should notice positive differences in your strength and flexibility,” McLachlan says.
