One of my favorite finds on YouTube at the beginning of this year was the Pilates by Izzy channel. Run by Izzy Samuel, a certified Pilates teacher from Australia, her approach is creating strength training based Pilates inspired workouts. Aimed at intermediate and advanced learners, these workouts are some of the most intense Pilates based videos on the platform with fast paced flows and advanced progressions. Although Izzy's workouts might not be a traditional approach to the practice, the class structure and instructions are very similar to regular modern Pilates classes. Featuring real time recorded videos and full vocal guidance, the videos offer a in studio class-like experience with great image quality and no music.
I was lured to Izzy's channel by her minimalistic video thumbnails and non clickbait titles, and after browsing some of the videos her professionalism as instructor won me over. Prior to finding this channel, I had basically null experience with Pilates besides the occasional no voiceover "Pilates" ab workouts so these videos seemed on another level. I grabbed my mat and equipment and chose the Pilates x Strength challenge, thinking 'Yeah, I do strength training. This won't be that hard, hard?'. I was so wrong.
Before you begin:
- If you're a beginner to any type of exercise, I recommend skipping Izzy's workouts for the time being. They're aimed at intermediate-advanced learners.
- If you workout regularly but are new to Pilates, try to take things slow or follow a few beginner level classes first to learn the basics. These workouts by Flow with Mira and Isa Welly are a great way to get started.
- If you feel any severe discomfort or pain during the workouts, stop and take a rest.
- All equipment besides the mat is technically optional. Don't be afraid to drop the weights or the band if it's too hard for you.
- Follow Izzy's instructions and stay on the easier progressions if it's too hard for you to advance.
- The program has no explicitly scheduled rest days so plan accordingly to your needs
Equipment required:
- Exercise mat, preferably a Pilates mat with enough cushion for the spine
- Light hand weights (Izzy uses 2 kilos/5 pounds, I used the same weight and occasionally went lighter with 1 kilo/3pounds. I recommend the latter)
- Resistance band (I used a medium, recommend light or very light for beginners)
- Yoga block (I used a thick book)
- Pilates small ball (I switched between a pillow and a round plushie, sometimes I used a small inflatable ball when safe to do so)
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| Some of my Pilates 'equipment'. A book to replace the yoga block and a Squishmallow to replace the small Pilates ball |
Program Duration: 25 days
Full program playlist on this link.
Day 1: I thought my 2 kg/5 lbs weights were light enough and got so humbled. I struggled with keeping the weights up during the floorwork but decided to keep the weights. I could barely hold my legs up in the tabletop position due to my weak core, barely managing to keep my lower spine on the mat. Overall a humbling experience and I was already dreading Day 2.
This workout has humbled me (and many) Pilates by Izzy newbies
Day 2: Even though I've used a yoga block before for strength training, this workout was on another level. The single leg bridges took my glutes and hamstrings to failure, with cramps making me stop once or twice.
Day 3: This day seemed surprisingly easy until I reached the upper body focused portion in the kneeling position. My 2 kg/5 lb weights feel like a ton and the Arnold press inspired arm extensions made me feel like I'd never lifted a weight in my life. The planking finisher after that segment was straight torture.
Day 4: I didn't have wrist weights or a ball so I used a very round plushie (Squishmallow) as a substitute for the ball. Overall it was the easiest workout so far and the extra cushion was a nice way to help activate my core muscles more than usual.
Day 5: For this upper body focused routine, I used my 2 kg/5 lbs weights and it was definitely too heavy for me. I had to drop the weights many times during the kneeling segment, felt disappointed at myself at the end.
Day 6: This time, I used a small pillow to substitute the required Pilates ball. The pillow helped to activate my core muscles more and I didn't struggle that much to hold the tabletop position. What I did struggle with was with holding the weights that again might have been too heavy for me. The standing portion with the ball (pillow) felt so refreshing compared to the nightmarish upper body segment.
Day 7: As I've mentioned above, my weak core made me dread having a full a focused workout. Despite my fears, this day was not that hard and I felt very proud of my progress after finishing it. Izzy's cues definitely helped me understand the neutral spine position.
Day 8: Day 8 was very heavy on the wrists which made the mat segment really hard for me, I had to stop for a few times due to wrist discomfort. The standing portion of the workout was hard but my strength training experience helped me pull through.
Day 9: This day required a ball so I used a pillow again. Felt surprisingly easy, workouts with the ball were definitely my favorite at this point of the challenge.
Day 10: A band was required for the first time, so I grabbed my medium band. Perhaps it was due to my band having lots of resistance, but this workout felt just as challenging as the first day. Although I didn't stop a lot during the routine, my lower body was extremely sore for the rest of the day and the next day.
Day 11: Though the routine of this day was not as hard and only required one weight, my body was just too sore from the previous day. The plank segments felt very hard, and the standing work seemed eternal. I decided to take a rest for a day after this workout.
Day 12: The dreaded kneeling upper body focused segment came back, and this time it was basically the whole workout. I literally gave up around halfway and switched to my 1 kg/3 lb weights, and still struggled up to the end. Though I was frustrated by my poor performance on this day, I decided to keep going.
Day 13: With so many pulses and the yoga block for extra range of motion, this day was challenging albeit doable for me. I had to stop once o twice to adjust my book (block substitute) but managed to finish without much trouble.
Day 14: While I did struggle with holding the legs in tabletop for long during this day, the rest of the workout was dynamic and fun.
Day 15: Titled as 'Revitalising Pilates', Day 15 definitely lived up to its name. A challenging yet approachable flow, this workout made me realize I was finally connecting with my body which is the main goal of Pilates.
A full body flow that feels revitalizing at the end
Day 16: Returning to the usual difficulty, this day featured tricky moves like bear crawl rotations with weights. The unilateral bridge work went on for so long but I managed to follow it almost perfectly.
Day 17: While rewatching the videos for this article I realized that I did the workout with a medium band instead of the required light band. And now I know why I struggled so much during this workout, especially during the knee lifts abduction. Oops.
Day 18: This workout is one of the few from the challenge described as 'beginner-level' and it's definitely easier than the others, although I wouldn't it's newbie friendly. With only one weight, the progressions can get quite complicated at times, especially during the floorwork.
Day 19: Kneeling upper body focused exercises are back again, and now with even more core focus. I decided to use lower weights (1 kg/3 lbs) from the beginning, and it was still a big challenge for my arms.
Day 20: Day 20 stands out from the other days due to having no standing work and being entirely done on the mat. Targeting the full body with bridges, side leg lifts and more, this workout left me tired but satisfied with my overall improvement.
Day 21: By far the most difficult day of the challenge for me, at least at the time. With no equipment needed but just your bodyweight, this upper body routine was definitely too much for wrists, with multiple planks variations, push ups and more. Stopping many times made me feel like I didn't actually complete this particular workout.
Day 22: For this workout with resistance band and weights, I used my medium band and 2 kg/5 lbs weights. My band was heavier than Izzy's therefore I didn't have the same range of motion as her. Nevertheless, I managed to perform quite decently. My muscles were sore for the rest of the day though.
Day 23: This routine required a ball and I couldn't substitute with my usual plushie/pillow, so I used a small inflatable beach ball. Just like with the other ball workouts, it really helped me to activate my lower body.
Day 24: Day 24 was by far my favorite workout of the challenge. Consisting of standing work only, the squat and lunges variations put my lower body endurance to the test. I felt accomplished after finishing without stops or breaks, proving the progress I'd made during the challenge.
My favorite workout from the whole program due to its dynamic flow
Final Day: Izzy wraps up the challenge with a full body workout very similar to the first day, a nice way to assess our progress and reap the fruits of our effort of the last 24 days. While I felt challenged by my usual weaknesses, I did see lots of improvement especially with the tabletop position hold. I phoned the pushups but it was because I was too eager to finish the workout. The final standing work felt like a breeze compared to the rest, felt like a champion at the end.
Results:
I saw great improvement of my core and upper body strength, my lower body balance was also better after finishing the program. Holding regular and elbow planks for longer became easier, plus I learned to place my neck properly during core workouts engaging the upper abs. I feel more confident doing mat exercises I normally avoided thanks to learning about the neutral spine position. The program also helped me with my mind-body connection, with improved body awareness of all my muscles. As for body changes, my waist and my arms looked slightly more defined.
Besides the physical changes, I also felt less exhausted afterwards that when doing other types of workouts. Izzy's calm guidance with no music helped me keep focused during the workouts and forget other thoughts. Finishing the videos was also pretty rewarding, although sometimes I felt eager to do the daily workout due to muscle soreness. Overall, it was a challenging yet pleasant experience that made me fall in love with Pilates.
Programs Pros:
- Clear instruction and excellent form by Izzy.
- Visually pleasing with the exercises being performed in real time.
- No music and good audio for listening to the class queues.
- Variety of props used keeps the workouts interesting.
- Teaching style is challenging yet not too pushy.
- Warm up and cool down are included in every video.
- Modifications and easier variations are mentioned by the instructor during the class.
- No body image talk, no weight loss mentioned.
- Emphasis on listening to your body and mind-body awareness.
- Classes are very challenging yet rewarding, with dynamic flows and transitions.
- Warm ups sometimes feel a little bit short.
- Not much variety in the actual exercises.
- Transition time can be fast at times.
- Suggested weight of 2 kg/5 lb can be too heavy for beginners.
- Some details like neck posture during core work and core engagement could have more in depth explanations.
- Definitely not beginner friendly.
- No mention of rest days during the program, should be scheduled according to your own needs.
Do I recommend this program?
Yes, if you have some exercise (especially strength training) experience. Ideally, I would recommend reviewing the basics of Pilates from other sources before trying Izzy's workouts. I wouldn't recommend this program to absolute beginners, if you want to try Pilates please check out Flow with Mira, Trifecta Pilates, The Girl with the Pilates Mat, and other more beginner friendly certified Pilates trainers.
Final thoughts:
Izzy is a wonderful trainer focused on blending her knowledge of Pilates and strength training to provide her followers with studio quality workouts. This program is an excellent way to advance your Pilates practice and challenge your own strength, especially when it comes to endurance and balance. Be prepared to test your strength and try to connect to your body as much as possible during the workouts.
Aside from this program, Izzy also has many free workouts on her channel targeting different areas and the full body with all props and bodyweight only. She has also released her own on demand workout platform with exclusive content and programs, if you're interested feel free to check it out in this link. Keep in mind that at the moment almost all her workouts are aimed at intermediate to advanced learners, make sure to browse the workout first and modify accordingly.
After finishing this program, I followed her weekly calendars for a few weeks. To be completely honest, her workouts can be quite too intense so I decided to search for easier Pilates workouts to properly build my foundation. I'm currently doing Pilates Body Raven workouts, but I plan to revisit Izzy's workouts eventually.
