As the festive season approaches, so do your cravings for sweets. While indulging in festivities, the diet chart seldom remains a priority. And with Diwali dinners come missed workout sessions, and the guilt will come creeping back in when you sit down to plan your New Year’s outfit. But to reverse this, ten minutes is all you need.
Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone‘s personal trainer, Yasmin Karachiwala, shared a super-effective Pilates routine that you can do even at home. The hottest trend in fitness, Pilates, has become the couture of workout routines, but this session will have your muscles toned in no time.
Deepika Padukone’s 10-minute workout routine
Yasmin recommends doing each move 10 to 12 times and repeating the full circuit three times for the best results.
- Roll Down to Plank
Start by standing tall and relaxed. Slowly curl your spine forward, one vertebra at a time, until your hands touch the floor. Walk your hands out until you’re in a strong plank, keeping your body in a straight line from head to heels. Holding the posture briefly, go back to standing the way you came. This move will strengthen your core, shoulders, and back, all at once, while also improving posture and awareness.
- Leg Pull Front
Recall the plank from exercise 1, and from that lift one leg at a time, kicking it slightly upward without letting your hips wobble. The focus isn’t on how high the leg goes but on keeping your body steady and aligned. This challenges your core while working your glutes and hamstrings, testing both strength and stability.
- Seated Spine Twist
Now, sit tall with your legs extended straight out and feet flexed. Stretch your arms to the sides at shoulder height. Take two short exhales as you twist your torso from the waist, keeping your hips still. Inhale to return to the centre, then twist the other way. This simple yet effective move increases spinal mobility and tones your obliques.
- Swimming to Hundreds
A mash-up of two Pilates classics, for this movement, you need to lie on your back, lift your legs and shoulders off the mat. Start pumping your arms up and down. Inhale for five pumps, exhale for five, and keep going until you hit 100. It fires up your abs, improves blood circulation, and builds a better breathing rhythm.
- Rolling Like a Ball
Sit hugging your knees close to your chest, rounding your spine into a C-shape. Inhale as you gently roll back onto your shoulder blades, then exhale to roll forward into a balanced seated position, without letting your head or feet touch the ground. It’s playful yet powerful, helping with core strength, balance, and spinal flexibility.
