Easy Pilates Equipment Alternatives

Your Pilates studio, at-home, outdoors or on holiday.

One thing we love about Pilates at LIVE BRAVE is that you can do it anywhere! Whether you’re at home, at the office, on the road or just keen to get outside into the sunshine, your Pilates studio can come with you. How? Because all you need is your body and a bit of space!

What about Pilates equipment?

Pilates doesn’t require equipment to be an effective workout. In fact, you’ll be surprised at how hard a non-equipment class can be! But of course, we all love the variety that props bring to a class and when you’re travelling and short on time, equipment can add challenge and resistance, making sure your 10 min session is more than enough!

But don’t worry, this doesn’t mean that you need to be buying extra luggage for your next trip! Most pieces of Pilates equipment can be swapped for items you’ll most likely have at-home or on holiday with you!

Simple Pilates Equipment Swaps

Here is our guide to make-shift Pilates props to help you create your own Pilates studio on-the-go!

Swap your Pilates Mat for a beach blanket

A good Pilates Mat is thicker than a yoga Mat (for all of that spine rolling) and has a good grip, but it’s far too big to take it on holiday! If you’re practising outdoors or on the beach, a blanket or towel is perfect (and the softness of the ground will mean your spine is still fine!).

Swap your Pilates small ball for a towel

Pilates balls are great to travel with as you can deflate them and they hardly take up any space! But if you don’t have one with you, roll up a towel or use a cushion. This can be used behind your knees in donkey kicks, under your ribs during an oblique sequence or between your shoulder blades for ab curls.

Swap your wrist or hand weights for bottles

Weights are often too heavy to pack, but you can easily replace them with bottles, jars or cans. Whatever is around you that you can hold in one hand and isn’t too heavy will be the perfect replacement if you want to add some spice to your arm workouts!

Swap your discs for socks

If you’re practising on a hard ground, use a pair of socks (or small towels/cloths) under your feet, knees or hands. If you’re on soft ground or carpet, the lid of tupperware can make a great disc alternative!

Swap your Magic Circle for a belt or pillow

When you are using the magic circle for adduction (moving inwards), swap it for pillow. For abduction exercises (moving or pressing outwards), use a belt, or scarf.

Pilates resistance bands

We always take our bands with us! They’re so small and lightweight, there’s no reason not to. However if you don’t have them, we recommend using water bottles for exercises that use the bands to work the arms. For the lower body workouts with bands, either place a small ball or towel behind the back of your knee, add ankle weights or perform the movements with no equipment.

LIVE BRAVE Pilates, anytime and anywhere

Just like our founder Lou, many of our members have families, travel a lot and have busy careers, and are looking for workouts that they can squeeze in. This is why we create such a variety of classes and programmes. It’s important to us that it’s always easy for you to fit your workout in, even if that’s just 5 mins.