2024 Twelve Days of Pilates
Your one-stop shop for all things Twelve Days.
Bookmark this page for instant access to the 2024 Twelve Days of Pilates collection. As each workout is posted (starting 12/13), it will be available here, as well as through the direct link sent to your email. If you didn’t participate in this year’s 12 Days program, don’t miss out next year! Join my mailing list to stay in the loop.
All on-demand classes are 15 mins or less and approachable for all levels and abilities (modifications to fit YOUR individual body are highly encouraged!). Have fun!
A Word About Modifications…
If I could make this mandatory, I would! Please check out this quick video before jumping into Day 1.
Day 1: Gifts That Keep On Giving
We kick off with a 15 Min Total Body workout that lays the foundation for your practice. Here's the thing: if your spine and joints aren't able to move, YOU can't move. Whether you're new to this type of movement and have been practicing for years, focusing on the fundamentals sets you up for a safe, effective, and injury-resilient practice so you can keep coming back - for the next 12 days and for many years to come.
Equipment: Mat; if you have very tight hamstrings or low back, have a small cushion to sit on for the beginning of class. If you can’t be on hands and knees for quadruped, set up near a wall or countertop for support.
Modifications: This class is welcoming to all levels and abilities. Listen to your body! If you’re prenatal, please check out the Day 1 bonus video for specific modifications to make this workout even more approachable.
Day 2: Help Line
You've got the basics from Day 1... now we start connecting the dots to how various exercises feel in your individual body. This beginner-friendly 14 Min Total Body workout uses an optional lightweight resistance band as a "Help Line" to gather information, find key connections, and build muscle memory. The next time you see these movements your body knows exactly what to do.
Equipment: Mat; lightweight resistance band, with handles if you have one; if you don't, a resistance band without handles or something stretchy like old leggings/nylons will work for most exercises - or just use your imagination!
Modifications: This class is welcoming to all levels and abilities. Listen to your body! If you’re recovering from a shoulder injury, use this as PT! Focus on smooth mechanics and limit the range of motion, if needed. If you're pregnant and can’t lie comfortably on your back, please check out the Day 2 bonus video for some ideas to make this workout more supportive for your body.
Day 3: Candy Cane Lane
Building on the foundation from Day 1 and Day 2, "Candy Cane Lane" explores how the side body ties everything together. Integrating the whole core - not just the front abdominals - is a cornerstone of Pilates. With a focus on lateral flexion, aka side bends, this the type of workout that really creates space in the body. I hope you walk away feeling taller and moving more easily - with some nice heat in the abs for good measure. :)
Equipment: Mat; if you have very tight hamstrings or low back, have a small cushion to sit on at the beginning and for the seated spine twist at the end of class.
Modifications: This class is welcoming to all levels and abilities, including beginners, prenatal, postpartum, and anyone returning to fitness. Please check out this bonus video for prenatal modifications and this one for an alternative to the side plank variation we see in class. Both should make this workout even more approachable.
Day 4: Push Me, Pull Me
Remember how it felt to pull wide on the band in Day 2? We explore that “arm/back connection” again in “Push Me, Pull Me”, an all-levels workout inspired by the Pilates Reformer. When you find this connection, it’s like a lightbulb goes on in your body. Suddenly your core and back feel broader (in a good way), your chest feels more open, and every single movement feels connected. Being able to move as one connected body is why Pilates feels so darn good.
Equipment: Mat; a small hand or dish towel; very light weights (1 lb is perfect). If you don’t have weights light enough, soup or La Croix cans will work for most exercises. We use the towel to “slide” a bit - if you’re on carpet, a small ball may work better.
Modifications: Much of this class can be very therapeutic if you have any concerns with your shoulders, but please move thoughtfully and consider taking weight-bearing exercises up to a wall or countertop. If you’re prenatal, swap out exercises on the back and belly for seated or quadruped options. Listen to you body and heck out this bonus video for quick tips on making this class work for you.
Day 5: Free Your Spine
“Free Your Spine” and the rest will follow… that’s how it goes, right? If you can’t move the spine and joints, YOU can’t move. And if you’re looking for more freedom in your movement, especially through a tight back or hips (or even the gut!), rotation is where it’s at. This all levels workout uses twists and spinal articulation to get everything moving. Let yourself flow through the movement and really feel the spirals as you move around the mat. Pay attention to how you're moving AFTER class compared to before. I hope you feel just a little bit more free.
Equipment: Just a mat. If you know you like to add other props to your practice, be my guest!
Modifications: Traditional Pilates mat exercises build into a more functional “human” movement sequence - today’s bonus video breaks it down, but trust that your body will know the shapes. A few things to consider today:
Remember that learning to work within YOUR body is what Pilates is all about. Let yourself play a bit today!
If you have a history of disc issues, be thoughtful about your range of motion on exercises like Rolling Like a Ball and Bridge.
Everyone can take the twists as deep as you’d like - I usually like to really wring it out but that may not feel good to everyone!
To minimize pressure on the upper body, take hover plank and quadruped to your feet. Check out this quickie video for an alternative to the twist/hover plank sequence if you don't want to be on hands and knees.
And finally, if you’re prenatal and don’t feel comfortable with rotation, focus on anti-rotation or try this class as an alternative..
Day 6: Seven Swans
This all levels workout features spinal and hip extension. This work is so critical in keeping our bodies looking and feeling youthful. It strengthens postural muscles and opens the chest, counteracting the rounding that naturally happens when we sit looking at screens all day. Extension also opens up grippy hip flexors and tight shoulders - another byproduct of sitting, as well as cycling and other exercise that focuses primarily on the front body.
Equipment: Mat; stool or chair; optional yoga block. If you don't have a block, try a stack of books or a sturdy pillow. If you're using books or your block is cork or wood, you may want a small towel as a cushion.
Modifications: This class is welcoming to all levels and abilities, but you will need to modify if you're prenatal or have a history of disc issues. There are so many ways to practice extension with a limited range of motion... you don't even need to lie on your belly. Check out this bonus video for alternatives and just keep moving.
Day 7: Your 3D Core
This super quick all levels workout is all done standing. It's an opportunity to take the Pilates off the mat and into the way we move in our real human lives. We're going to tap into "Your 3D Core", finding internal alignment while feeling powerful and supported from the center while we target the upper body.
Equipment: You don’t need a mat today! Just grab some light hand weights or anything with a little heft like soup cans, small rocks…
Modifications: This class is welcoming to all levels and abilities, including beginners, prenatal, postpartum, and anyone returning to fitness. If you can't go overhead with your weight, don't do it! Listen to your body :) Check out the bonus video for ideas to activate the glutes before class and for options if balance is a particular challenge for you today.
Day 8: Unbound
This gentle mobility-focused class invites you to take a breath and become "Unbound". Paired with a beautiful playlist, we'll flow through movements to release unwanted tension and lubricate the spine and joints so you can move more freely. To goal is to reset the body so you feel good when you return to the mat (and your hectic holiday schedule!).
Heads up! The music will play softly in the background but it is very quiet! You should be able to hear it a bit , but you can also grab it from Spotify. To sync with me, just press play when I reach over to start it after my intro (approx 1:12 in the video).
Equipment: Mat; if you have very tight hamstrings or low back, have a small cushion to sit on for the last sequence.
Modifications: This class is welcoming to all levels and abilities, including beginners, prenatal, postpartum, and anyone returning to fitness. Please check out this bonus video for alternatives to being on your back or hands and knees.
Day 9: A Little Bit of Magic
This quickie core workout uses a small yoga ball to wake up key connections in your body so you can find “A Little Bit of Magic” in your practice. Familiar exercises take on new life when you add the ball. It provides extra resistance and increased instability - both instantly light up your core and integrate all of the movements into your strong, working center.
Equipment: Mat; optional small yoga ball or something else equally squeezable. Have a small pillow or cushion to sit on if you have a tight low back or hamstrings.
Modifications: This class is welcoming to all levels and abilities but you may need to modify! If you’re pregnant, postpartum, or simply need a little extra support in core work, be sure check out today’s bonus content. The ball provides amazing feedback and support but it also makes you work harder. If something feels like too much, ditch the ball and practice the modified version of the exercise that feels right to you.
Day 10: It’s Only Rock and Roll
This 15 Min Total Body workout builds into a progressed extension exercise called Rocking - we roll through familiar exercises to activate the core, open up and align the body, and mobilize the spine. We have a chance to recreate some of the “magic” moments from Day 9 in this total body workout. By the time we get to the final series on the belly, your body will be ready for whatever variation of Rocking you’re up for today.
Equipment: Just a mat. If any of the props we used throughout 12 Days really changed something for you, add them in! I love when people reach for a ball, band, or even weights to fire up the connections in their own body.
Modifications: This is one of the more challenging workouts in the 12 Days series. Check out today's bonus video if you need a little extra support, especially in abdominal work or bigger spinal extensions. Always remember that extension is for everyone even if you can’t lay on your belly. Practice modified variations in a seated, kneeling, or quadruped position.
Day 11: Sugar and Spice
Fire up your 3D Core for this 14 Min Total Body workout that dances between stabilization and mobilization to give you a comprehensive workout for your glutes, hips, and thighs. As you work, think about what movements you think are sugar and which are spice - it's different for everyone!
There's also a bonus 5 min standing core today too! You can tack it on to today’s workout or keep it on hand anytime you need a quick burst of movement this holiday week.
Equipment: Just a mat. Set up near a wall or stool for support in the standing work if you’d like. You can also have a towel or blanket to pad your knees in quadruped.
Modifications: This class is welcoming to all levels and abilities but you may need to modify! The trickiest part of the workout is probably the standing series. Watch the bonus video for ideas to activate the glutes and use a stool or high backed chair for extra support.
Day 12: Stronger Than Yesterday
This feel-great, all-levels workout is all about letting go, moving in a way that feels good, and knowing that you really are “Stronger Than Yesterday.”
As you move today I want you to think about what has changed for you over the past 12 days. Do you feel stronger? More confident? More open? More aware of your body? Whether you can feel it or not, you HAVE changed and it’s just the beginning. Keep coming back to the mat, keep listening to your body, and keep enjoying your journey. We only get one, my friend, so let’s make it great.
We move to music again today. The sound is a bit better than previous classes with music, but may still be quiet. You can grab the playlist from Spotify if you’d like to try to sync it with me. I press play at approx. 1:27 in the video.
Equipment: You’ll need a mat and anything else that will make you feel GREAT about your practice today.
Modifications: Today is simply about moving in the way that feels best to you. Think of all the modifications offered so far and take the ones that worked. If you’d like specific ideas to modify today's workout for prenatal, postpartum, and anyone needing extra support, check out this quick bonus video.
Bonus Family Pilates: Let’s Dance
This 12 Min Family Pilates class is a reminder that moving your body doesn’t have to be so serious… sometimes it’s just about having fun! Grab the whole family - including little ones and kids at heart - and join my 5 year old co-star and I as we let go and just dance it out. You can even keep your jammies on - and coffee and mimosas are definitely allowed. :) My 5 year old co-star loses the plot at around minute 8… if that happens in your family, just freestyle and have FUN.
It’s all about moving to the music today! The sound is in the background but if you want to crank it up and really let loose with Alma and I, grab the playlist from Spotify. I press play about 33 seconds into video if you want to try to sync it with me.
Equipment: You, your kids, your pets, your jammies, a cup of coffee… just find a space where you can move freely (and also be on hands and knees for just a few moments.)
Modifications: Do what feels good today. Follow my cues or don’t… just move with a big smile on your face.