Despite many up and downs, my fitness routine has remained consistent for the last few years. But since early May, I've been suffering from a (technically) harmless yet bothersome skin condition called Pityriasis rosae, forcing me to switch up my entire routine. My entire torso and thighs have been covered by a rash, with frequent itching and tingling during the day. The itching gets worse with heat and sweat, making working out nothing short of a nightmare, especially when living in a hot climate. Though many people avoid working out with this condition due to discomfort, I really needed to move my body in some way for the sake of my mental health. Therefore, I'm staying off the mat and away from high intensity exercise for the time being, instead choosing standing workouts to avoid the heat of lying against a surface.
Posture Tonic has become one of my favorite channels on the platform, with carefully planned Pilates workouts that are challenging yet not exhausting, I remembered seeing an all standing workout plan in her curated playlists and found this twelve day challenge. And though the videos aren't exclusively created for this challenge, Jacinta's programming is cohesive enough to make it feel like a real series. You can find the challenge's playlist in this link.
Photo by Alexandra Tran from Unsplash
Challenge details:
- 12 day challenge with no specific rest day.
- Twelve videos in total including warm up and cooldown.
- Video duration from 20 to 30 minutes.
- All standing workouts.
- Modifications provided for high impact cardio exercises.
- All levels, beginner friendly.
- Fully guided workouts.
- Blend of barre, Pilates and sculpt training.
Equipment needed:
- Non slip fitness mat.
- Light and medium dumbbells. Recommended weight range from 1 kg (3 pounds) to 4 kg (8 pounds). I used 1 kg (3 pounds) and 2 kg (5 pounds) weights for this challenge.
- Looped resistance band for Day 11.
Day 1: Arms + Legs Lean Sculpt
Equipment needed: Light dumbbells. Jacinta uses 1 kg/3 pound weights.
This was my "comeback" workout and I felt a little anxious. I've done some of Jacinta's all standing videos during previous challenges and they were not easy at all, so I was afraid of getting too sweaty. Starting with a dynamic warm up implementing the weights right from the beginning, the upper body portion of the workout starts immediately. Perhaps it was my eagerness, but the light dumbbells were feeling so heavy right from the start.
After finishing up the arms and including some calf raises, the dreaded lower body portion was next. Though I don't struggle with lunges as much as before, these definitely made my heart rate elevate for a bit, especially with the calf raises while lunging. Arabesque back leg elevations were next, including reverse chest flyes to challenge balance even further. Surprisingly, I didn't struggle with my balance that much this time, maybe due to me being hype aware of my body. Finishing things up with side lunges and dumbbells punches, I did end up sweating more that I'd wanted, but it was a satisfying workout that flew by.
Day 2: 18 Minute Ballet Inspired Workout
I think this workout can be a hit or miss depending on how much you enjoy barre/ballet. Starting right in with the weights and no specific warm up, squats start to turn into plies and balancing in one foot. The arms never get a rest this time, constantly changing from fifth, second and first position while holding the weights. And with this being a ballet inspired workout, plies with releves pulses and even some curtsy lunges are included. And though this was a lower body heavy workout, my arms were absolutely on fire from being active the entire time. I personally like ballet, so I found this workout fairly enjoyable but it is far more challenging than it looks.
Day 3: 22 Minutes Leg and Arms
Equipment required: Light dumbbells. Jacinta uses 1 kg/3 pound dumbbells.My arms were sore from the previous day so I wasn't too thrilled for this workout. My worries were proven correct, with the arms being in movement for pretty much the entire workout. And though my arms were burning, what I struggled the most with was the arabesque with knee drive combination, with my supporting leg getting the Pilates shakes. Despite being difficult, I felt very satisfied by the end of this workout, a truly comprehensive flow targeting the entire body with special focus on balance.
Day 4: 26 Minutes Pilates Cardio
I didn't know what to expect from Pilates cardio with the weights, but it ended up being a pleasant surprise. With low impact options for the jumping moves, I felt confident and decided to add the jumps for the explosive bursts. Blending steady state exercises with cardio bursts was a brilliant choice, especially with the moves incorporating the dumbbells. I just really love dumbbells punches.
Day 5: 25 Minutes Pilates + Barre (Ballet) Sculpt
Equipment required: Light hand weights. Jacinta uses 1 kg/3 pound dumbbells.Just like the previous ballet inspired workout, plies, single leg balancing and constant change of arm positions are the core of the routine. I loved the inclusion of rond de jambe inspired movements due to its ample range of movement, an underrated move from ballet to target all the glute muscles.
Day 6: 20 Minutes Lower Body Focus
Equipment required: One light dumbbell. Jacinta uses a 1 kg/3 pound dumbbell.
This workout was the most dynamic flow so far. With many lunges variations, squats and single leg work, lower body stability is challenged by the long time under tension. Knees stay in a bent position for pretty much the entire routine, so prepare to challenge your hamstrings to keep up with the fast pacing. The single dumbbell is present not to add more resistance, but to challenge balance further with some added upper body exercises while squatting. I managed to keep up with the arabesques at the end of the workout, so all the prep certainly helped activate the right muscles this time.
Day 7: 25 Minutes Power Pilates with Dumbbells
Equipment needed: Light and medium dumbbells. Jacinta uses 1 kg/3 pound and 2 kg/5 pound dumbbells.
For this workout, Jacinta suggests grabbing heavier weights and keeping the lighter option in case of getting too fatigued, so I grabbed my 2 kg/5 pounds for the first time in weeks. I really struggled with the first few shoulder heavy exercises but managed to push through. I've been battling some fatigue related to my pityriasis rosae, so I certainly felt weaker than usual. My core stability was also very challenged during this portion of the workout, with the core requiring further engagement to compensate for the instability caused by the dumbbells. The latter half of the workout was not as challenging, though my shoulders and back were pretty fatigued by the end. I completed the workout with the heavier option so I felt proud of myself for pushing through.
Day 8: 30 Minutes Standing Sculpt with dumbbells
Equipment required: Medium dumbbells. Jacinta uses 3 kg/7 pounds and 4 kg/9 pounds, I used 2 kg/5 pound dumbbells.
I tried this workout before as a part of the Sculpt x Nutrition 14 day challenge (you can read my review here), so I was pretty sure of what to expect. And despite my current condition, I managed to perform quite well with the same dumbbells I used last time. Though I used lighter weights than suggested, the workout was still challenging enough, with the built in cardio burst raising the heart rate and making everything harder. And unlike last time, I managed to keep up with the arabesques with both sides.
Day 9: 17 Minutes Low Impact HIIT
Equipment required: Light dumbbells. Jacinta uses 2 kg/5 pound weights.
This workout might be short and low impact, but it can get really intense if you match Jacinta's weights. With 55 seconds work intervals and only 10 second rest between exercises, the constant movement paired with the slightly heavier dumbbell option is an endurance challenge. The lateral lunges to knee drive were by far the hardest part of the workout for me, maintaining stability while holding the dumbbells was a challenge for the supporting leg and the core. Despite having zero jumping, I was sweating and breathing heavily by the end of the workout.
Day 10: 27 Minutes Pilates Tone
Maybe it was the soreness from the previous day but I was not feeling too ready for this workout. I felt the warm up was too short for the multiple lunge variations almost right at the start, and I could not keep up with all the single leg balancing with added dumbbells rows. My leg muscles perhaps were not active enough and I kept tipping over, moving the hips and one arm while balancing also felt pretty off for me. I did like the cardio bursts of this workout, but overall it was my least favorite from the challenge.
Day 11: All Standing Pilates HIIT
Equipment required: Medium dumbbells and a booty band. Jacinta uses 4 kg/9 pound and 3 kg/7 pound dumbbells, I used 2 kg/5 pound dumbbells. I chose a light resistance band for this workout.
After my rest day, I felt a little bit better and decided to challenge myself with this workout. Unlike the previous HIIT style workout, there are high impact options for extra burn in this routine. I also hadn't used my resistance bands in a while, so I chose the lighter option to keep things accessible. Starting the workout with a few glute activation exercises using the band was a great choice for the warm up, making my legs feel ready for the following lunges with both props.
What I wasn't quite ready for was the jumping lunges. I have to be sincere: I really struggle with knee positioning during regular lunges so the jumping version make me feel pretty insecure. Despite this, I chose the jumps and tried my best to keep up with Jacinta's pace. And though I did them without much trouble, I was sweating pretty hard and had more than half of the workout left. I barely could keep my leg up during the standing fire hydrants, but I completed the workout without further issues.
Day 12: 23 Minutes All Standing Pilates Workout
This workout is Posture Tonic's most popular video at the moment, the reason probably being its approachability to beginners. With easy all standing exercises and no pulsing, this is a great starting point for those curious about Pilates but afraid of mat exercises. And despite being relatively easy, maintaining the controlled movement and reaching a good range of motion makes this a nice foundations challenge even for intermediate learners.
Final thoughts:
This challenge was a great way to ease back into exercise after a few days off,a nice gentle way to move my body despite my current skin condition. Though some might shrug off standing Pilates as too easy, it can be as challenging as mat Pilates when performed slowly and with goof form. The lighter weights can be deceivingly difficult to manage while being mindful of every move, showing the importance of mind body connection in exercise. Yes, I could've used heavier weights, but trying to keep perfect form and a good range of motion for every rep is more beneficial than just tossing weights with momentum. The importance of a strong core for standing balance is also put into practice with this programming, requiring good core and pelvis stability to sustain movement with only one supporting leg on the ground.I felt more aware of the positioning of my ribs and pelvis during certain moves, making my core feel more active than with regular standing exercises.
I also loved the incorporation of ballet, HIIT and functional training elements to the challenge. Adding variety to standing Pilates can be tough, using movements from other practices with similar principles was a clever choice. Ballet can be surprisingly intense for the upper body despite being entirely bodyweight, so the two workouts with the constant position change with the dumbbells left me doubting my upper body strength.
Although these workouts were not originally envisioned to be part of a challenge, Jacinta's consistent teaching style makes everything feel cohesive. Many of her challenges blend elements from other practices aside from Pilates, making them a great choice if you're looking for a more comprehensive fitness plan. I personally wanted to avoid anything too straining but still feel challenged, and these few workouts were exactly what I was looking for.
What I loved about this challenge:
- Approachable workout length.
- Minimal equipment required.
- Beginner friendly with fully guided classes.
- Diverse types of exercises blending Pilates, Ballet, HIIT and functional training.
- Low impact modifications provided.
- Warm up and cool down provided in every workout.
- Seamless transitions between exercises for a great workout flow.
What I would change:
- Warm up could be longer for some workouts.
- Background music can be distracting at times.
Do I recommend this challenge?
Yes, I especially recommend this challenge to anyone wanting to ease back into exercise. But I think pretty much everyone can benefit from this great challenge.
What's next?
I'm still struggling with pityriasis rosae and constant itch flare ups at the time of writing this entry, so I'm not quite sure what to do next. Aside from these workouts, the Posture Tonic channel does not have that many standing workouts available. I don't feel comfortable with going back to the mat yet, thus I'll be searching for other alternatives around YouTube.
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