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| Photo from the Posture Tonic website |
While the challenge is still ongoing as of writing this post, the workouts so far and the detailed descriptions lay out the basics: a 25 day challenge with five weekly workouts and two days of rest. Mixing both mat Pilates and standing work, the challenge is a balanced program suitable for all levels, with modifications provided for harder exercises. Staying consistent in training the full body is the main goal of the challenge, in aim of improving full body strength, flexibility and overall mobility.
Before you take the challenge:
This challenge is aimed at all levels. Every class is fully guided, easier modifications are suggested verbally. Modify exercises according to your needs and level. Many exercises are performed on the mat and require constant movement, consult with your healthcare provider first if you struggle with spinal issues.
Warm up and cool down exercises are provided in every workout. You can find the challenge playlist in this link.
Required equipment:
- Non slip fitness mat.
- Light dumbbells, Jacinta uses 1 kg and 2 kg weights (around 3 and 5 pounds)
- Small Pilates ball. You can use a cushion or a plushie to substitute the ball.
- Yoga block. You can use a thick book to substitute the block.
- Optional ankle weights.
Challenge and workout duration:
The challenge has 25 workouts, with a suggested schedule of 5 workouts per week and two rest days. Workouts range from 20 minutes to 45 minutes, with an average duration of 35 minutes.
Day 1: 39 Minutes Full Body Pilates Sculpt
Equipment required: Light dumbbells and a Pilates ball. Jacinta uses 2 kg (5 pounds) weights. I used a round plushie to substitute for the ball.
To be honest, I didn't know what to expect from this first workout. I had tried some Posture Tonic videos before, but didn't quite get a full grasp of her teaching style. Having finished a demanding Pilates program before, I wanted something slightly more easy to avoid burnout.
The class starts with a dynamic bridging, engaging the lower body and pelvic floor by raising the hips and including some calf raises. After finishing up the bridge session, chest lifts are next to warm up the upper core and prepare for a short modified roll up sequence. The dumbbell is soon used for resistance for Russian twists, serving as a nice finisher for the roll ups. The ball is placed between the thighs for this entire warm up, helping with activation of the lower core and inner thigh muscles. The final exercises with this setup are chest lifts with the dumbbell aimed at the shins, with toe taps to culminate the core activation.
For the next sequence, the ball is placed underneath the tailbone to challenge hip stability during the upcoming lower core work. My plushie was too small for the desired elevation, so I grabbed a sofa cushion instead. Perhaps it was due to the cushion not being suitable for the task, but I struggled to keep my hips from wobbling during a normally easy deadbug sequence. The sequence is finished with a few rolling like a ball reps, with the Pilates ball placed under the knees.
Another ab sequence followed, this time with the ball placed under the back to increase range of motion during more core exercises. The ball really helped me to connect with my core, a nice change from regular crunches. More bridges were next, this time focusing on unilateral work with single leg bridges.
A standing sequence with the dumbbells came next, integrating familiar moves like squat variations and curtsy lunges to challenge the balance. Some moves for the upper body were incorporated too, feeling a tad challenging due to the slightly heavier dumbbell weight. The finisher, a plank hold, was surprisingly tough for me, though I endured for the entire duration of the exercise.
I wasn't expecting the class to be as challenging as it was, but it felt more like tough love than a punishment. Jacinta's explanations were pretty clear, and though her transitions were far faster of what I'm used to, I really liked how dynamic the whole class felt.
Day 2: 35 Minutes Full Body Sculpt
Equipment required: Light weights and a Pilates ball. Jacinta uses 1 kg (around 3 pounds) weights. I used a small plushie and a cushion to substitute the Pilates ball.
Starting the workout with a dynamic warm up, I'm pleasantly surprised to find out this challenge has different warm ups in every workout. The first exercises are focused on unilateral work, placing the ball between the knee and the shin for donkey kicks and fire hydrants. The opposite hand of the active leg holds the dumbbell, used to perform rows and flyes to challenge the upper body and the stability of the four point kneel position.
In a kneeling position and with the ball now placed between the thighs, kneeling back leans are the main exercise of this sequence. My back lean range of motion was not as low as Jacinta's but my hamstrings certainly felt the challenge. Accompanied by chest flyes for extra resistance, these lean backs were a fitting transition for the hamstrings after the glute work. After finishing off the donkey kick flow on the opposite side, side work came next, now with the ball placed underneath the waist.
Having the ball under the waist is a variation I'd never performed before, feeling kind of awkward at first. But I noticed my abs were now forced to be more engaged to prevent the hips from rocking while moving the legs, bringing more awareness to the overall movement.
Finally, the standing sequence requires the ball to be placed under the heels for heel elevated squats. Both dumbbells are held for extra resistance, but the main motion is opening and closing the legs in the close squat to further activate the inner thighs muscle and the hip abductors. Keeping the squat depth was fairly challenging, especially with the instability caused by the ball under the heels. Overall, a well rounded workout with some creative usage of the ball.
Day 3: 28 Minutes Upper Body and Abs Sculpt
Equipment required: Light weights. Jacinta uses 2 kg (around 5 pounds) weights for this session, I used 1 kg (around 3 pounds) weights.
I wasn't feeling too good this day, so I decided to use lighter weights for this workout. The warm up was unusually tough, with side planks and planks holds not even five minutes into the video. I powered through and grabbed my weight for the first sequence: standing work using the dumbbell for standing ab work. I was very wobbly, to the point of dropping my feet one or two times during the standing crunches.
The following dumbbell exercises for the upper body went far better, perhaps due to using a lighter weight than recommended. For the final mat work focused on the core, the weights felt heavy enough though. Simple toe taps made me break a sweat and the final dumbbell crunches were pretty challenging. Albeit I was not having my best day, I think I did okay enough, though I hoped the next day would not include that many planks for my shoulder's sake.
Day 4: 18 Minutes Side Lying Pilates
Equipment required: Light dumbbells. Jacinta uses 1 kg (around 3 pounds) weights.
I did this workout a few days before starting the challenge, the chilled Pilates title caught my eye and I decided to try it during a low energy day. I was feeling better this time, determined to perform the exercises as good as I could.
The workout itself pretty much consists of just two unilateral sequences, positioned in a side lying position on the mat while holding one dumbbell. The exercises are mostly variations of side kicks and clamshells, aiming to train the side glute muscles and the rest of the lower body. The core is also engaged to maintain stability, with hips stacked to perform the exercises correctly.
Side plank hip dips were the finisher, a short yet mighty movement to finish off this chill workout. This is definitely a great option for a period workout if you want to get some gentle movement without changing positions constantly.
Day 5: 27 Minutes Full Body Pilates (Moderate-Advanced)
Equipment required: Light dumbbells and a Pilates ball. Jacinta uses 1 kg (around 3 pounds) dumbbells. I use a plushie and a cushion to substitute the ball.
I didn't notice the moderate to advanced label on the title of this workout, so I expected nothing too difficult. The warm up included pesky bear crawls, not my favorite exercise at all. The workout starts with kneeling pushups followed by prone lying work, quickly activating the upper body muscles.
Core work came next, starting with bodyweight crunches and progressing into bicycle variations while squeezing the ball with the back knee. These exercises were surprisingly challenging, with plenty of oblique and lower ab movement to follow along the motions. Single leg bridges followed the bicycles, activating the glutes and the core for raising the hips.
Close squats with the ball placed between the thighs were the transition exercises for the standing work. A quick yet killer combination of calf raises with pulses, it was a burner after those single leg bridges. And with pretty much no rest time, the standing work transitions yet again into lunge variations with the ball placed underneath one heel. At this point, my legs were already pretty tired and having the unstable surface of the ball under the working leg didn't help.
The finisher for this workout was a side plank sequence incorporating the dumbbells. And while the side planks shoot back were tough, it felt by far the easiest part of this workout.
Day 6: 42 Minutes Full Body Pilates
Equipment required: Light dumbbells. Jacinta uses 1 kg (around 3 pounds) weights.
Warming up with plank variations to activate the full body, the class starts with a side lying series into modified side planks sequence. A prone lying transition is placed between sides, strong bodyweight exercises for increased mind muscle connection. Changing into a kneeling position, bodyweight back leans were placed to awaken the hamstrings for the standing sequence.
With a quick transition from kneeling to calf raised squats back and forth, the pace of the workout got way faster than the beginning sequences, elevating the heart rate slightly. Picking up the dumbbells for the first time in class, lunge variations and a back leg raise were next, maintaining the quicker pace. I felt a little bit tired at this point of the workout, so I struggled to keep the leg up during the balancing work.
And when I thought the sequence was finished, plank shoot backs were next without much warning. I somehow got to finish them, but ended up feeling far more tired than expected from this workout. But this was not the end, because a quick toe tap ab finisher with the dumbbell was next to pay due attention to the core muscles. The class might have been tougher than I expected, but it was rewarding finishing that many varied exercises and feeling my entire body getting stronger.
Day 7: 39 Minutes Pilates Strength + Mobility
Equipment required: Light dumbbells. Jacinta uses 1 kg (around 3 pounds) weights.
I didn't know what to expect from a Pilates and mobility fusion workout from Jacinta. Though I had tried workouts with the same label by Marie Steffen, Jacinta's approach would probably be more Pilates oriented. The workout starts with a dynamic warm up, integrating the classical Pilates hundred move for preparing the body for movement. I hadn't slept that well on this day, which made this warm up feel as tough as the regular workouts.
The first sequence is in a quadruped position, placing the dumbbell under one hand for modified bird dogs with a push up finisher. A side lying sequence was next, also borrowing inspiration from classical Pilates. After more core work using the dumbbell, the workout starts with the mobility exercises.
From a quadruped position and holding a dumbbell in one hand, the sequence start with a kneeling lunge and goes all the way to optional plyometric lunges. Jacinta encourages viewers to pick up the pace for this dynamic sequence, though I struggled to keep up with her pace. Plyometric lunges are not my best exercise, so I tried to be careful with form to avoid injury. Adding up a RDL and a plank open to finish up this segment of class, my heart rate certainly went up from the constant movement.
The finisher for this workout was simple: keeping a sumo squat hold while using the dumbbell to do the Pilates offering exercise. Calf raises and oblique moves are later included to spice things up and wrap up this mobility focused workout.
Day 8: 35 Minutes Pilates Abs and Waist
Equipment required: Light dumbbells. Jacinta uses 1 kg (around 3 pounds) weights.
The workout starts with a few hip mobility exercises and kicks right into core work using the dumbbell. Chest lifts to full rolls is the first sequence, this being my first movement of the day so I had a few failed roll up attempts. The core work is then continued by oblique targeted exercises, also including the lower abs with toe taps.
As soon as Jacinta asked to press the back to the mat, I knew roll overs were coming. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I haven't managed to perform this exercise nor any overhead hip exercises correctly even once, so I knew this was not going to be easy. I psyched myself and tried as much as I could, but my hips kept falling and falling all over again.
After my failed attempts at roll overs, more core work came next, this time using the resistance of the weight and a side lean to train the waist muscles. After finalizing this unilateral exercise, a short plank transition came in between exercises with a rather painful plank hold. Side lying exercises were surprisingly challenging this time, with a killer side plank/pike combo at the end.
And when I thought the workout was over, a bodyweight bicycle finisher was the final exercise for this workout. My tailbone hurt a little after my failed roll overs, but overall this was a nice, balanced workout for the core.
Day 9: 28 Minutes All Standing Pilates Sculpt
Equipment required: Light dumbbells. Jacinta uses 1 kg (around 3 pounds) weights. A fitness mat is not required for this workout.
Looking at the title of this workout, I was glad there was a all standing routine in this challenge. Mat work is certainly not my forte, finally getting only standing exercises made me think this one would be far easier than the others. Well, I was wrong.
After a wide squat warm up, the first standing abs sequence starts. Using the dumbbell for challenging stability, core activation is crucial to keep balance during these beginning exercises. Combined with squats and a moderate pace, my heart rate got raised a little bit with just this sequence. Next up were unilateral lateral lunges to knee drive, with which I struggled with more than I would like to admit.
The following move was rather tricky, involving more single leg stability while in a hip hinge. I wobbled a lot during this exercise, perhaps due to my tight hamstrings overcompensating for their lack of flexibility.The finisher for this workout was a plie squat movement using the dumbbells, a fitting end for this all standing class. My balance let much to be desired during this workout, showing that I might have overestimated my performance in standing exercises.
Day 10: 43 Minutes Dynamic Pilates x Strength
Equipment required: Light dumbbells, Jacinta uses 2 kg (around 5 pounds) weights for this session.
The warm up of this workout sets the tone for the entire class, dynamic movements focusing on strengthening the muscles. Bridging combined with upper body dumbbell exercise is the first sequence, the heavier weights allowing to train bigger upper body muscle groups with chest presses and skullcrushers. Single leg work is also incorporated to the set, putting hip stability to the test while also balancing the weights.
Core work was next, having heavier weights made simple exercises like deadbugs harder than usual. The last few reps made me sweat a lot, but i managed to keep my legs upright for the pulses. And with little rest, a bodyweight exercise sequence came after. Starting from bear crawls, transitioning to jump squats and with a moving side plank finisher, this quick paced flow was clearly designed to raise the heart rate up with fast moves.
After the "cardio" portion, it was time for more strength training, now with lunges as the main exercise of the sequence. Having to perform dumbbell exercises while doing deep lunges was a great challenge to my balance, I tried to get my knee to touch the mat on each rep. With a short plank transition between unilateral lunges, my heart rate was higher than usual for a Pilates class. Finalizing the workout with standing upper body exercises with the dumbbells and a star jump cardio finisher, this workout was definitely the perfect blend of dynamic and strong moves.
Thoughts so far:
Jacinta's approach to Pilates is creative and dynamic, fusing classical and contemporary Pilates with strength training and sculpt to create comprehensive workouts for the entire body. Much like the original 34 exercises Pilates sequence, these workouts are programmed to engage the entire body in constant controlled movement, with the occasional added cardio spin to challenge endurance. Her cues are clear, explaining the exercises with great care and constantly giving tips about proper form.
Every workout so far has been drastically different from the last, putting more emphasis in flowing through various moves rather than repetition and pulsing, making pretty much every video so far a full body routine. Transitions between exercises are fast, many times using other exercises to prepare the body for the next movement, providing a sense of dynamism to each sequence. The creative implementation of the Pilates ball also has been excellent to aid further activation of the muscles and provide more variety to the workouts aside from using dumbbells.
While the workouts are technically aimed at all levels, I believe they could be labelled as moderately challenging if performed matching Jacinta's weights and pace. Modifications for beginners are not as explicitly stated as in classes by other instructors, so if you're a beginner, I recommend paying close attention and stay on whatever level of progression of each exercise is suitable for your level.
Overall, the challenge has been a pretty unique experience compared to other Pilates challenges I've tried before. The variety in movements and transitions has been a nice change from constant repetition, with each class feeling more a like a full body workout than just exercises targeting specific muscle groups.
What I've loved so far:
- Certified instructor providing clear cues and guidance through the entire workout.
- Warm up and cool down included in every video. Warm ups are different for every workout, prepping the body for the programmed flow for the day.
- Engaging flows with dynamic pacing.
- Creative exercises and transitions between sequences.
- Great use of props.
- Balanced programming targeting the full body.
- Consistent schedule and difficulty.
- No emphasis on weight changes or body image.
- Clear influence of classical Pilates.
- Detailed vocal guidance allowing to perform the exercises without looking at the screen.
What I would change:
- The background music can be distracting at times.
- Some transitions can feel abrupt.
- Options for modifications are not stated too clearly.
Would I recommend this challenge?
Yes, though I wouldn't recommend it to absolute beginners to Pilates or fitness in general. For absolute beginners to the practice, I recommend trying the videos this beginner Pilates playlist by Jacinta herself to learn more about the basics movements, core engagement and more.
And if you're familiar to the practice, the wonderful programming of this challenge is a pleasant change from the usual contemporary Pilates class.
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