Pilates at home for beginners: how to start

Starting Pilates at home? How to choose your first classes, which principles to follow and how to progress at your own pace, without forcing it.

Technical reviewMaria João Silvanurse and Pilates instructor

Last reviewed: August 2026
2 min read
4 references

Starting a new practice can bring a few questions: which class to choose, which movements to do or what the pace should be.

In Pilates, you don't need to start with complex movements. A gradual progression lets you get familiar with the practice and move forward according to your abilities.^2,4

Beginner-level exercises help you get familiar with principles such as control, precision and coordinating your breathing with movement.¹ With regular practice, Pilates can also help improve your sense of trunk position and the endurance of your core muscles.³

While you practise:

Respect your body's range of motion;
Focus on precision and control of movement;¹
Try to coordinate your breathing with movement, breathing in and out in a controlled way;¹
Take a break whenever you need to;
Don't force a movement that causes pain.

At DUO

Every class tells you in advance:

The difficulty level;
The areas worked;
The equipment needed;
How long the session lasts.

You don't need to perform every exercise with the same range of motion the instructor shows. At DUO, we value control, consistency and gradual progression, not the pursuit of perfect execution.^1,2

If you have questions while practising about an exercise, breathing, an adaptation or the equipment used, get in touch with us. We'll be glad to help.

Start at your own pace

View plans

At DUO

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