Last updated November 2, 2026
Snapshot
- You can keep up your Pilates routine on vacation with a 15-minute, seven-exercise sequence that needs no equipment and barely more floor space than a beach towel.
- Pilates is a low-impact method created by German trainer Joseph Pilates that strengthens the deep core muscles and improves posture and flexibility.
- The sequence opens with the Hundred, a breathing and core warm-up, followed by the Roll Down, which loosens the spine one vertebra at a time.
- Single Leg Circle and Rolling Like a Ball train hip stability and balance, two areas that often stiffen up after a long flight.
- Single Leg Stretch and Double Leg Stretch fire up the abdominals, and Spine Stretch Forward closes the routine with a deep stretch and slow breathing.
- For guidance on the road, online libraries like Pilates Anytime and Pilatesology offer classes at every level, and a Pilates retreat combines daily practice with a beautiful setting.
No excuses. You absolutely can keep up your Pilates routine on vacation with these seven exercises. And all it takes is 15 minutes.
When my students return from vacation, they often say, “Oh, it was great, but I ate too much, and now I feel stiff and out of shape.”
It happens every time we travel. We step away from our daily routines, and our usual workouts often get left behind with the alarm clock.
But we don’t have to throw all our hard work out the window.
Anyone can keep up their Pilates routine on vacation.
I’ll be the first to admit that when I travel, my daily routine goes by the wayside. Yet I always make time for my basic Pilates sequence. It only takes 15 minutes, and I can do it on carpet with no equipment and almost no space.
The routine melts away muscle tension, so my body bounces back faster after a long flight or a full day of exploring on foot. When I do this sequence first thing in the morning, it wakes me up and lifts my mood.
Anyone can keep up their Pilates routine on vacation. You just need to learn the exercises. And after only ten sessions, you’ll have a basic understanding of the movements.
What Is Pilates, Anyway?
Pilates is a disciplined physical system created in the 20th century by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates. The method suits everyone, from first-timers to seasoned athletes.
I teach Pilates at every level, from basic to advanced.
Pilates is a low-impact exercise that strengthens the deep core muscles, the body’s powerhouse, an area crucial for long-term health.
Most movement starts at the body’s center and moves outward. Learning to engage the core and pelvic floor muscles keeps your movements strong and pain-free. Plus, it helps maintain a healthy posture throughout the day.
Through precise, controlled movements, the Pilates method targets every muscle group while improving posture and flexibility.
Each move builds on the one that comes before it to form a sequence. The sequence begins with foundational exercises to warm up the body before moving on to more complex movements as you gain strength and control.
Keep Up Your Pilates Routine On Vacation With This Sequence
Here is a “basic” version of the beginner Pilates sequence. Once you grasp these basics, you can take the workout into your own hands and practice without a class or a teacher.
And you don’t need a studio or even a mat for a full-body Pilates workout. A carpet or a towel will suffice. But if you’re anything like me and other die-hard Pilates enthusiasts, you always travel with a mat.
1. The Hundred (warm-up/breathing)
Feel the burn with the 100. Lie on your back with your feet on the floor, or modify with your legs in a tabletop position. Keep your head down or curl up your torso (remembering to keep your shoulder blades on the floor as you gaze at your stomach).
As you inhale, move your arms up and down for a 5-second count. As you exhale, continue moving your arms up and down for another 5-second count. Continue this 10-count cycle until you reach 100—for a total of 10 cycles of breathing.
Throughout, pull your abs in and up, and keep your pelvis heavy on the ground.
2. Roll Down (spinal articulation)
Start with knees bent, hands holding your legs. Pull your abs in and up, and begin to roll down one vertebra at a time until your arms lengthen completely.
Hold the position for 3-5 seconds. On the next exhale, roll back up. When you feel in control, release your hands, extend your arms out and roll down to the floor one vertebra at a time.
Exhale and begin to roll up all the way, peeling your spine off the mat. Then extend your legs and stretch over.
3. Single Leg Circle (stabilization)
Begin by lying on your back with one leg extended up to the ceiling, the other leg bent with your foot pressed firmly into the ground. Circle your leg (start with crossing over), smaller circles (for beginners) or larger (for a challenge) 5 times each direction, each leg.
Watch out: Try not to move your hips while circling your leg. Inhale to prepare and exhale to draw a circle. Keep the abs in and up.
When the control is there, keep the bottom leg stretched out long on the mat.
4. Rolling Like A Ball (massage with control)
Begin by sitting on the mat, hugging your legs toward your chest with your hands on your shins (or ankles if available).
Keep your heels together and your knees open. Draw your navel to the spine, look toward your feet to create a round “ball shape” and raise your feet a few inches from the floor.
Release and repeat 3 times. When you manage to control and balance, roll back onto your shoulder blades on an inhalation and back up on an exhalation. Repeat this 5 times.
5. Single Leg Stretch (abdominal control)
Lie on your back with your knees bent in tabletop position.
Place your right hand on your right ankle and your left hand below the right knee, elbows wide and shoulders down. Extend your left leg straight out.
Use your abs to curl off the mat to the base of your shoulder blades, abs pulling in toward the mat. Gaze at your stomach.
Inhale on 2 counts and exhale on 2 counts (inhale: right knee in, left knee in / same on the exhale). Repeat each side 5-10 times.
6. Double Leg Stretch (abdominal control/coordination)
Lie on your back with your legs pulled into your chest, holding your ankles or shins. On the inhale, extend your arms and legs away from each other, keeping your stomach pulled in and up to the spine and your pelvis heavy.
As you exhale, circle your arms around and hug your legs to your chest by drawing in your abs. Place your hands back on your ankles. Keep your pelvis heavy throughout. Repeat 5-10 times.
7. Spine Stretch Forward (stretch/breathing)
Spread your legs open. As you inhale, sit up as tall as you can from the base of your spine. If you can’t sit directly on your sit bones, then bend your knees slightly.
With your feet flexed, extend your arms in front of you, shoulder-width apart, palms facing down. As you exhale, pull your navel to your spine and round your back into a C-curve, starting from the head down, reaching your arms forward.
On the next exhale, stack up your spine from the bottom back up to starting position (your head will arrive last). Do 3-5 reps.
Practice Pilates While You Travel
See how simple it is to keep up your Pilates routine on vacation? Your body stays strong and supple wherever you are, and the practice itself is incredibly empowering.
If you follow a regular studio practice, you can always check in with your teacher remotely for an extra challenge, as most Pilates instructors offer Zoom classes.
I highly recommend Pilates Anytime or Pilatesology—two online libraries with amazing workouts at every level. These sites offer access to teachers and tools that help you keep up your Pilates routine while on vacation.
I also highly recommend joining a Pilates retreat. You’ll visit a beautiful location, meet like-minded travelers, and join daily movement and relaxation sessions.
Skip the “stiff and out of shape” feeling, and come home refreshed and re-energized.
PS: You can use the above sequence at home, too.
Pilates on the Go
Can you do Pilates without a mat?
Yes. A carpeted floor or a folded towel works fine for this sequence. A travel mat adds cushioning for rolling exercises like Rolling Like a Ball, which is why many dedicated practitioners pack one anyway.
Is Pilates good for beginners?
Pilates suits every fitness level, from first-timers to seasoned athletes. Most beginners get comfortable with the basic movements after about 10 sessions, and simple modifications, like keeping your feet on the floor during the Hundred, make each exercise more approachable.
