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Fit&Well published a five-move Pilates leg workout for people seeking alternatives to squats. The routine uses bodyweight movements, with two rounds of 8 to 12 repetitions per side; its instructor says ankle weights are optional.
Fit&Well has published a five-move Pilates leg routine that can be done at home without squats, offering an alternative for people who find squatting uncomfortable. Pilates instructor Lottie Anderson, founder of London studio Bondi Rise, recommends two rounds of 8 to 12 repetitions on each side for every exercise.
The sequence consists of horse kicks, rainbow kicks and hamstring extensions, followed by kneeling lift-and-lowers and kneeling side kicks. The first three begin on hands and knees; the final two use a supported kneeling side-plank position. All five movements are performed on both sides.
Anderson uses ankle weights to make the exercises harder, according to the report, but they are not required. The instructions emphasize controlled movement and a steady trunk: for example, keeping the hips still during rainbow kicks and the waist lifted during the side-kick variations.
For the horse kick, extend one leg behind you and lift it to hip height, then lower and repeat. In the rainbow kick, sweep the lifted leg across to tap the floor on the opposite side, then return it across to the starting side. The hamstring extension alternates bending the knee to bring the heel toward the glutes and straightening the leg again.
A Squat-Free Route to Leg Training
The routine gives readers who cannot comfortably squat a specific lower-body workout option rather than suggesting they abandon leg training. The source cites tight hamstrings, limited ankle mobility, balance issues and tender joints as possible obstacles to squatting. It does not establish that these exercises are suitable for every person with those concerns.
Anderson says leg strength supports everyday tasks such as getting down to play with a child, lifting a child into a car seat and carrying them upstairs. She also describes the glutes as helping stabilize the pelvis and support the lower back and knees. Those are the instructor’s explanations, not findings from a study presented in the report.
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Why the Routine Skips Squats
Squats are commonly used in lower-body workouts and can strengthen thigh muscles, the report says. But they may be difficult for some people to perform comfortably because of mobility, balance or joint issues. The article presents the Pilates sequence as a non-squat alternative, not as a replacement proven to work better than squats.
Anderson’s five movements all use a mat-based setup and bodyweight resistance. The report gives the same prescription for each: two rounds of 8 to 12 repetitions per side. It does not provide a total workout duration or a progression plan for increasing difficulty over time.
“Your legs carry you through everything.”
— Lottie Anderson, Pilates instructor and founder of Bondi Rise, as quoted by Fit&Well
Limits of the Workout Guidance
The report does not include study results comparing this sequence with squats or other forms of leg training. It also does not specify how long to rest between rounds, how often to do the routine, or how to adapt it for different fitness levels. No evidence of a clinical assessment or individualized exercise guidance is provided.
Although the article mentions mobility limits, balance problems and tender joints as reasons squats may not suit someone, it does not explain which movements may be appropriate for particular injuries or conditions. The advice should not be read as a diagnosis or as medical guidance; readers with pain or health concerns can ask a qualified professional about exercise choices.
How to Follow the Five Moves
The source lays out the exercise order and repetition range but does not announce a follow-up, new version or additional reporting. Readers following the published sequence can work through all five movements for two rounds, completing 8 to 12 repetitions on each side as instructed. Ankle weights are optional, according to Anderson.
There is no confirmed next milestone for the routine. The report gives no schedule for repeating it or guidance on when to add resistance, so those details remain outside the published instructions.
Key Questions
What are the five exercises in the Pilates leg routine?
The sequence is horse kicks, rainbow kicks, hamstring extensions, kneeling lift-and-lowers and kneeling side kicks. Each exercise is performed on both sides.
How many repetitions should I do?
Fit&Well’s instructions call for two rounds of 8 to 12 repetitions per side for each movement.
Do I need ankle weights?
No. Anderson uses ankle weights to increase the challenge, but the report says they are not required.
Is this workout proven to replace squats?
The report presents it as a squat-free alternative, but provides no research comparing the sequence with squats or establishing that it replaces them for every training goal.
Source: fitandwell.com
