MASTER MOVES: a whole body at-home workout using resistance bands

Pick up a resistance band and tone your whole body with lowimpact moves that trick your muscles into working harder.

To coin a cheesy quote, sometimes small ripples make big waves. It’s not often a sentiment used to describe workouts that get results (cue: no pain, no gain), but then again, you may not have tried Fluidform Pilates. Founder and principal instructor Kirsten King has a method of movement grounded in classical Pilates that cleverly caters for people of all ages, fitness levels and walks of life.

Devotees rave about her use of small movements to get big results. “Careful, subtle movements will activate your muscles, creating stability in your joints and tone in your muscles,” says Kirsten. Interestingly, she counts the most significant benefits as being an improvement in mental strength and confidence, followed closely by increased energy and better moods. There is, of course, the physical comfort that also comes with building muscle and tone. “As we get older we naturally start to lose strength throughout our bodies, which impacts our balance, alignment and affects the structure and health of our spines too.”

Committing to just 20 minutes (at a minimum) helps turn this around. “The beauty of bands is that they create resistance, so the body is forced to work a little harder,” explains Kirsten. “The resistance also means you have to work to stabilise your body to achieve connection and balance, which engages your entire body with the most minimal of movements.” Try these six easy-to-master moves to set you on a path of recovery and strength. The only catch: you have to stick with it.

“The beauty of bands is that they create resistance, so the body is forced to work a little harder to achieve the movement,” says Kirsten.